TESTING OF MISSILES

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LOK SABHA

Seven development flight trials have been carried out since January 2002 which includes two flight tests of Naval versions of Trishul, one of BrahMos, one of Akash, two of Nag and one of Agni-I. The ranges of these missiles are as under:-

Naval Trishul - 9 km

Nag - 4 km

Agni –I - 700 km

BrahMos - Upto 300 km

Akash - 25 km

One laboratory of Defence Research and Development Organisation is dedicated for conducting flight testing of missiles. In addition a large number of scientists and personnel from other laboratories who have developed the missile and support system are involved in the testing. It has not been the practice to apportion the different costs of testing missiles.

Development work of Trishul, Akash and Nag Missile Systems is expected to be completed by December, 2003 and December, 2004 respectively after which missiles will be ready for User’s trial, production and induction Development work of Agni-I has been completed and missile is going to be tested once more before getting into production and induction. BrahMos supersonic cruise missile is likely to enter production phase by the end of 2003 and it will be inducted by 2004.

Design, development and flight test of missile system is a continuous process based on strategic requirements of Indian Armed Forces and security requirements of the Nation.

This information was given by the Defence Minister Shri George Fernandes in a written reply to Shri CN Singh and Shri Sadashivrao Dadoba Mandlik in Lok Sabha today.