India has successfully tested its first indigenously designed long-range sub-sonic cruise missile called Nirbhay, with a 1,000-kilometre range. The missile was test-fired off the coast of Odisha on Monday, 15 April, news agency ANI reported.
Nirbhay means ‘fearless’ in Sanskrit. The missile, developed by the DRDO, can be launched from multiple platforms and is capable of carrying nuclear warheads up to 300 kg weight as well.
The missile was developed by the DRDO at the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) – a DRDO lab in Bengaluru. The carrier or the launch vehicle for the Nirbhay was developed by Tata, based on a Tata LPTA X12 truck. This too was developed in partnership with the DRDO.
1,500-kg Missile: Capable of Carrying 300 kg Warheads
Nirbhay is a 6-metre long, 0.52 metre wide, two-stage missile with a 2.7 metre wingspan. It can carry the designated warhead at a speed of 0.6-0.6 Mach, with a launch weight of about 1,500 kg. The missile can carry warheads of upto 300 kgs.
According to an Indian Express report, Nirbhay is fueled by a solid rocket motor booster developed by the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL). It is guided by an advanced inertial navigation system, indigenously designed and developed by DRDO's Research Centre Imarat (RCI), The Indian Express report further reported.
(With inputs from ANI and The Indian Express.)
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