The Prahaar is a short-range, solid propellant, road-mobile ballistic missile designed for tactical strikes against close range targets.
Prahaar at a Glance
- Originated from
- India
- Possessed by
- India
- Class
- Short-Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM)
- Basing
- Road-mobile
- Length
- 7.3 m
- Diameter
- 0.42 m
- Launch Weight
- 1,280 kg
- Payload
- Single warhead, 200 kg
- Warhead
- Nuclear, HE, submunitions
- Propulsion
- Single-stage solid propellant
- Range
- 150 km
A Prahaar missile in flight. Photo: DRDO 
A Prahaar missile passes through the Rajpath during the full dress rehearsal for the Republic Day Parade-2012, in New Delhi on January 23, 2012. 
A Prahaar flight test in 2018. Photo: DRDO
Prahaar Development
India began developing the Prahaar to replace its shorter range Prithvi-1.1 India’s acceptance to the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) has also paved the way to export a version of the missile, the Pragati, which was displayed at a defense exhibition in South Korea in 2014.2
Specifications
The Prahaar measures 7.3 m in length, 0.42 m in body diameter, and weighs 1,280 kg at launch. It can range up to 150 km while carrying a 200 kg payload with nuclear, high-explosives, or submunitions options. The Prahaar uses a single-stage solid propellant engine. It equips the TATRA Transporter-Erector-Launcher vehicle, which can hold six missiles per truck. Each missile is vertically launched, and they can be launched in salvo mode for multiple azimuth attacks.3 Some reports also suggest that reloads can happen quickly, allowing what could be called a “ripple firing mode.”4
Footnotes
- The Hindu Business Line, “Prithvi missiles to be replaced by more-capable Prahar: DRDO,” June 30, 2013, Accessed on http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/prithvi-missiles-to-be-replaced-by-morecapable-prahar-drdo/article4866081.ece.
- Hemant Kumar Rout, “India to test fire Prahaar next week,” The New Indian Express, June 12, 2016, Accessed on http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/India-to-test-fire-Prahaar-next-week/2016/06/12/article3478400.ece.
- James C. O’Halloran, “Prahaar,” in IHS Jane’s Weapons: Strategic, (IHS; 2015). 36.
- Hemant Kumar Rout, “India to test fire Prahar next week,” The New Indian Express, June 12, 2016, Accessed on http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/odisha/India-to-test-fire-Prahaar-next-week/2016/06/12/article3478400.ece.