TATA MOTORS Defence Vehicles Explained

TATA motors has developed a combination of defence related vehicles over the years, they have showcased a new concept the Micro Bullet-Proof Vehicle (MBPV) at Defexpo 2012. It is a highly mobile combat vehicle for closed confined areas such as airports, railway stations and other such infrastructure. TATA has developed several categories of vehicles for different applications for the defense forces such as the TATA 12x12 Prahaar Missile Carrier, the Tata Light Armoured Vehicle, the Tata Mobile Bunker and the Tata 6x6 7kl Refueler and displayed a range of other concept vehicles. Let us look at them in detail.

TATA Micro Bullet-Proof Vehicle (MBPV)

Defining a new level of protected mobility during indoor combat, TATA Motors showcased its ‘Nano’ for the defence forces, the MBPV. While the design may not be captivating, it is quite functional. Besides being bulletproof, all sides including the floor have angles to deflect bullets and roll-off grenades. The electric-powered vehicle can last up to six hours in an intermittent operation with a top speed of 20km/h, making it silent yet agile. With maximum payload capacity of 200kg it can carry two personnel with their equipment. The pivot turning and gradeability of 20 degrees enables it to go over slopes and climb stairs as well.

The MBPV has been designed keeping indoor combat in mind, with special features like bullet resistant panels for protection, compact dimensions, with 4-wheel assisted turning for easy movement within indoor confines and high power-to-weight ratio for fast & agile movement, during combat. Firing ports have also been incorporated for retaliatory action. Moreover, it has an added capability of climbing stairs as well.

With a gross weight of 1,100kg, it has good all-round visibility and firing ports all around. It will be tested by the elite commando forces before it’s put into operation. It has been jointly developed by Tata and VRDE-DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation).

Undoubtedly, the MBPV is one of the most practical yet effective anti-terrorist vehicles and Tata Motors plans to add to its array of vehicles for the defence services.

TATA 12x12 Prahaar Missile Carrier

The TATA 12 X 12 Prahaar Missile Carrier is an indigenously developed high mobility, all-terrain and all-wheel drive vehicle. The Tata LPTA 5252-12 X12 vehicle has been jointly designed with R&DE–DRDO, particularly for missile launcher-cum-carrier applications, including integration of Prahar, BrahMos and Nirbhay missiles.

It has state-of-the-art electronic controlled heavy duty engine and automatic transmission along with high mobility features. Although it is normally operable in 12x8 mode, the vehicle can operate in 12x10 and 12x12 modes too, depending upon the requirements of the terrain. 

Some of the highlights of the vehicle are:

• Anti-Locking Braking System (ABS)
• Central Tyre Inflation System (CTIS)
• Auxiliary Gear box with high and low speed mode
• Differential locks system

Vehicle specification of the Tata 12x12 Prahaar Missile Carrier:

Application

• Prahaar Missile System Carrier and Launcher Platform

• Brahmos Missile carrier

Mobility

• Power to weight ratio of 10.1 Hp/Ton

• 525 Hp @ 1800 rpm BSIII

• 2000 Nm @ 1200 RPM

• Automatic Transmission system with 7 forward and one reverse gear

• Gradability of 30 deg under full payload

• Max Speed of 80 kmph in top gear

• Ditch crossing ability of 2000 mm

• Vertical Step climbing ability of 600 mm

• Fordability of 1200 mm with stop and 1400 mm with pass

• Ground clearance of 400 mm

• Payload of 33 Tons

Utility

• One Platform, Many variants: Prahaar Missile system Carrier

• Launcher vehicle and command and control unit for various missile systems

Crew Capacity and comfort level

• Driver and co driver plus 3 person in drivers Cabin

• HVAC Climate controlled tiltable cabin

TATA Light Armoured Vehicle

The Internal Homeland Security Forces and the State Police Forces, being endowed with the prime responsibility of securing the State, consistently move in and out of territories which are extremist hotbeds. It is imperative that these security forces must be able to not only defend themselves against sudden guerrilla attacks by the enemy, but must also be capable to retaliate fiercely. 

The Tata Light Armoured Vehicle is intended to aid the troops in Counter Insurgency Operations as well as for patrolling the hinterland. The vehicle would be certified by CMVR regulations post armouring, which is a mandatory requirement to ply legally on Indian roads.

Vehicle specification of the Tata Light Armoured Vehicle:

Application

• Troop Carrier / Escort vehicle

• Mobile Communication system.

• Patrolling Vehicle.

Mobility

• Tata 3 L Direct injection common rail Turbocharged Intercooled Diesel Engine

• Max Engine output: 115 Bhp at 3050 rpm

• Max Torque: 300 Nm at 1600-2200 rpm

• Power to weight Ratio: 31.5 Hp/ton

• Max Speed: 85 kmph

• Fording Depth: 300 mm

• Max Gradeability : 32 deg

• Min. turning circle diameter: 12.5 m

• Payload: 500 kg

• Gross Vehicle Weight: 3600 kg

• Power Steering

Protection

• All Sides ;- Direct hit at 90° from 10m for 7.62x51mm FMJ, 7.62x39mm Steel Core and 5.56x45mm SS109

• Roof ;- Direct hit at 45° from 10m for 7.62x51mm FMJ, 7.62x39mm Steel Core and 5.56x45mm SS109

• Floor Blast:- Blast of 02 Hand Grenades HE36 / DM51 or equivalent

• Side Blast:- 15 Kg TNT @ 3M from vehicle side

• Run flat Tyres

Crew Capacity

• Driver + 5 Configuration

• Front & middle seats – Sliding type with adjustable back and head rest

• Middle seat for 02 persons

• Rear Bench seats - Side facing 02 persons

Tata Mobile Bunker

TATA Mobile Bunker has been designed on the LPA 713, 4-wheel drive platform, to ensure fast & safe movement of troops in naxal infested states and to act as a platform for retaliatory action. The vehicle is protected against gunfire, corresponding to ballistic protection of NIJ Level III. It is a highly mobile platform and can be used as a base for various protected applications like troop carriers, ambulances and buses. 

The vehicle is equipped with the following features - NIJ Level III ballistic protection on all sides and for the roof, firing ports and roof hatch for retaliatory action, excellent gradeability and high ground clearance for all terrain usage, AC unit provided for better ventilation inside the vehicle and is CMVR certified.

Vehicle specification of the Tata Mobile Bunker:

Application

• Protected Troop Carrier

• Command Post Vehicle

• Protected Ambulance

Mobility

• "B5.9 155 30 Turbocharged, air to air after cooled Diesel Engine."

• Max Engine output: 155 HP at 2500 rpm

• Max Torque: 590 Nm at 1500 rpm

• Max Speed: 80 kmph

• Max Gradeability: 31 Degrees

• Min Turning Circle Diameter: 14.3 m

• Payload: 1 T

• Hydraulic assisted power steering

Protection

• "Ballistic Protection: NIJ level III protection against 7.62 SLR, ball ammunition and AK-47 fired from 10 m distance at 90 degree angle of attack"

• Underbelly Protection against 2 HE Hand Grenades

• Glass Protection corresponding to NIJ Level III

• Crew Capacity

• Driver + 9 Configuration

• Driver and Co Driver seats front facing

TATA 6 X 6 Refueler

The Tata LPTA 2038 6x6 Refueller has been developed for the Indian Armed forces, Paramilitary, State police, DPSUs, State Government & Municipal Agencies and the Aviation industry. The vehicle has already been trial evaluated by the Indian Armed forces for various applications like Common Gun Tower, HMV with Material Handling crane, Multi Barrel Rocket launcher GRAD BM 21, etc. 

The vehicle is available with both manual and automatic transmission. The vehicle has Anti-locking Braking System (ABS), Central Tyre Inflation System (CTIS), Auxiliary Gear box with high and low speed mode and differential locks system. 

Tata Motors has developed a demountable fuel bowser on the LPTA 2038 6x6 HMV, in collaboration with M/s WEW (Germany), specifically for all terrain applications and usage by various aviation sector agencies. This application is also apt for defence purposes, as this demountable concept is specially made for fuel storage & dispensing, in varied terrains.

Vehicle specification of the Tata 6x6 Refueler:

Application

• 7 KL Refueller System

• CGT 6x6

• HMV with MHC 6x6

• GRAD BM 21 Rocket Launcher

• Tactical communication system

Mobility

• Power to weight ratio of 17.4 Hp / Ton

• 375 Hp @ 2100 RPM

• Automatic Transmission system with 7 forward and 01 reverse gears

• Manual Transmission system with 9 forward and 1 Reverse gear (Automatic transmission system optional)

• Gradeability of 25 Deg under full load

• Max Speed of 80 kmph in top gear

• Trench crossing ability of 900 mm

• Vertical step climbing ability of 500 mm

• Fordability of 500 mm

• Ground clearance of 360 mm

• Payload of 10.5 Tons

• Range of 500 km at GVW

Utility

• One platform, Many Variants : 7 KL Refueler System

• CGT 6x6

• HMV with MHC 6x6

• GRAD BM 21 Rocket Launcher

• Tactical communication system

Crew Capacity and comfort level

• Driver and co Driver plus 3 Person on Drivers Cabin

• HVAC Climate controlled tiltable cabin.

TATA LSV – QDMCT (Quick Deployment Mobile Communication Terminal)

The Tata LSV – QDMCT is a shelter based, self-contained vehicle mounted communication system that provides wide area IP network. It provides reliable and secured IP connectivity for data, voice & video, between various nodes. Multiple communication media have been provided for both data and voice connectivity. The Tata QDMCT is designed and developed in collaboration with RCI – DRDO.

Vehicle specification of the Tata LSV

Application

• Mobile Communication Terminal

• Mobile Radar

• Mobile ATC

Mobility

• Tata 3.0 L Direct injection common rail Turbocharged Intercooled Diesel Engine

• Max Engine output: 115 Hp at 2500 rpm

• Max Torque: 320 Nm @ 1400-2200 rpm

• Power to wt ratio: 23 Hp/ton

• Max Speed: 70 kmph

• Max Gradeability: 20 Degrees

• Min Turning Circle Diameter: 14.9m

• Payload: 1.2 T

• GVW: 4.8 T

• Power Steering

Utility

• HVAC for Driver Cabin

• Provision for mounting an in-service Machine gun on bonnet.

• Fire fighting Equipment.

• Brackets/Arrangements for fitting & charging the approved GPS

• Demisting & Defrosting Device

• Provision for Personal weapons and on weapons scales of ammunition for driver & co-driver in the drivers cabin and other persons in the body of the vehicle

Crew Capacity

• Driver+1 Configuration in the Cabin

• Driver & Co Driver seats front facing

TATA 8 X 8 Water Purification System

The Mobile Water decontamination system on the LPTA 3138 8x8 has been developed in collaboration with M/s WEW (Germany). The aim to provide a solution for the drinking water contamination problem, faced by Armed Forces & Paramilitary forces, at disaster struck areas. This application is also apt for State Governments and various Municipal agencies, to tackle the issue of supplying drinking water to remote villages. This water decontamination system is capable of purifying the most impure forms of water and make it portable through Reverse Osmosis (RO) process.

Vehicle specification of the Tata 8x8 Water Purification System:

Application

• 7 KL Water Decontamination System

• Reverse Osmosis Purification Technology

• Capable of Purifying any form of impure water including one with Arsenic poisoning

Mobility

• Power to weight ratio of 13.4 Hp/Ton

• 375 Hp @ 2100 RPM

• 1548 Nm @ 1200 to 1400 RPM

• Manual Transmission system with 10 Forward and 2 reverse gears

• Gradeability of 25 Deg under full load

• Max Speed of 80 kmph in top gear

• trench crossing ability of 2000 mm

• Vertical Step climbing ability of 600 mm

• Fordability of 1200 mm with stop and 1400 mm with pass

• Ground clearance of 350 mm

• Payload of 17 Ton

• Range of 600 km at GVW

Utility

• One Platform Many Variants : 7 KL WEW Water decontamination system

• HMV 8x8 with MHC

• Command and control Unit and Launcher vehicle for Rockets

Crew Capacity and comfort level

• Driver and co Driver plus 3 persons on Drivers Cabin

• World Class HVAC Climate controlled tiltable cabin

TATA 8 X 8 Container (Missile Carrier)

The Tata LPTA 3138 8x8 is a multi-purpose vehicle for various all terrain applications like Command & control unit, Missile carrier, MHC Radar Station, Missile firing platform, etc. The vehicle is equipped with Anti-locking Braking System (ABS), Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS), Auxiliary Gear box, with high & low speed mode and differential locks system. 

Tata Motors has prepared the EW Command post on LPTA 3138 8x8, in collaboration with its group company Tata Power – SED. The EW Command post is a EMP Hardened MIL Grade shelter for mobile application designed as per MIL-STD-907, MIL-STD-285 intended for Electronic Warfare application.

Vehicle specification of the Tata 8x8 Pinaka Container:

Application

• Pinaka missile system Carrier

Mobility

• Power to weight Ratio of 13.4 Hp/Ton

• 375 Hp @ 2100 RPM

• 1550 Nm @ 1300 to 1400 Rpm

• Manual transmission system with 10 forward and 3 reverse gears

• Gradeability of 30 Deg under full load

• Max Speed of 80 KMPH in top gear

• trench crossing ability of 2000 mm

• Vertical Step climbing ability of 500 mm

• Fordability of 1200 mm with stop and 1400 mm with pass

• Ground clearance of 400 mm

• Payload of 18 Tons

Utility

• One Platform Many Variants: Pinaka Missile Carrier container

• HMV 8x8 with MHC

• Command and control Unit and Launcher vehicle for Rockets

Crew Capacity and comfort level

• Driver and co Driver plus 3 Person on Drivers Cabin

• HVAC Climate controlled tiltable cabin.

TATA Safari Storme Armoured

With the strong resurgence of threat perceptions amongst high profile dignitaries, trade delegates, etc., the need arises for a mode of transport, which is very safe, but at the same time comfortable and stylish enough, for this segment of people. 

The Tata Armored Safari Storme is meant for catering to VVIP movements. The Armored Safari Storme has a strengthened chassis & suspension system and enhanced braking efficiency of the vehicle to take care of the additional armoring weight. It carries a CMVR certificate and is legal to run on road. The vehicle has internal Up-Armoring and to the untrained eye, the look is ‘innocent’.

The vehicle is equipped with the following features - NIJ Level III ballistic protection on all sides and for the roof, underbelly protection against 2 HE -36 Hand Grenades, available in 4x2 as well as 4x4 variants and has ABS.

Vehicle specification of the Tata Safari Storme Armoured:

Application

• VVIP Protection

Mobility

• Tata 2.2 L Direct injection common rail Turbocharged Intercooled Diesel

Engine

• Max Engine output: 140 HP at 4000 rpm"

• Max Torque: 320 Nm at 1700-2700 rpm

• Power to weight Ratio: 41.6 Hp/ton

• Max Speed: 150 kmph

• Max Gradeability: 26 Degrees

• Min Turning Circle Diameter: 12 m

• Payload: 375 Kg

• GVW: 3305 Kg

• Power Steering

Protection

• Ballistic Protection: NIJ level III protection against 7.62 SLR, ball ammunation and AK-47 fired from 10 m distance at 90 degree angle of attack

• Underbelly Protection against 2 HE Hand Grenades

• Glass Protection corresponding to NIJ Level III

Crew Capacity

• Driver + 4 Configuration

• Driver & Co Driver seats front facing

• 3 Seats in the rear

TATA Xenon Recce 4 X 4

The Xenon Recce 4x4 is meant for off road patrolling, as needed by the Armed Forces, both in India and abroad. For this purpose, it has developed separate engines, complying to both BS III, as well as Euro norms. The vehicle is equipped with the following features - Revolving LMG Turret, self recovery winch, provision for fitment of recce fitments like pick-axe, spades, Jerry Cans, etc.

Vehicle specification of the Tata Xenon Recce 4x4:

Application

• General Service vehicle for the Armed forces

• Troop Carrier

• Escort Vehicle

• Recce vehicle

Mobility

• Engine: TATA 2.2L DICOR BS III, Direct Injection Common Rail Turbo Charged Intercooled Diesel Engine.

• Max Engine output: 140 Hp at 4000 rpm.

• Power to weight Ratio: 40.2 Hp/ton

• Steering: Right hand drive with power steering

• Max speed: 120 Kmph

• Fording Depth: 200 mm

• Max gradeability: 32 deg

• Min Turning Radius: 13.5 m

• Operating Temp Range: -25 to + 50 deg Centigrade ambient

• Gross Vehicle weight: 2950 Kg

Fitments

• 360 deg revolving LMG turret with +60 deg/-20 deg elevation /depression,

• 20 liter four jerry cans, mounting outside roll cage structure, ,

• Self recovery winch at front,

• Pick axe and spade

• Tow hook at rear

• 2 kg hand held type fire extinguisher,

• Four ammunition boxes,

• Black out lamps,

• Convoy lamps,

• Map reading lamp

Crew Capacity

• Front seat – Bucket type with Seat Belts, having Front to Rear Adjustment & with Head Rests.

• Rear Bench seats - Two double seats in load body facing inwards with lap belts, foldable bottoms

TATA Mine Protected Vehicle

The Mine Protected Vehicle has been developed to protect its occupants from threats like ambushes and sudden violent attacks, using powerful explosive mines. Designed to protect against gunfire with ballistic protection of NIJ Level III, it provides essential protection to Military and Paramilitary forces. 

Vehicle specification of the Tata Mine Protected Vehicle:

Application

• Escort and Patrolling Operations in Mine prone Naxal-Infested areas

Mobility

• Cummins ISBe 245HP EURO III Water cooled Compression Ignition, Turbocharged, After-cooled Diesel engine

• Max Engine output: 242 Hp @ 2500rpm

• Max Torque: 925 Nm @ 1200-1700 rpm

• Power to weight Ratio: 16 Hp/ton

• Max Speed: 80 kmph

• Max Gradeability : 30 deg

• Min. turning circle diameter: 16 m

• Payload: 1400 kg

• Gross Vehicle Weight: 14300 kg

• Power Steering

Protection

• Ballistic Protection: NIJ level III protection against 7.62 SLR, ball ammunition and AK-47 fired from 10 m distance at 90 degree angle of attack

• Glass :NIJ level III

• Firing Ports: 10 firing ports, including one port at rear

• Blast Protection: Under Hull 14kg TNT, Under Wheel 21kg TNT

Crew Capacity

• Driver + 13 Configuration

• Driver & Co Driver seats front facing

• Rest all inwards facing side suspended seats

All these vehicles can be serviced at any TATA Authorised dealers/TATA Authorised service stations (TASS) across India.

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India's Missile Armory

INTRODUCTION

If we naive Indians have to aver the barb of Mr. Gary Milhollin who doesn't fail to incessantly purport ad nausea in various fora across the US in the hope that we would sublimely come to believe that the American military and space program has been a squeaky clean effort. Pitifully and regrettably it is not so. He jibes that the Indian civilian space and later military programs have been offshoots of generous help rendered by the western space powers, especially the US, Germany and France. However, what he his figuratively trying to convey is rhetorical, deceptive and discriminating in its agenda. Agreed, India may have taken some technical aid from other nations to develop its nascent civilian space program, but discounting India's genuine effort thereafter to develop technology is certainly selective amnesia. Interestingly, America did not develop its space or military ballistic missile programs on its own, it however leapfrogged to acquire high technology solutions in space and defense by resorting to ignominious means.

PROOF IN THE PUDDING

Modern rocketry started with the ambitions of an obnoxious and direful psychopath who wanted to dominate the world. His name - Hitler. He wanted to possess a super weapon to quash the allied countries. The man who would help Hitler realize this dream was a Nazi rocket scientist named Wernher Magnus Maximilian von Braun or commonly known as Wernher von Braun, an avid Nazi sympathizer. He developed the V-2 or Aggregat-4 long-range ballistic missile perhaps one of the greatest technological achievements of this century. After the fall of the “Third Reich”, American soldiers captured von Braun and some of his key associates, and the prized catch was clandestinely shipped to America. The Americans brought over 300 trainloads of spare V-2 parts to the United States from Nazi Germany. Much of von Braun's production team was also captured by the Soviets. Wernher von Braun and his compatriots war careers as Nazis was deceitfully hidden from the public by the US government. In White Sands, New Mexico, von Braun and his team trained and tested rockets for the US military and for several years went about launching captured V-2 rockets. Before 1945, neither the Americans nor the Soviets had any extensive advanced rocket facilities or programs and it was von Braun and his team who were instrumental in developing this capability. Hence, the early American rocket program development is steeped in so much muck that even the Americans would want to forget and disown it. This could be the very reason why Mr. Milhollin fails to mention this fact even as a supplementary note in his speeches on the subject of proliferation.

India has a very solid non-proliferation record unlike China or Pakistan in the region as its institutions are bound by solid democratic principles governed by rule of law and its decision makers have complete legislative power over these entities. India has been a very responsible and stable nuclear power right from its inception and until this day. The authors' contention and concern on the risk that cooperating with India (this was way back in the 1990's) could contribute to the spread of missile technology was rather unfounded. On the other hand, when Pakistan illegally started developing its atom bomb in response to India's own nuclear weapon status, by either stealing, smuggling or rummaging the international market for machinery, parts and components, the Americans conveniently turned the proverbial blind eye thus encouraging Pakistan to develop what is now known as the "Islamic Bomb". This was permitted by the US in the name of its National Interest policy. Other intervention policies like the support to the Afghan Mujaheddin has backfired with severe ramifications which eventually led to the 9/11 massacre of several thousand innocent Americans. On the question of China, these guys supplied Pakistan with sophisticated gas centrifuges to enrich uranium and in turn, Pakistan sold this technology to Iran and Libya via the A Q Khan network in the name of “Islamic Brotherhood”. The US did not take Pakistan to task then, when A Q Khan openly sold other nuclear technology secrets to the so-called “Rouge State” North Korea, all it did was to impose punitive sanctions, which the Pakistanis cared less. Pakistan continued trading in illegal weapons despite these sanctions since it was aware that the US would not alter its "friendly" relationship with it because of the ongoing war against the Taliban in Afghanistan. The US is dependent on Pakistan for logistics support.
Pakistani weapons trade with North Korea is rather amusing since the technology exchange followed was a sort of archaic barter system; Pakistan got critical ballistic missile technology from North Korea in exchange for Pakistan’s nuclear know-how.
The Americans have failed to realize that they are bound to face an impending nuclear attack not from India, Russia, China, North Korea or even Iran but sure as shooting from Pakistan. Realizing rather late US and its cohorts are hastening ways and means to secure Pakistan’s dirty bombs, especially given Pakistan’s vacillation between being ruled by a trigger happy military junta and the fair chance of being overrun by religious zealots who by all means will not hesitate to use these nuclear assets against India, Israel and the US.
Hence, it is imperative that India develops and maintains a minimum qualitative and quantitative credible nuclear deterrence and defense program in whatsoever manner against its adversaries, taking into account its long term strategic and security requirements as a responsible emerging global power.

(Gary Milhollin-Professor, University of Wisconsin Law School and Director, Wisconsin Project on Nuclear Arms Control in a discourse before the House Committee on Science, June 25, 1998)

PROJECT "DEVIL" & "VALIANT"

India’s quest to develop a short-range ballistic missile started way back in the 1970’s when the Project “Devil” and Project “Valiant” were conceived. These projects were the precursor of the more transparent and successful Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) conceived by former President of India Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, which was launched in 1983. It is generally believed that the Defense Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), which had begun in 1958 and later, transpired into what is now DRDO intended to reverse engineer the Soviet Union’s S-75 Dvina ballistic missile. This is not the case, as India never had the policy to either reverse engineer nor adopt crafty branding techniques of bought out weapons as being done by other nations to bolster its offensive aspirations. Project “Valiant” died an early death and Project “Devil” continued with secretive government funding and support. The project was a partial success, however plenty of new technologies, design competence, materials and components development and production techniques were realized during its development, which laid ground for the more successful Prithvi and Akash programs.

Though there are several imported missiles in the armed forces, I have however focused exclusively on the systems developed indigenously.

The task to develop several technologies was difficult for the Indian scientists as they did not have prior expertise, industrial infrastructure nor the production efficiency to develop high-tech machinery, components, subsystems and products. But with customary resolve they solved daunting problems successively and developed truly world class products for the armed forces. Over the past decade development of critical technologies has been accomplished on a trial and error basis, similar to the proven model of repetitive testing adopted by the erstwhile Soviet space and defense scientists to prove the efficacy of new technologies. Therefore, delivery schedules of some final products has suffered to reach the end-users on time and as a result DRDO and its related agencies have invited considerable flak. However, in most of the cases the rebukes are rather unmindful, unfair and unjustified.

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SHORT RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILES

Images: DRDO

PRITHVI-I

Prithvi-I "Earth" in Sanskrit is a theater class short-range, road-mobile, liquid-propelled ballistic missile with two motors clustered next to each other as a single stage configuration. Prithvi was the first missile to be developed under the IGMDP. It has a warhead mounting capability of 1,000 kg and a range of 150 km. It has an accuracy of 10 – 50 meters and can be launched from a transporter erector launcher. It was inducted into the Indian Army in 1994. This missile will be phased out once the more capable and accurate Prahar missile completes its development process. The Prithvi-I will be later upgraded and used for longer ranges.

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