India Successfully Test Fires Nuclear-Capable Agni-5 Missile

Source- ndtv.com

India successfully test-fired nuclear-capable ballistic missile Agni-5, which has a strike range of 5,000 km, from Dr Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast today.

This is the seventh trial of the indigenously-developed surface-to-surface missile, defence sources said.

Agni-V is a three-stage missile, 17 metres tall, two metres wide and capable of carrying 1.5 tonnes of nuclear warheads.

Unlike other missiles of the series, Agni-5 is the most advanced in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine, according to officials.

“The missile was launched with the help of a mobile launcher from launch pad-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Dr Abdul Kalam Island in the Bay of Bengal on Monday afternoon,” said a defence source.

“It was a user associated trial and strategic force command with DRDO scientist conducted it,” they said.

The first two flights of Agni-5 in 2012 and 2013 were in open configuration.

The third, fourth and fifth launches were from canister integrated with a mobile launcher, in its deliverable configuration to enable the launch of the missile with a very short preparation time as compared to an open launch.

The sixth trial was in June during which the missile was fired from a mobile launcher. Several new technologies were successfully tested during the sixth trial.

The Agni-5 also has advantages of higher reliability, longer shelf life, less maintenance and enhanced mobility, according to sources.