Context:
Recently, the Ministry of Defense has procured indigenous Short-Range Ballistic Surface-to-Surface (SRBM) Missile Pralay, giving Indian military the heft to its war-fighting capabilities.
Relevance:
GS III: Science and Technology
Dimensions of the Article:
- About Pralay Missile
- Features
- Significance
About Pralay Missile:
- The first conventional quasi-ballistic missile developed by India, Pralay, is a deterrent against any conventional missile strike from the country’s northern or western frontiers.
- A quasi-ballistic missile can manoeuvre in flight while mostly being ballistic and has a low trajectory.
- Initially propelled by a rocket or succession of rockets in stages, ballistic missiles then follow an unpowered trajectory that curves higher before falling to rapidly strike their targeted target.
- The missile was created in such a way that it can destroy interceptor missiles and can alter its course mid-flight after travelling a particular distance.
Range:
- The missile may be launched from a mobile launcher and has a range of 150–500 kilometres.
- Pralay will be the Army’s surface-to-surface missile with the greatest range.
- The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, with a claimed range of about 290 kilometres, is another weapon in the Army’s inventory.
Features:
- 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.
- It can be compared to China’s Dong Feng 12 and the Russian Iskander missile that has been used in the ongoing war with Ukraine.
- It is capable of carrying a conventional warhead of about 350 kg to 700 kg, which gives it a deadly punitive capability.
- It can carry a high explosive preformed fragmentation warhead, penetration-cum-blast (PCB) and runaway denial penetration submunition (RDPS).
Significance:
- It is the nation of India’s first tactical quasi-ballistic missile, and it will enable the armed forces to attack strategic assets and enemy locations in actual war zones.
- The BrahMos supersonic cruise missile and Pralay will make up the core of India’s proposed Rocket Force.
- India will have two long-range conventional missiles, which will totally alter the tactical warfare dynamics.
- The BrahMos will be a cruise option and this one will be the ballistic option.
-Source: The Hindu
