Prahaar Missile | Tactical ballistic missile | Indian Defence Forces | Indian Missile | Missile
Prahaar ("Strike") is an Indian solid-fuel road-mobile tactical ballistic missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Prahaar is expected to replace the Prithvi-I short-range ballistic missile in Indian service.
Prahaar is developed to provide a cost-effective, quick-reaction, all-weather, all-terrain, highly accurate battlefield support tactical weapon system. The development of the missile was carried out by the DRDO scientists in a span of less than two years. The maneuvering capability, greater acceleration, better accuracy and faster deployment fills the short-range tactical battlefield role as required by the Indian Army to take out strategic and tactical targets. The mobile launch platform will carry six missiles that can be deployed in stand-alone and canisterised mode, which can have different kind of warheads meant for different targets and can be fired in salvo mode in all directions covering the entire azimuth plane.
This solid-fueled missile can be launched within 2–3 minutes without any preparation, providing significantly better reaction time than liquid-fueled Prithvi ballistic missiles and act as a gap filler in the 150 km (93 mi) range, between the Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher and Smerch MBRL in one end and the Prithvi ballistic missiles on the other.
Prahaar was test-fired successfully on 21 July 2011 from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur. During the test, the missile traveled a distance of 150 km (93 mi) in about 250 seconds meeting all launch objectives and struck a pre-designated target in the Bay of Bengal with a high degree of accuracy of less than 10 m (33 ft).
On 20 September 2018, Prahaar was test fired for the second time from ITR, Chandipur.
The missile was reported to have travelled a range of 200km before hitting its simulated target, thereby successfully achieving all mission objectives, reported PTI.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Prahar missile is a contemporary weapon system capable of carrying a number of different warheads, nuclear, high-explosives (HE) and submunitions.
In addition, the Indian Army weapon is capable of engaging and successfully neutralising a wide range of targets in different directions.
Congratulating DRDO, the Indian Army, local industries and other team members for the successful completion of the test-launch, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the “indigenously developed Prahaar will further strengthen our defence capabilities.”
The 7.3m-long Prahaar weapon system has a body diameter of 0.42m, a launch weight of 1,280kg and is capable of carrying a payload of 200kg with planned nuclear, HE and submunition options, according to data by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“According to official sources, the missile has been designed and developed to replace the short range Prithvi-1 weapon system.”
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