Milan missile.. what is it?

[echarcha]

Just read a story about the MILAN missile. What is it?

Here is the story...

============================
One killed as missile fires accidentally

HYDERABAD, JAN. 4. A senior technical assistant was killed when a missile was accidentally fired during a demonstration inside the Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) premises in Kanchanbagh here today. The Defence Secretary, Mr. Yogendra Narain, had a lucky escape.

The accidental missile launch around noon sent shockwaves among residents of neighbouring localities and forced the BDL authorities to order evacuation of all its employees from the premises. The anti-tank missile rammed into Mr. K. Narasimha Chary's body, killing him on the spot, then nose-dived into the ground forming a crater and caught fire. Five others, including the BDL's General Manager, G. Prabhakar Rao, were hospitalised with minor injuries.

According to sources, the Defence Secretary and other senior officials were going round the assembly unit of the `Milan' short-range missile when it was accidentally fired. The three- feet-high missile with a range of two kilometres is believed to be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. The BDL unit at Kanchanbagh is said to be storing more than 500 short-range missiles on its premises.

On who was responsible for the accidental launch, neither police nor the BDL was forthcoming. It is learnt that while the demonstration was going on, one of the officials ``accidentally'' pushed a button or a switch launching the missile. However, this account had no official confirmation.

The technical assistant, Mr. Chary, standing in the missile's flight path, bore the brunt. Another employee, Mr. Rajeev Saxena, sustained splinter injuries on his hand. Others injured were: Messrs. Sunderraj (public relations wing), Challa Rao (non- executive technical assistant), Yadagiri Reddy (non- executive technical assistant), besides the general manager. Police said the building was completely gutted as a rubber matting in the hall, which was to absorb the static electricity from those entering the hall, also caught fire. The BDL fire- engines immediately swung into action for over two hours.

The city police registered cases of death under suspicious circumstances under 174 of Cr.P.C and fire accident.

More at: http://www.hinduonline.com/today/stories/01050006.htm

[Indian]

Milan is a missile originally designed by the French and can reach 1,500 metres in 10 seconds. It is usually used by infantry from a defensive position and not on vehicle mounting.

one more story is ..

A test fire of the missile failed in Orissa two days ago which led to the Hyderabad inquiry. Narayan led his team here to see if the BDL unit was lax leading to the test’s failure. The inquiry team was apparently returning from the laboratory when General Manager Prabhakar Rao accidentally pressed the missile’s release button on the launcher.

[aryaputra]

Impossible!

I have been using and Designing such electro-mech. systems and in all of such systems, there are always 2 buttons to be pressed in order activate the mechanism. One button? impossible.

There is something someone is trying to hide over here.

[santasingh_in]

were you in armed forces?

[aryaputra]

All dangerous systems are designed with a safety mechanisms, for example,
1. the handgun has a safety latch,
2. You need to press the brake before you can shift you car into D from P (auto cars)
3. your car will not start if it is in a gear other than P (auto cars)

basic engg. and common sense - that's all.

[xanadu]

Isnt the Milan an Italian Anti-tank missile- didnt know it was French

[padhu]

The indian press doesnt know the diff between a missile and a bomb so forget them differenciating what was what. When the International Fleet was there, on the Times of India web site, they showed a photo of sea harriers and under it was a caption that these are the advanced SU--27 aircrafts. So you can well imagine. forgive them. :)