India's most sophisticated short range surface-to-air missile 'Trishul' was test fired on Wednesday from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea, 15 km from Balasore in Orissa.

Defence sources said the missile, which was launched from a mobile launcher at 3.15 pm, successfully hit a target attached to a pilotless target aircraft.

Indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, 'Trishul' has a triple battlefield role for the army, air force and navy, the sources said, adding that the solid fuel propelled missile, having a range of nine km, can be fitted with a fragmented warhead.

'Trishul,' which is part of India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme, is about three metres in length and 200 cm in diameter and flies at supersonic speed.

Modifications had been made for the naval version of 'Trishul' by making it a command to line-of-sight guidance missile. It has been fitted with a sensitive radar altimeter and height lock-loop control on board for the purpose, the sources said.