MISSILE DEVELOPMENT IN

INDIA

S.SUDHAKAR
Assistant Professor
Department of Aeronautical Engineering
 Guided Missiles of India
In 1970s, the Defence Research &
Development Laboratory (DRDL)
undertook the Project Devil and
Project Valiant.
The Project Devil was aimed to
produce short range surface-to-air
missile.
The project Valiant was aimed to
produce long-range ballistic missile.
Both Projects were considered
failures. Project Valiant was
 Integrated Guided Missile
Development Program (IGMDP)
IGMDP was launched in 1983 to
develop five missile systems in the
country viz. Trishul, Akash, Nag,
Prithvi and Agni-I.
In 1990s, the program was expanded
to develop the long range Agni
Missile, Sagarika (ballistic missile),
Surya (medium-range version of the
Agni ballistic missile) and Dhanush
(naval version of the Prithvi).
 1. Trishul (Trident)
Missile Type Short Range Surface-to-Air
Missile
Manufacturer DRDO and BDL (Bharat
Dynamics Ltd)
Operational 9 km
Range
Propulsion Single Stage Solid Fuel
Guidance infra-red guidance system
system
Weight 130 Kg
Length 3.1 m
Used by Indian Armed Forces
 2. Akash (Sky)
Missile Type Surface-to-Air Missile
Manufacturer DRDO , Bharat Dynamics,
Bharat Electronics
Operational 30 km
Range
Propulsion integral rocket
motor/ramjet booster and
sustainer motor
Speed Mach 2.5
Guidance Command guidance
system
Weight 720 Kg
Length 578 cm
 3. Nag (Cobra)
Missile Type Anti-tank guided missile
Version Land Version, Air Launched
Version
Manufacturer DRDO, Bharat Dynamics
Ltd
Operational Land version: 500m to 4km
Range Air-launched: 7-10km
Propulsion Tandem Solid Propulsion
(Nitramine based
smokeless extruded double
base sustainer propellant)
Speed 230 m/s
 Nag
Launch Nag Missile Carrier
platform (NAMICA)
HAL Rudra Helicopter
Weight 42kg
Length 1.90m
Inservice 2015
Used by Indian Army, Indian Air
Force
 4. Prithvi Missile Series (Earth)
Missile Type Tactical short range
surface-to-surface ballistic
missiles
Version Prithvi-I, Prithvi-II, Prithvi-III
Manufacturer DRDO, Bharat Dynamics
Ltd
Operational 150 km (Prithvi I)
Range 250350 km (Prithvi II)
350600 km (Prithvi III)
Propulsion Single-stage liquid fuel
dual motor (Prithvi I, Prithvi
II),
 Prithvi
Launch 8 x 8 Tata Transporter
platform Erector launcher
Weight 4,400 kg (Prithvi I)
4,600 kg (Prithvi II)
5,600 kg (Prithvi III)
Length 9 m (Prithvi I)
8.56 m (Prithvi II, Prithvi III)
Inservice 1994 (Prithvi I)
Used by Indian Armed Forces
 5. Dhanush(Bow)
Missile Type Short Range Ballistic
Missile / Ship-to-Ship
Missile
Version Modified versions of
Prithvi-II or Prithvi-III
Manufacturer DRDO
Operational 350 km with 1000 kg
Range warhead
600 km with 500 kg
warhead
750 km with 250 kg
warhead
Weight 4500 kg
 6. Agni missile series (Fire)
Version Agni-I, Agni-II, Agni-III,
Agni-IV, Agni-V, Agni-VI
Missile Type SRBM: Agni-I, MRBM: Agni-
II
IRBM: Agni-III, Agni-IV
ICBM: Agni-V, Agni VI
Manufacturer DRDO, Bharat Dynamics
Ltd
Operational 7001,250km (Agni-I)
Range 2,0003,500km (Agni-II)
3,5005,000km (Agni-III)
Over 5,500km (Agni-V)
8,00010,000 km (Agni VI)
 Specifications
Guidance Ring laser gyro-INS
system
Propulsion Single stage (Agni-I)
Two-and-half-stage (Agni-II)
Two stage (Agni-III) solid
propellant engine
Launch 88 Tatra TELAR
platform (Transporter erector launcher)
Weight 12,000 kg (Agni-I),16,000 kg
(Agni-II)
48,000 kg (Agni III),17,000 kg
(Agni IV)
49,000 kg (Agni-V), 55,000 kg
 7. K Missile Series
Version K-15 (Sagarika Oceanic ),
K-4 and
K-5 (Under Developpment)
Missile Type Submarine-launched
Ballistic Missiles (SLBM)
Manufacturer DRDO, Bharat Dynamics Ltd
Propulsion Solid-fueled rocket motors
Guidance RLG Inertial navigation
system
Operational K-15: 750km
Range K-4: 3,500 km
Launch Arihant class submarine
platform
 8. Shaurya (Bravery)
Missile Type Short Range Surface-to-
surface Ballistic Missile
Manufacturer DRDO
Operational 700km
Range
Launch Arihant class submarine
platform
Propulsion Two stage, solid-fueled
rocket motors
Speed Mach7.5
Guidance Ring laser gyroINS
system
Weight 6.2 tonnes
 9. BrahMos
(River of Brahmaputra of India and theMoskva of
Russia)
Missile Type Supersonic cruise missile

Manufacturer BrahMos Aerospace Limited

Operational 290300km
Range
Propulsion First stage: solid propellant
booster
Second stage: liquid-
fueledramjet
Guidance Mid-course guidance byINS,
system Terminal guidance byActive
radar homing and
 10. BrahMos - II
Missile Type Hypersonic cruise missile

Manufacturer BrahMos Aerospace Limited

Operational 300km
Range
Propulsion Scramjet
Launch Ship, Surface, Submarine,
platform aircraft-launched
 11. Nirbhay (Fearless)
Missile Type long range subsonic cruise
missile
Manufacturer DRDO
Operational 1,000km - 1,500km
Range
Propulsion Turbofan
Speed Mach0.8
Guidance INS - IRNSS
system
Weight 1,500 Kg
 12. Prahaar (Strike)
Missile Type surface-to-surface short-
range ballistic missile
Manufacturer DRDO, Bharat Dynamics
Operational 150km
Range
Propulsion Solid
Speed Mach2.03
Guidance Inertial Guidance
system
Launch 8 x 8 Tatra Transporter
platform Erector launcher
Weight 1,280 Kg
Used By Indian Army, Indian Air
 13. Astra (Throwing Weapon)
Missile Type Air to Air Missile
Manufacturer DRDO
Operational 80-110 km
Range
Propulsion Solid Fuel Rocket
Speed Mach 4.5+
Guidance Inertial Guidance
system
Launch Sukhoi Su-30MKI
platform
Weight 154 kg
Used By Indian Air Force
 Indian Ballistic Missile Defense
Program (IBMDP)
The program aims to develop and
deploy a multi-layeredballistic
missile defence system to protect
fromballistic missileattacks.
It is a double-tiered system
consisting of the Prithvi Air Defence
(PAD) missile for high altitude
interception
Advanced Air Defence (AAD) Missile
for lower altitude interception.
1.Prithvi Air Defence (PAD) missile
Missile Type Exo-atmospheric Anti-
ballistic missile
Manufacturer DRDO
Operational 2,000km
Range
Propulsion Liquid fuel propelled first
stage with two propellants
and oxidisers, solid fuel
propelled second stage with
gas thruster.
Speed Mach 5+
Guidance Inertial Navigation Guidance
system
 2. AdvancedAir Defence (AAD)
missile
Missile Type Endo-atmospheric Anti-
ballistic missile
Manufacturer DRDO
Operational 150 km
Range
Propulsion Single Stage Solid fuel
Speed Mach 4.5
Guidance Inertial Navigation Guidance
system
Launch Tatra TEL 88
platform