Pralay Ballistic Missiles: India’s First Tactical Quasi-Ballistic Missile- The decision by the Defence Ministry to procure indigenous short-range ballistic surface-to-surface (SRBM) missile Pralay, a conventional weapon that has become ready for induction in just seven years, gives Indian military the heft to its war-fighting capabilities. The acquisition of around 120 Pralay missiles and their placement along the borders for the armed forces were approved at a high-level meeting of the Defence Ministry. India now permits the use of ballistic missiles in tactical roles, therefore the acquisition of these ballistic missiles is considered a significant development for the nation.
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Significance Of This ballistic missile:
The missile, which will be the country’s first tactical quasi-ballistic missile, will enable the armed forces to strike strategic installations and enemy positions in actual conflict zones. Pralay, along with the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, will form the crux of India’s planned Rocket Force — a concept that was envisaged by former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), the late General Bipin Rawat. Sources in the defence establishment made it clear that only conventional missiles would come under the planned Rocket Force as and when it’s ready, while nuclear weapons would continue to be under the ambit of the Strategic Forces Command.
About The Pralay missile project:
- The Prahaar missile programme, which saw its first test in 2011, served as the basis for the 2015-approved Pralay missile project.
- Sources said Pralay was formed through elements from multiple missile programmes that include the K-series of submarine-launched ballistic missiles and the ballistic defence shield programme.
- The 150-500 kilometre range canisterized Pralay missile was created in accordance with the Army’s specifications and needs, which was looking to arm itself with a tactical conventional missile that could be used on the battlefield.
- Incidentally, both China and Pakistan have tactical ballistic missiles.
- Pralay is powered with a solid propellant rocket motor and multiple new technologies and, according to sources, accuracy is a highlight of this missile.
- It has the ability to launch a conventional warhead weighing between 350 and 700 kg, giving it lethal punitive capability.
- It can carry a high explosive preformed fragmentation warhead, penetration-cum-blast (PCB) and runaway denial penetration submunition (RDPS).
- While BrahMos has high agility, stealth and even loitering capability, Pralay has the advantage of speed and countering it is a difficult task, even for modern air defence systems.
Why Pralay Is So deadly:
The Indian missile can be compared to China’s Dong Feng 12 and the Russian Iskander missile that has been used in the ongoing war with Ukraine. The US Army is in the process of increasing the range of a similar short-range ballistic missile called the Precision Strike Missile (PrSM). What makes Pralay deadly is that it is a quasi-ballistic weapon, which means that while it has a low trajectory and is largely ballistic, it can manoeuvre in flight. It has been designed to evade interceptor missiles.
