Short-range Surface-to-surface Missile Prahar successfully Test-fired

Short-range surface-to-surface missile developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation, Prahar was successfully test-fired on 21 July 2011 from the Integrated Test Range in Balasore. Prahar which is a single stage missile with a range of 150 km and fuelled by solid propellants took off from a road mobile launcher in Launch Complex 3 of ITR in Chandipur.

Several Prahar missile like multiple-rocket system Pinaka missile can be fired in one salvo. Prahar with greater accuracy will fill the gap between Pinaka, the multi-barrel rocket system, which has a range of 45 km and the Prithvi missile that can attack targets 250 km to 350 km away.

Prahar can image, take out multiple targets and can be moved to any place. It can also carry conventional warheads. Prahar will be used as a road-mobile weapon similar to the BrahMos supersonic multi-role cruise missile with each motorised transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) carrying six cannisterised, vertically-launched missiles armed with conventional warheads. A separate wheeled vehicle is being developed to act as a missile resupply station, carrying six cannistered missile rounds.

Unlike Prithvi, Prahaar boasts of a three-element flight-control system, with the third and final stage comprising only the manoeuvring warhead section. Prahaar is expected to replace all existing Prithvi SS-150 missiles that are now deployed by the three Missile Groups attached to the Indian Army’s two Field Artillery Divisions.

Prahar will be extremely useful in emergency situations as it is multi-directional and auto loading in nature. Its launch time is estimated to be two to three minutes and no preparation is required.
Prahar which was first unveilled in 2010 in scale-model form at the Larsen & Toubro stall during DEFEXPO 2010, would fill the gap for a battlefield weapon system in the country's missile arsenal and would replace the unguided Pinaka and Smerch rockets (90 km range).