India's first sub-sonic cruise missile deviates from path

India's first indigenously developed sub-sonic cruise missile Nirbhay on Tuesday failed to hit the target in its maiden test-firing as it had to be terminated mid-way after deviating from the flight course.

However, the Defence Research and Development Organisation said the missile "successfully" met the basic mission objectives and performed some of the manouveres satisfactorily before being terminated mid way.

"Nirbhay was successfully launched today at 1150 hrs from launch complex, Chandipur, Odisha, meeting the basic mission objectives successfully.

"After travelling approximately mid-way, deviations were observed from its intended course. Further, flight was terminated to ensure coastal safety," DRDO spokesman Ravi Gupta said in a release.

The surface-to-surface sub-sonic cruise missile has the capability of being launched from land, sea and air, they said, adding Nirbhay has good loitering capability, good control and guidance, high degree of accuracy in terms of impact and very good stealth features.

Nirbhay was developed by Aeronautical Development Establishment, a DRDO laboratory based in Bangalore is understood to have a strike-range of around 1,500 km.

India has the technology of super-sonic missile like BrahMos, which is jointly developed by India and Russia. BrahMos has a strike range of 290 km.