Nuclear-capable Dhanush Missile Successfully Test Fired

Nuclear-capable Dhanush missile was successfully test fired from a warship off Orissa’s coast. Dhanush is a nuclear warhead capable surface to air missile.

Dhanush was test-fired from INS Subhadra warship which was kept anchored at around 35 km offshore from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur. Coming after the recent failure of the Agni missile’s test, Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) does get a major boost with the successful launch this time. The missile is being developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).

Dhanush is an indigenously developed naval version of the Prithvi short-range ballistic missile (SRBM). The missile has a strike range up to 350 km and can carry 500 kg of conventional or nuclear warhead. Dhanush weighs around 4.4 tonnes, is 8.53 metres in length and 0.9 metre in diameter.

Dhanush is primarily a single staged missile and uses liquid propellant fuel. Primary objective is to use it as an anti-ship weapon as well as for destroying land targets depending on the range.