Agni-5

On April 19, 2012, India successfully test-fired for the first time its most-ambitious strategic missile - the 5,000-km+ range Agni-V.  This was India’s first ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile). It places India in an exclusive group of countries with ICBMs which includes just US, Russia, China and France.

The launch took place from Wheeler Island off the Odisha coast at 8.07 am on April 19, 2012. The test-fire, which was originally scheduled to be held on April 18, had to be deferred at the last moment for safety reasons due to bad weather marked by rains and heavy lightning.

After its launch, it took 15 minutes to Agni-V to reach its pre-determined target in southern Indian Ocean.

Agni-V has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which took four years to develop the missile. Agni-V project was headed by Dr. Avinash Chander.

Main features

The Agni-V is a solid-fuelled missile. Its main features are as follows.

• Nuclear-capable: It can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne.
• Range: 5,000 KM plus
• The accuracy levels of Agni-V and Agni-IV, with their better guidance and navigation systems, are far higher than earlier Agni missiles
• Three-stage missile
• Solid fuelled: Use of solid propellants allows the missile to be launched at short notice.
• Also carried on mobile launchers, making it more difficult for an enemy to locate and destroy them.
• About 50-tonne in weight
• 17.5-metre tall
• Canister-launch system to impart higher road mobility
• To be fully operational by 2014-2015 (after four to five repeatable tests and user trials)

A unique feature

The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) created Agni V by adding a third stage to Agni III. Agni III is a missile with a range of 3,500 km while carrying a 1.5 tonne payload. It was first successfully tested five years ago.

Both Agni III and V have a diameter of two metres, making them capable of carrying several warheads known as Multiple Independently Targeted Re-entry Vehicles (MIRV). An MIRV payload on a missile carries several nuclear warheads, which can be programmed to hit different targets. A flurry of such missiles can hence completely overwhelm BMD (Ballistic Missile Defence) systems.

Agni I and II have a diameter of one metre and the first stage of the Agni IV has a diameter of 1.2 metres.