BALASORE: Preparations are on at the Wheelers Island off the Odisha coast for a series of tests of three Agni missiles, including the maiden test of India’s longest-range ballistic missile Agni-5. They will be held shortly. Prior to the first development trial of 5,000-km range Agni-5, the DRDO has planned to conduct two user trials of 700-km range Agni-1 and 2,000-km range Agni-2 missile.
As India is attempting its first intercontinental missile test, scientists are leaving no stone unturned for a successful mission. A defence official said the three missiles would require three separate range configurations.
Hence, they would be test-fired on three occasions between April 18 and April 25.
“Earlier we have tested missiles with the longest 3,500-km range (Agni-3).
For the first time we would conduct trial for 5,000-km range.
We would first test Agni-1 and then Agni-2 before going for Agni-5,” he said.
The DRDO is excited for the threestage A-5 missile as its successful launch would propel India to join the elite league of nations like the US, the UK, China, France and Russia, which have inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBM).
The 17-metre tall missile with a diametre of two metres, weighs around 50 tonnes.
It can carry a nuclear warhead weighing nearly 1,000 kg and also carries multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MITRV) capable of delivering multiple warheads at different targets at long distances.
The canister-launched solid-fuelled Agni-5 is crucial for India’s nuclear deterrence position in the world as whole of China comes under its strike range, though the latter’s arsenal armed with missiles like 11,200-km range Dong Feng-31A is capable of hitting any Indian city.
On the other hand, the Pakistanspecific Agni-1 missile, which weighs around 12 tonnes can carry both conventional and nuclear payload of about 1,000 kg.
It can blast off from both road and rail mobile launchers.
It is a useful missile for the Army.
The missile was first tested on January 25, 2002 and inducted into Indian Army in 2004.
Similarly, the 2000-km range twostage Agni-II missile is designed to carry ‘special weapons’ nuclear payload of over 1,000 kg.
It is always in a readyto- fire mode and can be launched within 15 minutes.
Programme Director of Agni missiles and Chief Controller (Missiles and Strategic Systems) Avinash Chander said the exact dates of the tests have not been finalised yet. “The tests would be conducted one after another once the integration process is complete and range is ready,” he added
Source:IBN
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