Prithvi-II Fails to Reach Target Due to Technical Snags

[Zarvan]

by Hemant Kumar Rout

BALASORE: The nuclear capable ballistic missile Prithvi-II failed to reach the target during its user trial off the Odisha coast onTuesday. It was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Mounted on a Mobile Tatra transporter-erector Launcher (MTL), the sophisticated missile was fired from the launching complex-III (LC-III) of Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur off the Odisha coast at about 10 am.

Even as the ITR officials claimed that the mission was part of a routine user trial by the Army and successful, a reliable source who witnessed the test informed ‘The Express’ that the missile failed to attain the desired height and deviated from in its trajectory.

“The missile lifted off smoothly from the launch pad and travelled along the pre-designated trajectory. But, it could not cover the desired distance coordinated by the Army due to some technical snags. Data generated during the mission are being analysed to find out as to where it developed the snags,” the source said.

It was not for the first time that the missile behaved abnormally. On December 21, 2011 twin tests of the missile had ended in failures as both the missiles failed to take off due to insufficient pressure after the ignition. On December 21, 2012 too, the missile did not cover the intended distance. Earlier, on March 15 and September 24, 2010 the same missile had failed to deliver desired results.

Significantly, the mission was totally executed by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of the Army, user of the missile with all logistic supports from the DRDO. The test was to reconfirm the technical parameters set for the user associated launch and check the Army’s readiness to use it. The entire trajectory of the missile was tracked by a battery of sophisticated radars, telemetry observation stations and electro-optic instruments.

Meanwhile, recurring failures of Prithvi-II missile, touted as a proven weapon of the country, have left defence experts, worried, who too have questioned the reliability over P-II during the deployment stage.

Prithvi-II Fails Target for Technical Snags -The New Indian Express

 

[Pandora]

Wow this is some setback considering system is already being mass produced and deployed.

 

[Saitama]

fail article just to raise cntroversy because NAVAREA alert of reduced flight path was issued beforehad, this mediai just brewing up some article from the NAVAREA information.

 

[1ndy]

New India Express has something in personal with DRDO... Every missile test is a fail test for them.

 

[Ankit Kumar]

Well it wasn't a Prithvi 2 test for the first thing.
Hint look at the range of Prithvi2 and the warnings.
Rest , on the article.... Tarmak007 yesterday was pointing out about self made defence experts of News Agencies.Similar case.

 

[ayesha.a]

Even as the ITR officials claimed that the mission was part of a routine user trial by the Army and successful, a reliable source who witnessed the test informed ‘The Express’ that the missile failed to attain the desired height and deviated from in its trajectory.

The underlined and bolded segments are the most (or rather, the only) important part. The official statement of the authorities at the Integrated test range are not good enough; but the reporter's "reliable source" is...well, reliable.

I wish there was a mechanism to take newspapers to task for publishing dubious claims packaged as legitimate news. In a different era, a statement from an unnamed source would be considered a rumor at best, unless followed up by solid investigative journalism that corroborates the statement.

Journalism must be a really easy profession these days. I could make ten such stories everyday, attributed to my "reliable source". Hmm, if the pay is good, maybe I should make a career change. I wouldn't have to leave my room, to earn a living with that.

 

[GORKHALI]

Guys relax,Prithvi is in last leg of deployment. In 5years they would be replaced by something new.
Also out of more than 80 user testing and training ,if half of dozens failed that means we still got a very reliable system in place.

PS- More than 500 units of Prithvi produced and stored.

 

[PARIKRAMA]

Can you all imagine a missile whose range is approx 220 Miles/350 km for a 500kg configuration and 155 Miles/250 km with a 1000 kg warhead configuration testing for 132/212 Mile testing?

Guess what that's what happened... Nothing from my own imagination but real facts which cannot be disputed.. Implying either data is wrong or Prithvi 2 was not tested in the first place

See this
INDIA EAST COAST – BAY OF BENGAL (.) CHARTS 31 INT 71 (.) EXPERIMENTAL FLIGHT TRIAL SCHEDULED FROM ITR ON 16 AND 17 FEB 16 FROM 0230-0630 UTC IN DANGER ZONE BOUNDED BY 21-22.23N 086-55.72E, 21-08.83N 086-53.14E, 20-48.21N 087-14.71E, 19-35.63N 087-53.52E, 20-00.29N 088-28.64E, 20-56.11N, 087-25.93E, 21-21.31N 087-10.84E, 21-22.69N 086-56.38E (.)
2. NO OVER FLIGHT AND SHIPPING PERMITTED IN DANGER ZONE
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 170730 UTC FEB 16

Originally posted by @kurup
Notification of Missile tests | Page 2

The warning ground length is 212km or 131 Miles

So with 212 Kms its most likely Prithvi 1 test by SFC and i said the same.. Prithvi 2 test i wont believe as its a SFC test and they will test a full flight path. In case of Prthvi 2 i am sure they would have put a longer NAVAREA. No one will declare a depressed trajectory test in NAVAREA notifications beforehand and yet endanger a whole geographic region on sea by firing a missile which has longer range and notification area being much lesser..

OTOH with a lower warhead weight Prithvi 1 can reach more than 150 kms 1 tonne configuration or 500 Kg closer to 180-200km range..

Notification of Missile tests | Page 3

I infact posted the same here also
Prithvi-II missile test-fired

Now with this journalist, there is beyond reasonable iota of doubt in my mind we are developing a new SSM.. and testing it under the guise of Prithivi SSM test by SFC talks.. Most probably its either Prahaar or may be another new Missile which is far more smaller in dimensions and with new solid fuel mix...

The more i think about it, i am having a sneaky suspicion it was a test as part of our MIRV program. Reason being MIRV program building blocks are being readied for our Agni series and now with Arihant online with us (meaning almost reaching operational acceptance post trials) and Aridhaman being readied soon ; its surely the right time to introduce the MIRVs...

Prithvi has always been used to test all such systems and Prithvi's modified for higher apogee reach to mimic all such traits time and again.

This report is very similar to a Brahmos test report when a test was withdrawn after saying success.. It was suppose to be a test in Car nicobar to Trak island and hinted about lo-lo extended flight path which made us clearly understood the actual range is way beyond stated 290 km due to MTCR.. And this report was promptly withdrawn bcz anybody could see what we were doing with that test.. A lo-lo path of almost 180 kms in sea skimming where originally Brahmos was estimated to do the same for 90km....with 90 km the actual range was declared to be 290 km, with 180 km you can calculate the range and understand why it has to be withdrawn bcz of MTCR

This case is very similar if a failure is now being said in public.. Its clear its something else being tested in the name of Prithvi.

 

[Scavenger]

Wow this is some setback considering system is already being mass produced and deployed.

Prithvi 2 is now a test vehicle for new missile tech prototypes. Because all the flight and performance parameters of the missile have been established over the decades, its one of the most reliable missile of India - and nearing obsolescence.

Whenever they say they are testing Prithvi 2, it means they are testing something new(for example a new component) fitted in the missile.

A large part of new tech developed for Agni 3 and 4 was first tested in different Prithvi flights.

 

[for truth]

Journalism must be a really easy profession these days. I could make ten such stories everyday, attributed to my "reliable source". Hmm, if the pay is good, maybe I should make a career change. I wouldn't have to leave my room, to earn a living with that.

In India, when was it ever a demanding profession?

I'm not aware of any older generation journalists who have set benchmarks in professionalism, although this could be my ignorance.

 

[ayesha.a]

In India, when was it ever a demanding profession?

I'm not aware of any older generation journalists who have set benchmarks in professionalism, although this could be my ignorance.

I can think of a few. This being a defence forum, the example I'll quote for investigative journalism is the work done by Ms Chitra Subramaniam of The Hindu, when she exposed the Bofors deals. Her meticulous expose of the shady transactions not only created the biggest political scandal that India and Sweden had seen until then, but also led to major changes in public policy.

There have been stellar exemplars of good journalism in India. Now that we have an overabundance of "news networks" and "journalists", we are witnessing a degradation in quality. I suppose it is inevitable, when there is an overabundance of anything, the likelihood is that most of it would be of lesser quality.

 

[Green Angel]

.

 

[knight11]

Can you all imagine a missile whose range is approx 220 Miles/350 km for a 500kg configuration and 155 Miles/250 km with a 1000 kg warhead configuration testing for 132/212 Mile testing?

Guess what that's what happened... Nothing from my own imagination but real facts which cannot be disputed.. Implying either data is wrong or Prithvi 2 was not tested in the first place

See this
INDIA EAST COAST – BAY OF BENGAL (.) CHARTS 31 INT 71 (.) EXPERIMENTAL FLIGHT TRIAL SCHEDULED FROM ITR ON 16 AND 17 FEB 16 FROM 0230-0630 UTC IN DANGER ZONE BOUNDED BY 21-22.23N 086-55.72E, 21-08.83N 086-53.14E, 20-48.21N 087-14.71E, 19-35.63N 087-53.52E, 20-00.29N 088-28.64E, 20-56.11N, 087-25.93E, 21-21.31N 087-10.84E, 21-22.69N 086-56.38E (.)
2. NO OVER FLIGHT AND SHIPPING PERMITTED IN DANGER ZONE
3. CANCEL THIS MSG 170730 UTC FEB 16

Originally posted by @kurup
Notification of Missile tests | Page 2

The warning ground length is 212km or 131 Miles

So with 212 Kms its most likely Prithvi 1 test by SFC and i said the same.. Prithvi 2 test i wont believe as its a SFC test and they will test a full flight path. In case of Prthvi 2 i am sure they would have put a longer NAVAREA. No one will declare a depressed trajectory test in NAVAREA notifications beforehand and yet endanger a whole geographic region on sea by firing a missile which has longer range and notification area being much lesser..

OTOH with a lower warhead weight Prithvi 1 can reach more than 150 kms 1 tonne configuration or 500 Kg closer to 180-200km range..

Notification of Missile tests | Page 3

I infact posted the same here also
Prithvi-II missile test-fired

Now with this journalist, there is beyond reasonable iota of doubt in my mind we are developing a new SSM.. and testing it under the guise of Prithivi SSM test by SFC talks.. Most probably its either Prahaar or may be another new Missile which is far more smaller in dimensions and with new solid fuel mix...

The more i think about it, i am having a sneaky suspicion it was a test as part of our MIRV program. Reason being MIRV program building blocks are being readied for our Agni series and now with Arihant online with us (meaning almost reaching operational acceptance post trials) and Aridhaman being readied soon ; its surely the right time to introduce the MIRVs...

Prithvi has always been used to test all such systems and Prithvi's modified for higher apogee reach to mimic all such traits time and again.

This report is very similar to a Brahmos test report when a test was withdrawn after saying success.. It was suppose to be a test in Car nicobar to Trak island and hinted about lo-lo extended flight path which made us clearly understood the actual range is way beyond stated 290 km due to MTCR.. And this report was promptly withdrawn bcz anybody could see what we were doing with that test.. A lo-lo path of almost 180 kms in sea skimming where originally Brahmos was estimated to do the same for 90km....with 90 km the actual range was declared to be 290 km, with 180 km you can calculate the range and understand why it has to be withdrawn bcz of MTCR

This case is very similar if a failure is now being said in public.. Its clear its something else being tested in the name of Prithvi.

excellent analysis bro.

 

[Maarkhoor]

@PARIKRAMA

i believe test was Prithvi II and it happens when missile was fired using low trajectory

Prithvi I class is a surface-to-surface missile having a maximum warhead mounting capability of 1,000 kg, with a range of 150 km (93 mi). It has an accuracy of 10 – 50 m and can be launched fromtransporter erector launchers. This class of Prithvi missile was inducted into the Indian Army in 1994. As Per (DRDO) Chief Avinash Chander the tactical 150 km-range Prithvi missile will be replaced with thePrahaar missile, which is more capable and has more accuracy.” According to Chander, the Prithvi I missiles withdrawn from service would be upgraded to be used for longer ranges.

Prithvi II[edit]
Prithvi II class is also a single-stage liquid-fuelled missile having a maximum warhead mounting capability of 500 kg, but with an extended range of 250 km (160 mi). It was developed with the Indian Air Forcebeing the primary user. It was first test-fired on January 27, 1996 and the development stages were completed in 2004. This variant has been inducted into the army as well. In a recent test, the missile was launched with an extended range of 350 km (220 mi) and had improved navigation due to an inertial navigation system. The missile features measures to deceive anti-ballistic missiles.

Clearly shows Prithvi i is 150 Kms and withdrawn from services. no need to test a missile which was absolute.

 

[Donald Trump]

fail article just to raise cntroversy because NAVAREA alert of reduced flight path was issued beforehad, this mediai just brewing up some article from the NAVAREA information.

Exactly! Check this out...

Even as the ITR officials claimed that the mission was part of a routine user trial by the Army and successful, a reliable source who witnessed the test informed ‘The Express’ that the missile failed to attain the desired height and deviated from in its trajectory.

Source: Prithvi-II Fails to Reach Target Due to Technical Snags

Who the fuk is this so called 'RELIABLE' source, when the ITR officials themselves claimed that the mission was part of a routine user trial by the Army and successful!

Presstitutes and self styled 'experts' working overtime?