In a setback to Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) plans, the maiden flight of long-range subsonic cruise missile, Nirbhay (Fearless) had to be terminated within 20 minutes of its launch after it deviated from the path.
A top DRDO official told The Hindu from Chandipur that the flight had to be terminated to ensure "coastal safety".
The missile was launched from a road mobile launcher around 11.45 am from the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, off the Odisha coast. After flying for more than 15 minutes as per the envisaged path, it deviated and veered towards the coast forcing DRDO scientists to abort the flight. The two-stage, low-altitude missile was flying at a height of 4.5 km when the mission was aborted.
DRDO planned to test the missile for its full range of 1,000 km and established make-shift stations along the East Coast to track the missile during its flight.
Soon after the missile took off, the booster engine kick-started and the first stage was separated and missile cruised ahead at 0.7 Mach.
Avinash Chander Chief Controller (Missiles and Strategic Systems), DRDO, however, said that all the mission objectives were met. He said the cruise capability of the system was established for about 30 per cent of the envisaged range when the missile deviated from its trajectory and drifted. All the parameters till that time were exactly as planned. "All the aspects of cruise vehicle were tested and verified. That is a major achievement", he added.
He said the reasons for deviation were being analysed and it might take a couple of months before the next flight was launched.
The missile has "loitering capability" and could fly from an altitude of 500 meters to 10 km. It could go over and around the hills and would be difficult to detect.
