India's subsonic Cruise Missile fails - the 4th time

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TOI - Nuclear-capable Nirbhay cruise missile's test fails for the fourth time.

Highlights

1. This was the subsonic missile's fourth test since March 2013, all of which have more or less flopped to achieve test parameters.
2. The missile’s first test in March 2013 had completely failed, the second one was dubbed "a partial success" in October 2014.
3. Indian DRDO have the ballistic missiles like the Agni series, which have strike ranges from 700-km to over 5,000-km, but continues to flounder in the field of cruise missiles.

NEW DELHI: Another test of the Nirbhay land-attack cruise missile, designed to carry nuclear warheads to a strike range of 1,000-km, failed on Wednesday. This was the subsonic missile's fourth test since March 2013, all of which have more or less failed to achieve test parameters.

The missile had to be destroyed in mid-air after it deviated from its flight-path. "The test was an utter failure, with the missile veering to the right within two minutes of take-off," said a source.

India already has the supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles developed with the help of Russia, but they have a range of only 290-km as of now and carry only conventional warheads.

The Nirbhay, a stealth missile in the making for almost a decade now, was meant to fulfill the demand for nuclear-tipped land-attack cruise missiles (LACMs) versatile enough to be fired from land, air and sea. The missile was said to be a counter to Pakistan's Babur LACM.

Why a subsonic Cruise Missile?

• For targets far away or more "hardened," (such as command and control).
• Useful when speed is not of essence.
• A sub-sonic missile can loiter over the intended target area and wait until it is appropriate to strike.
• Greater range/payload and greatly reduced odds of detection "terrain hugging".