Integrated Guided Missile Program - Trishul Missile System

Trishul Missile System

Trishul (Sanskrit: त्रिशूल, meaning trident) is the name of a short range surface-to-air missile developed by India as a part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. It has a range of 9 km and is fitted with a 5.5 kg warhead. Designed to be used against low-level (sea skimming) targets at short range, the system has been developed to defend naval vessels against missiles and also as a short range surface to air missile on land. Guidance consists of three different guiding beams, with the guidance handed over progressively to a narrower beam as the missile approaches the target.

According to reports, the range of the missile is 12 km and is fitted with a 15 kg warhead. The weight of the missile is 130 kg. The length of the missile is 3.1 m.

Development costs of the missile touched almost US$70 million to the taxpayers.

India officially shut the down Trishul Missile project on 27 February 2008. The program, one of the five missiles being developed by Defense Research and Development Organization as part of the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program, has been shelved. Defence Minister George Fernandes indicated this in Rajya Sabha (upper house of parliament), when he said the Trishul missile had been de-linked from user service, though it would be continued as a technology demonstrator.