BHUBANESHWAR (India), Oct 5: India on Wednesday tested a surface-to-air missile as part of accelerated trials of its five separate airborne warfare systems, officials said. The Trishul missile was fired from a coastal range in the eastern state of Orissa two days after its multi-target missile Akash was tested from the same location, the officials said.

India is developing the Trishul, which was last tested on July 26, for use by the army, navy as well as the airforce, and touts the system as the local version of the anti-missile Patriot system built by US-based Raytheon.

Military researchers say the Trishul, which can deliver a 15-kilogramme warhead nine kilometres, has the best manoeuvrability of missiles of its class developed either by India or its largest military supplier, Russia.—AFP