Pralay Missile | 23 Dec 2021

Why in News

Recently, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully conducted maiden flight test of a new indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile ‘Pralay’.

• The missile was tested from the Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.

Key Points

• About: Pralay' is India's first conventional quasi-ballistic missile and is an answer to any conventional missile attack from northern or western borders.
  
  • A quasi-ballistic missile has a low trajectory, and while it is largely ballistic, it can maneuver in flight.
  • The missile has been developed in a way that it is able to defeat the interceptor missiles and also has the ability to change its path after covering a certain range mid-air.
  • It is powered with a solid propellant rocket motor and many new technologies.
  • The missile guidance system includes state-of-the-art navigation system and integrated avionics.
• Background: It is a derivative of the Prahaar missile programme, which was first tested in 2011.
  
  • Prahaar is a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 150 km.
  • Primary objective is to bridge the gap between the unguided Pinaka multi-barrel rocket launcher and the guided Prithvi missile variants.
• Range: The missile has a range of 150-500 kilometre and can be launched from a mobile launcher.
  
  • Pralay will be the longest-range surface-to-surface missile in the inventory of the Army.
    
    • The Army also has the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile in its arsenal, with a stated range of 290-plus kilometres.
• Significance: It will completely change the tactical battlefield dynamics and India will have two conventional missiles with long range.
  
  • The BrahMos will be a cruise option and this one will be the ballistic option.

Source: PIB