Nirbhay Long Range Subsonic tactical cruise Missile was launched from Integrated Test Range. Chandipur. All initial critical operations such as Booster ignition, Booster separation, Wing deployment and engine start were successfully executed and Nirbhay reached the desired Cruise Altitude.
Although the take off was successful amid repeated disruptions of countdown, the missile missed the target 11 minutes after it was test fired.
Newspaper The Indian Express published an article on Oct 15 ( one day before scheduled launch) titled “Is Nirbhay Missile Set for Trial with ‘Shortcomings’?”. It clearly exposes that scientists went with this third trial with a shortcomings in the missile system.
The missile had a range of 750-1,000 km. But it nosedived after covering 128 km in the Bay of Bengal.
The missile’s first test on March 12, 2013 had also failed as it too fell after 20 minutes of flight. The second test on October 17, 2014 was also not up to the mark as it could not maintain a low height.
The cruise missile is expected to supplement the Indo-Russian joint venture supersonic cruise missile BrahMos, which can carry warheads up to 290 km.
Read – Iran Unveils New Missile
The two-stage missile has a length of six metres, a diameter of 0.52 m, a wing span 2.7 m and a launch weight of about 1,500 kg.
Nirbhay is an all-weather low-cost long-range cruise missile with stealth and high accuracy. It weighs about one tonne and has a length of 6 metres.
It carries a ring laser gyroscope for high-accuracy navigation and a radio altimeter for the height determination. It is capable of being launched from multiple platforms on land, sea and air and shall be inducted into Indian Navy, Army, and Air Force.
In particular, Nirbhay is being adapted for the Indo/Russian Su-30MKI. The missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads.