Click to play videoBalasore: For the first time, India's defence scientists on Monday experimented with the coordinated launch of two surface-to-surface Prithvi-2 missiles from two different test ranges on the Orissa coast.
The Prithvi-2, as a target missile, was first launched from the launch complex no. 3 of the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur at around 1015 hours, defence sources said.
A second missile was fired from launch complex no. 4 located in the Wheeler's Island off the Bhadrak district coast in the Bay of Bengal about 60 seconds later to intercept the first, they said.
The scientists, who had launched the short range ballistic missile on a solo test flight on Sunday last from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, 15 km from here, conducted unique trial as part of the country's air defence exercise.
The project is termed as Prithvi Air Defence Exercise (PADE) and more such exercises may be undertaken to make it fullproof for the country's defence preparedness. (More) PTI
The trajectory of both missiles were programmed to intercept each other in mid-air over the sea.
Whether the experiment was successful or not was not immediately known.
The Wheeler's Island is located about 72 km south of Chandipur.
According to the sources, the target missile interception time was programme at 170/175 seconds while the missile from Wheeler's Island blasted off roughly 60 seconds later with interception time of 110/117 seconds.
The entire trajectory of both the missiles was tracked by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists using different telemetry stations, sophisticated radars and electro-optic telescopes.
The missiles carried dummy warheads, the sources said.
Prithvi-2 is a short range liquid propellant ballistic missile with a maximum range of 250 km with a 500 kg payload.
Both nuclear and conventional warheads can be fitted with the sophisticated missile and can be launched from a transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) vehicle designed to transport the missile along roads and railways.
The Chief Controller, Research and Development, DRDO, and programme Director V.Saraswat and Director, Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), Hyderabad, Prahallad were present during the launching of the missiles.
Meanwhile, as a safety measure the Balasore district administration had temporarily evacuated about 600 families (2786 persons) living in a two km radius of the launch complex No. 3 at ITR, Chandipur, before the launch.
They were accommodated in two shelters set up for them.
Fishermen and trawlers operating along the coastal belt of Balasore and Bhadrak districts had also been asked not to venture into the sea between 0800 hours and 1600 hours.
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