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India’s defence scientists have successfully launched Agni 5, the nuclear-capable ballistic missile, with over 5,000 km range, three times during 2018.
The trial on Monday afternoon, the 7th of the indigenously developed surface to surface missile from the Dr Abdul Kalam Island (earlier Wheeler Island), off the Odisha coast on Monday met all expectations of the users and on the technology front, DRDO sources said.
Today’s trial was a canister based, mobile launch. During 2018, Agni 5 was tested in January, June and December this year. All three have proved to be smooth one’s. The Agni 5, developed by labs under the Missile Complex in Hyderabad and several industries across the country was first flight tested in 2012.
Agni 5 is the country’s longest range missile with a proven hit capability, which has evinced reactions and concerns from China. It is a three stage missile, 17 metres tall, two metres wide and capable of carrying upto 1.5 tonne of payload, especially nuclear warheads. Of the seven launches five are road mobile canister types, which give the missile a flexibility and higher ranges.
The missile was launched from the latest test pad in the Integrated Test Range (ITR). The flight test was witnessed by top DRDO officials, including the Director General & Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister, G Sateesh Reddy, officials of the Strategic command force of the Military etc.
The repeated tests carried out in the past few years have established a range of technologies, especially the navigation and guidance, onboard computer & electronics, indigenous Ring Laser-Gyro based inertial navigation system, avionics, engine and the warhead with the intent of sharpening the overall accuracy in hitting the target.
The Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), Research Centre Imarat (RCI), Defence Research Development Laboratory (DRDL), all in the Missile Complex in Hyderabad have played an important part in the development of various technologies, integration of the missile and testing.
Under the Integrated Guided Missile Develompent Programme (IGMDP) launched in 1983, the DRDO has so far developed and tested Agni-1, with 700 km range, Agni-2 (2,000-km), Agni-3 ( 2500 kms plus) and Agni-4 ( 3,500 kms plus range). The Agni 1&2 have been inducted while others are in various stages of tests and induction.
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