India Test Fires Indigenously Developed Agni-5 Ballistic Missile That Can Reach China
December 10, 2018
According to reports, this was strategic missile Agni V’s 3rd successful test this year. The missile was test fired earlier in January and June 2018.
Agni V is said to have a range of over 5000 km and is considered a major deterrent against India’s northern neighbour China.
India successfully test-fired for the7th indigenously developed surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni- 5 missile from a mobile launcher from the Integrated Test Range at Dr Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha.
Developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) the nuclear-capable long-range missile Agni-5 with indigenously designed and developed carbon-carbon composite heat shield which maintains the inside temperature to below 50 degree Celsius and new state of the art navigation and guidance, warhead and engine.
According to the official spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), “India’s successfully launches Agni-V, a long range surface to surface nuclear capable ballistic missile. With this launch all mission objectives achieved and has strengthened India’s deterrence capability.”
As has been reported earlier, the three-stage, 17-metre tall and 2-metre wide missile has a range of 5000 km. It can carry a nuclear warhead weighing up to 1.5 tonnes.’
According to Sanjay Badri Maharaj, author of `Indian Nuclear Strategy: Confronting the Potential Threat from both China and Pakistan’, “The test is really for user familiarization. And the system has been ready for induction for a while but the user was ensuring maximum familiarity. Today’s test used a lofted trajectory which means you can simulate longer ranges using a shorter actual distance.”
As has been reported earlier, the three-stage, 17-metre tall and 2-metre wide missile has a range of 5000 km. It can carry a nuclear warhead weighing up to 1.5 tonnes.
The first two flight tests of the Agni-5 were carried out in open configuration in 2012 & 2013. This was followed by the 3th, 4th, 5th, 6th launches carried out in 2015, 2016 and as recent as June 2018, were canister integrated with mobile launcher, which ensures that it can be launched with less preparation time.
During the June test this year the Agni-5 missile had covered its full distance of 5,000 km, and with a ability to carry nuclear warheads weighing 1.5 tonnes, it is the longest missile in India’s arsenal and is capable of reaching most parts of China. Several additional new technologies were tested including the indigenously developed Navigation systems, very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) and Micro Navigation System (MINS).
The high speed on-board computer and fault tolerant software along, Agni-5 missile has been programmed in such a way that after reaching the peak of its trajectory, the missile is expected to turn towards the earth and continue its journey towards the intended target with an increased speed due to the attraction of earth’s gravitational pull.
According to the DRDO the path has been precisely directed by the advanced on-board computer and inertial navigation system. This missile is very reliable, longer shelf life and enhances mobility.
Courtesy:FE Online