Balasore: Trishul, India's most sophisticated short- range surface-to-air missile, was successfully test- fired from the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur, near Balasore, today (Dec 18, 2003), ITR sources said.

The missile, indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was test-fired from a mobile launcher at 15:20 hours (IST).

It hit a moving target dropped from an AN-32 aircraft, the sources said.

The solid fuel propellant missile with 9-km range has a triple battlefield role for the Army, Navy and Air Force. It could carry a warhead weighing 15 kg.

Today's trial was intended to gauge its accuracy and various other parameters.

Trishul, which formed part of India's Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), is about three metres in length and 200 cm in diameter. It flies at supersonic speed.

The missile was last test-fired from the ITR on June 25, the sources said.

PTI