NEW DELHI: Continuing with big spending on new military acquisitions and stepping up the country's indigenous missile production, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Thursday night finalised purchase of over Rs 1000 crores worth of new missiles, and acquisition of new training jets and interceptor boats.
Defence minister Pranab Mukherjee said the CCS has approved 54 Prithvi missiles for the Indian Air Force from Hyderbad-based Bharat Dynamics Limited. The missiles would cost Rs 1114 crores and would be the biggest acquisition of the indigenous missile for IAF.
The CCS also approved 12 Intermediate Jet Trainers for the IAF worth Rs 486.82 crores. The trainers are made by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and meant for pilots in the initial stage of flying before they graduate to Advanced Jet Trainers and then to fighters. The CCS also approved purchase of 11 interceptor boats for Coast Guard at a cost of over Rs 200 crores.
The Prithvi-II is a surface-to-surface missile with a range of 250 km and is capable of carrying up to 750-kg payload. The missile is a dual engine, road-mobile, liquid fuel missile. Sources say the payload is being increased to 1000-kg.
Prithvi is an indigenously developed missile that is in service with the Army and also has a naval version. It was also India's first ballistic missile until Agni came into service. The Indian Army first inducted Prithvi missile in 1995, under the 333 Missile Group based in Secunderbad. In the recent years two more additional units have been formed-444 and 555 Missile Groups.
The missile order, coupled with the newly created facility for Brahmos cruise missile manufacturing in Hyderabad would result in a significant jump in the number of missiles produced within India, sources said. Prithvi would be used only for conventional roles-to launch pre-fragmented explosives, cluster munitions etc against critical enemy installations.
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