Agni Prime Nuclear Missile successfully test fired by DRDO

Agni Prime Nuclear Missile successfully test fired by DRDO

India successfully carried out the test-firing of a new missile in the Agni series known as Agni P on Monday off the coast of Odisha, officials said.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight tested the new generation nuclear capable ballistic missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam island at 10:55am off the coast of Odisha.

"Various telemetry and radar stations positioned along the eastern coast tracked and monitored the missile.

The missile has followed textbook trajectory, meeting all mission objectives with a high level of accuracy," DRDO said in a statement.

Agni P, is the first of the new class of Agni missile to be launched by DRDO. The ballistic missile weighs 50%-less than Agni 3 and has new guidance and a new generation of propulsion.

SPECIAL FEATURES

Since the missile is canisterised, it can be launched from rail and road and stored for a longer period and transported all across the country as per operational requirements. The missile, which has a range between 1000km to 2000km, can be used to target enemy armadas in the Indo-Pacific. It also comes with the technologies found in the 4000-kilometre range Agni-IV and 5000-kilometre range Agni-V.

AGNI SERIES MISSILE

The Agni series of ballistic missiles is being developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme of the Defence Research and Development Organisation of India. The Agni missile family consists of three deployed variants. The Agni-I, Agni-II and Agni-III are in service with the Indian Army.

Agni I, India's first intermediate-range ballistic missile, was successfully test-fired for the first time in May 1989. It was inducted into service in 2004 It has a range capability between 700 and 900 kilometres. Agni-IV, the fourth in the Agni series of missiles, has completed all trials successfully by January 2017.

The intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Agni-V, dubbed a "game changer" in strategic deterrence because it brings the whole of China and much more within its strike envelope. Once the Agni-V is inducted, India will join the superexclusive club of countries with ICBMS (missiles with a range of over 5,000-5,500km) alongside the US, Russia, China, France and the UK.