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Russian military analyst Evgeny Damantsev has offered a detailed technical assessment of India’s Pralay tactical ballistic missile, focusing on its distinctive launch capabilities, sophisticated guidance systems, and terminal agility.
His analysis suggests that the weapon occupies a specialized niche, sitting between standard quasi-ballistic missiles and advanced maneuvering hypersonic systems, making it highly effective against contemporary air and missile defence networks.
This assessment follows the recent successful user trials conducted by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) off the coast of Odisha, which further validated the system's operational readiness.
Damantsev emphasized that recent trials demonstrated a critical operational strength: the ability to fire two missiles in rapid succession from a single mobile launcher. This 'salvo launch' capability confirms the robustness of the launch platform and allows for rapid saturation attacks.
The Pralay is identified as a two-stage weapon utilizing solid-propellant rocket motors. It features a detachable warhead that can be targeted independently, navigating via an inertial system supported by GPS updates.
Crucially, the guidance suite can be upgraded with an active–passive homing head, allowing the missile to track radio-contrast and radar-emitting targets. This versatility significantly expands its potential target list to include both static infrastructure and high-value mobile air defence assets.
The missile’s lethality is further enhanced by its advanced terminal control mechanisms.
The Russian expert highlighted the use of folding lattice aerodynamic fins, which enable active maneuvering during the final stages of flight.
Following the boost phase, where speeds reach approximately 6,480 km/h, the warhead maintains velocities between 1,300 and 850 metres per second while executing complex maneuvers.
The system also offers considerable operational flexibility regarding payload; the warhead mass can range from 350 kg to nearly 1,000 kg, allowing commanders to trade payload weight for extended range depending on the specific mission profile.
According to the technical data and graphics reviewed by Damantsev, the Pralay follows a specialized hypersonic trajectory that exceeds Mach 5 during critical flight phases.
Rather than adhering to a predictable ballistic arc, the missile performs mid-course maneuvers within the atmosphere. This atmospheric hypersonic flight path segments the trajectory, with each phase involving controlled deviations designed to confuse enemy tracking radars and complicate the calculations of anti-ballistic missile interceptors.
In the final phase of engagement, the missile reportedly executes a highly aggressive flight pattern.
It descends to a lower altitude before performing a sharp 'pull-up' maneuver, culminating in a steep, near-vertical dive onto the target—potentially at an angle approaching 90 degrees.
This specific profile places immense stress on terminal defence systems, which are typically designed to intercept threats arriving at shallower, more predictable angles.
By executing these high-G maneuvers while still travelling at speeds in the Mach 3 to Mach 4 range, the Pralay drastically reduces the reaction window available to point-defence interceptors, increasing the probability of a successful strike.
