New Delhi: India on Monday successfully test-fired its indigenously developed intercontinental surface-to-surface nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni-V from the Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast in Balasore district.
This is the fourth and final test of the missile.
President Pranab Mukherjee congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the successful launch.
“Congratulations DRDO for successfully test firing Agni-V. It will enhance our strategic and deterrence capabilities,” Mukherjee said in a tweet.
It was launched at around 11.05 am from a mobile launcher complex-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR), defence sources said.
“We are analysing the test launch after collecting information from radars. The report suggests it is a successful launch,” said an official source.
Here are a few facts about the missile:
- The Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Agni-V has the capability to strike targets anywhere in all of Asia and parts of Africa and Europe.
- Agni-V is one of the most advanced missiles, which is capable of striking a target more than 5,000 km. It is about 17 metres long, 2-metre wide and has a launch weight of around 50 tonnes.
- The missile can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne.
- Once the Agni-V is inducted in the Indian military, India will join the super exclusive club of countries with ICBMs alongside the US, Russia, China, France and Britain.
- A lot of new technologies developed indigenously were successfully tested in the first Agni-5 trial. The redundant navigation systems, very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) and the most modern and accurate Micro Navigation System (MINS) had ensured the Missile reach the target point within few metres of accuracy.
- The high-speed onboard computer and fault tolerant software along with robust and reliable bus guided the missile flawlessly.
- India has at present in its armoury of Agni series, Agni-1 with 700 km range, Agni-2 with 2,000 km range, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with 2,500 km to more than 3,500 km range.
- The first test of Agni-V was conducted on April 19, 2012, while the second test was launched on September 15, 2013, and the third was on January 31, 2015.
- The missile is developed by the DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program.
(With Agency inputs)
Source: Zee News