NIRBHAY, the long-range, sub-sonic, cruise missile was successfully tested today with a sharper ‘terrain hugging capability’.
The indigenously developed missile was test-fired from the ITR, Chandipur, off the Odisha coast. In the controlled flight, the missile was manoeuvred at low altitudes of as less as 5 mt to a range of 2.5 km, according to the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO).
The NIRBHAY missile has a range of 700 km to 1,000 km. After its launch in typical missile style, it can be controlled in aircraft mode. Travelling at sub-sonic speeds of different Mach (speed of sound), the hit capacity is enhanced by control and by homing in on targets at different altitudes.
The missile test was led by MVKV Prasad, Director of ADE (Aeronautical Development Establishment), Bengaluru. It’s the sixth launch, of which three have been successful.
The missile has the capability to loiter and cruise at 0.7 Mach, at low altitudes. The mission achieved all the objectives from lift-off to the final splash, the DRDO said.
The guidance, control and navigation systems of the missile are configured around the indigenously designed Ring Laser Gyroscope and MEMS based, inertial Navigation System.