Successful test firing of Nirbhay Cruise Missile

It was a year of happenings for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the armed forces. Apart from enhancing safety and security of the country, providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, modernisation of the Armed Forces, supporting indigenisation and manufacturing of defence equipment were the main features.

The country’s premier agency had achieved many milestones in its strategic missile program. Here is the comprehensive list of achievements by DRDO:

A Timeline

  • December 28 and March 1 - Advanced Area Defence (AAD) interceptor test fired from Kalam Island off Odisha coast
  • June 4, July 3 and December 22 - QRSAM test fired from Integrated Test Range at Chandipur
  • December 17 - Submarine-launched K-4 missile could not be launched from pontoon
  • November 29 to December 5 - Surface-to-air missile Akash test fired five times
  • November 22 - Maiden air launch of supersonic cruise missile BrahMos from Sukhoi-30MKI successful
  • November 7 - Subsonic cruise missile Nirbhay clears crucial test
  • September 11 to 15 - Air-to-air missile Astra completes developmental trial
  • September 8 and June 13 - Anti-tank missile Nag completes developmental trial at the western range in Rajasthan
  • June 2 - SFC conducts user trial of nuke capable Prithvi-II missile
  • May 4 - SFC carries out user trial of Agni-II missile
  • May 2 - Block-III version of BrahMos missile test fired
  • April 21 - BrahMos cruise missile test fired from warship INS Teg
  • March 11 - Maiden test of extended range BrahMos successful
  • March 2 - Navy conducts test of an anti-ship missile from INS Kalvari
  • February 11 - Prithvi Defence Vehicle (PDV) interceptor successfully destroys incoming missile at Exo-atmospheric region
  • January 2 - User trial of 4,000 km Agni-IV achieves grand success

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