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INDIA DEFENCE CONSULTANTS
NIBHAYA - INDIAS LONG RANGE CRUISE MISSILE
India has successfully test-fired the indigenously developed sub-sonic long-range cruise missile 'Nirbhay', from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur. The missile took off and reached a height of 800 metres. The missile then cruised for about an hour and was declared a successful test. This was the second trial of the nuclear-capable Nirbhay missile The missile was first test-fired on March 12, 2013, but that test was unsuccessful. The missile will add a new dimension to the Indian armed forces' capability.. The 'Nirbhay' missile with long-range capability is being developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory in Bangalore. India also has the 290-kilomere shorter range supersonic "BrahMos" cruise missile which was jointly developed with Russia. Nirbhay blasts off like a rocket but later cruises like an aircraft before reaching and hitting its target with precision. It has a good loitering capability, good control and guidance, high degree of accuracy in terms of impact and very good stealth features. It is capable of flying at tree-top level which protects it from being detected by radar. The missile can carry conventional as well as nuclear warheads and has a range between 700 to 1000 kilometres. |
