Preparations for user's trial of Prithvi-II on

(Economic Times) : Preparations are on for the user's trial of the nuclear capable Prithvi-II missile test by Army on Thursday at Chandipur near Balasore.

The indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile will be tested at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, about 15 km from Balasore.

"Range co-ordination work is almost complete and the user's trial of Prithvi-II missile by the Army may be taken up tomorrow from the ITR," a defence source said.

"India on December 22, 2010 had successfully test-fired in quick succession two nuclear-capable 'Prithvi-II' surface-to-surface missiles, with different ranges, from the ITR," the source said.

Scientists of the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) would supervise the test-firing with logistic support from the ITR personnel here. Naval ships would be ready near the impact points in the Bay of Bengal.

Prithvi-II has already been inducted by the armed forces and is handled by the army units attached to the strategic force command's special group, they said.

The twin-engined Prithvi-II is nine metre-long and one metre wide. It has features to deceive enemy missiles and is equipped with 'added inertial' navigation systems.