BALASORE: India on Tuesday conducted a flight test of its indigenously designed and developed long-range sub-sonic cruise missile 'Nirbhay', which can carry warheads of up to 300 kg, from a test range at Chandipur along the Odisha coast.This was the fifth experimental test of the homegrown missile system. Defence scientists are hopeful of a flawless trial this time. It can carry a warhead of 200 kg to 300 kg at a speed of 0.6 to 0.7 Mach. Its launch weight is about 1500 kg, the sources said.A senior scientist hoped the missile would deliver the desired result this time. "After a thorough review some changes have been incorporated in the missile system and we hope it will deliver the desired result," said the senior scientist.The maiden test flight of 'Nirbhay' held on March 12, 2013, had to be terminated midway for safety reasons due to malfunction of a component.

Source: Times of India November 07, 2017 07:41 UTC