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| India-Pakistan |
| Chandipur residents to be shifted for missile tests |
| 2007-03-24 |
| Fireworks at Chandipur on the Sea: First an air to air missile test (Astra), then a ballistic missile launch from a warship (Dhanush) followed by an ICBM test (Agni-3) from a mobile launcher and finally an ABM test (PAD) BALASORE, March 23: In view of a series of tests from ITR from 25 March, 826 families of Chandipur will be shifted to temporary shelters, while the fishermen have been asked not to venture into sea within a radius of 20 KM on 25,26 and 27 March. A Press release issued on behalf of the district administration said that the decision to the effect had been taken following a joint meeting between the senior officials of the ITR and district administration held under the chairmanship of Dr Alekh Chandra Padihary. “While a special test would carried out from LC-II, the inhabitants in a radius of 2.5 KM of the complex would be shifted to the temporary shelters, along with domestic animals. They will be paid compensation as well, the release mentioned. While the affected six villages are Gudupahi, Nidhipadasahi, Jaydevkasba pahi and Padampurand Badakia, three shelters have been erected at OP-4, 000, OP-10,000 and Sitala Mata Yubak Sangha near Coast Canal, it said. The revenue, police, fisheries, health, I & PR and transport departments have been asked to do needful for smooth conduct of mobility exercise. While the each affected adult will be provided with Rs 120, minor will get Rs 60. To all affected persons, Rs 25 would be given for diet and Rs 10 for cattle feed. While a massive operation is underway for quite some days for the tests, a sources said that the ensuing test would be of Astra, the air to air missile which is presently under development. Another souses said after Astra’s test, there would be tests for Brahmos, Dhanush, Agni-III and the air defence of Prithivi missiles within first week of April. |
| Posted by:John Frum |
| #1 Scientists are all set to test 'Dhanush', the nuclear-capable naval version of the 'Prithvi' short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) and an air-to-air 'Astra' missile from the Chandipur defence base in the state's coastal district of Balasore, some 230 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar, defence sources said. Astra is being considered as a new system in India's guided missile development programme. With solid propellant, the missile has a striking range of 25 to 40 kilometres. While Dhanush is likely to be test-fired Sunday, about four rounds of Astra missile will be tested March 26 and 27, the sources said. 'The Dhanush missile will be tested inside the Bay of Bengal from a ship - INS Rajput positioned nearly 60 km from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur and Paradip coast. The Astra missile will be test-fired from launching complex no. II (LC-II) of the ITR,' the sources told IANS. Dhanush, developed and built by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has a 250-km striking range and can carry single warhead up to 750 kg. The missile, which is a part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP), is about 8.53 metres long and 0.9 metre wide besides its launch weight about 4.4 tonnes. It uses liquid propellant. Scientists have planned to test two variants of the 'Dhanush'. While one will have a striking range of 250 km, the other will be able to hit targets 500 km away. Similarly, the Astra missile also has been developed by the DRDO. The goal of this test-firing is to provide the Indian Air Force (IAF) with a beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) to equip the IAF's Mirage 2000, MiG-29, Su-30MKI and the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). |
| Posted by: John Frum 2007-03-24 11:27 |