Agni 5 Missile : India Successfully Tests AGNI – V Missile

Today, India conducted a successful test-fire of Agni-V ballistic missile from a test range off Odisha coast. Agni-V was described as ‘China Killer‘, as missile can accurately hit targets more than 5,000 km away. After the launch of Agni-V missile, India has now entered into an elite club of nations having Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM), which includes the US, Russia, China, Britain and France.

The missile test was carried out at 8.07 a.m. from the test range in Wheelers’ Island off Orissa coast, India’sDefence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The missile takes 20 minutes to reach its target area in southern Indian Ocean. DRDO has deployed tracking devices and stations all along the route of the test flight to collect data on the missile’s trajectory. The tracking stations will also record the speed and homing in of the missile on to the target.

Agni-V is about 2,500 km short of being called an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), as the world recognised range for an ICBM is over 7,500 km.

Agni-V would also carry MIRV (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles) payloads being concurrently developed. A single MIRVed missile can deliver multiple warheads at different targets.

Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh has congratulated the team of scientists of DRDO for successfully testing Agni-V that can hit deep in China and entire Pakistan.

“I congratulate all the scientific and technical personnel of the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) and other organisations who have worked tirelessly in our endeavour to strengthen the defence and security of our country,” Manmohan Singh said in his message soon after the successful Agni-V launch was announced by DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat.

“Today’s (Thursday’s) successful Agni-V test launch represents another milestone in our quest to add to the credibility of our security and preparedness and to continuously explore thefrontiers of science. The nation stands together in honouring the scientific community,” he said.

The launch was cancelled last night due to bad weather and a spate of heavy lightning in the test range. India in November 2011 tested the 3,500-km-range Agni-IV missile giving muscle to the country’s deterrent capability against the military adversaries.

The Agni-V will be operational by 2014-2015 after four to five repeatable tests by the DRDO.