Agni V, a game changer

The successful launch of Agni-V, the ballistic missile with a reach of 5,000 km, and capability to deliver 1.5 tonne payload, including nuclear, could well signal the arrival of India as a missile power. This, will be a fitting addition to its status as a nuclear and space power and will enhance the much needed strategic deterrence required amidst a hostile neighbourhood.

Agni V will be a game changer for India in several ways. It will propel India, into the very exclusive club of nations with the capability to launch an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). This includes, the US, Russia, France and China.

The success marks the validation of a host of key technologies that one cannot get for money or friendship. It demonstrates, the high quality and standardisation of components, sub-systems and systems made by the Indian industry. More than 20 national labs and 200 industry are associated with the mega-Agni programme.

The major milestone moment for the country also proves that the entire weapons system is validated in the maiden trial itself.

In addition to several technologies like navigation, re-entry, solid propellants, launch from rail mobile platform, onboard computation, the test also gives a boost to the strategic command system and the readiness to use the system as well as delivery to the user — Army, say defence scientists.

The Indian missile programme can step into a new era building on the confidence derived from the Agni project. It will give an impetus to the future missile programme of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). This includes development of multiple warhead delivering capabilities, MARVs (Manouevring re-entry Vehicles), create an anti-satellite interception capability, all of high precision, speed and capability.

The outflow or spin-offs of proving a complex system as Agni V will give a big boost to the tactical and short range missiles that the DRDO is developing.

The entire monitoring, tracking and data collection and transmission system will also be strengthened. The Interim Test Range (ITR), Balasore is also being beefed up. A new test range is being proposed at Port Blair along with the expansion of facilities along the coast to collect data in realtime, as well as naval ships.

The fire power that the five systems of Agni pack will give a new dimension to the country's defence. For the scientists involved it is a major milestone and a dream come true, as echoed by Dr Avinash Chander, the Chief Controller (missiles and strategic systems), who was directing the launch today and has been associated with the Agni missile development right through.

The Agni Story

The journey of Agni, which began around 25 years ago can be divided into two phases. The first phase or technology demonstrator under Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and followed by Dr R.N. Agarwal was undertaken in the late 1980s.

The second phase is from 1999-2012. During this phase the DRDO scientists achieved big strides, demonstrating Agni I to Agni V missile systems.

After an initial technical problem, the first technology demonstrator of Agni was proved in May 1989, when Dr Kalam, as the Director of Defence Research and Development Laboratory and Project leader of Agni, announced its success to the world, from Hyderabad. During 1989-94, three flight trials were carried out with different fuels — solid, liquid and ranges of 700 to 1000 km.

Having established initial capabilities, the programme was taken to the more challenging weaponisation phase in 1995.

The Congress Government led by Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao gave the green signal for the ambitious programme.

The DRDO, with its growing missile complex in Hyderabad, undertook the first test with the weapon system for a range of 700 km in 1999 with success.

This ushered in the present dream run of 13 years, wherein the missile scientists have demonstrated the capability to develop and prove the Agni and Prithvi (300 km) missiles from 700 km to long range of 5,000 km, with full weapon systems.

“This is a remarkable achievement, and unparalleled given the challenges the country had to face,” says Dr Avinash Chander.

COMPLETELY INDIGENOUS

The other big stride achieved in this period is the shortening of the development cycles. This in turn cuts down on the costs. For example, the design to delivery of the missile system is around 5-7 years. With the Agni missile being fully home-grown and technology 100 per cent indigenous, the cost of producing an Agni missile will be less than a third of similar systems, say DRDO scientists.

If Agni-II took nearly 10 years, the recent Agni-III and IV will take less than 5 years for induction. Even Agni-V is expected to be inducted into the armed forces by 2015, according to Dr V.K. Saraswat, Chief of DRDO and Scientific Advisor to the Raksha Mantri. India does not need any foreign assistance for the surface-to-surface missiles of the Agni class, he declared recently.

At another end, the trial also shows the synergy between DRDO labs and industry. The maturity attained by Indian industry in fabricating critical components, systems, assembly and necessary hardware is another gain in the process. With a large number of small and medium enterprises and even large corporates participating in the programmes, the creation of industrial infrastructure will be a big differentiator in the future for defence production.

With the country setting aside huge budgets on defence, the mega projects and the defence offsets that they carry point to big opportunities to the domestic industry.

Public sector companies such as Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), have created infrastructure and facilities to manufacture missiles and critical electronics systems to the demands of the defence forces.

As they say, there is no greater draw than success. The super performance of Agni V today could open the doors for both Indian industry and draw people to take up challenging tasks in research and development in strategic sectors.

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