The launch of the subsonic missile Nirbhay in India had to be terminated half way through the test after it failed to stick to the designated trajectory, according to local media.
A test-launch of India's indigenous
Nirbhay surface-to-surface missile failed on Friday, local media reported,
citing defense officials.
The launch of the subsonic missile had to be terminated
half way through the test after it failed to stick to the designated
trajectory, OneIndia news portal reported citing India's Defence Research and
Development Organisation (DRDO).
'It flew for around 10 minutes only after which the
mission had to be terminated,' a DRDO official said, as cited by the media.
During the launch, a Russia-made Sukhoi jet was on chase
duty, according to the news portal.
The missile was launched from the Chandipur Integrated
Test Range (ITR) in northeastern India.
Nirbhay's first test on March 12, 2013 also failed as the
missile fell after 20 minutes of flight. The second test, on October 17, 2014,
was considered to a success even though the missile was unable to maintain a
low trajectory.
The Nirbhay cruise missile is hoped to supplement the
BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, which is a product of a Indo-Russian joint
venture and can carry warheads for up to 290 km.
© Sputnik