India Successfully Test-Fires Surface-to-Surface Ballistic Missile Agni-5

India successfully test-fired surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-5, the Ministry of Defence informed on Wednesday. The missile, which uses 3-stage solid-fuelled engine, is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 km with very high degree of accuracy.

“A successful launch of the Surface to Surface Ballistic Missile, Agni-5, was carried out on October 27 at approximately 1950 hrs from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha,” the ministry said.

The successful test of Agni-5 is in line with India’s stated policy to have ‘credible minimum deterrence’ that underpins the commitment to ‘No First Use’.

The indigenously-developed surface-to-surface missile, Agni-5, is capable of striking a target more than 5,000 km. It is about 17-metre long, 2-metre wide and has launch weight of around 50 tonnes. The missile can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne.

Unlike other missiles of Agni series, the latest one ‘Agni-5’ is the most advanced having some new technologies incorporated with it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine

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 on board computer and fault tolerant software along with robust and reliable bus guided the missile flawlessly, an official said

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 with 2,500 km to more than 3500 km range.

Source: The Mint