India on Tuesday successfully carried out the first user trial of its surface-to-surface Nuclear-capable intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) Agni-IV, which has a strike range of 4,000 km.
The missile, which can carry a one-tonne Nuclear warhead, was test-fired at 10.19 am from a launch pad from the Wheeler Island off the Odisha coast, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said.According to DRDO Director (Public Interface) Ravi Gupta, The test was successful with the missile crossing over 3,500 km.
The two-stage, 17-tonne and 20-metre-tall indigenously-developed Agni-IV is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics and a fifth generation onboard computer. It has the latest features to correct and guide itself through in-flight disturbances. Earlier, the weapon had also been successfully test-fired from the same test range on January 20 this year.
The trial is aimed at gauging the performance of its subsystems and checking the readiness of the armed forces to launch the missile on its own.This missile, the fourth in the Agni series, is the most advanced long-range ballistic missile capable of being launched within minutes from a self-contained road mobile launcher.Having a strike range of 4,000 km, the two-stage solid propelled missile can be launched from both rail and road mobile launchers, which gives it more flexibility and wide range of operational success.
Defence sources said Agni-IV is a modified version of the Agni-II strategic missile and was originally called Agni-II Prime whose test on December 10, 2010 had failed. The previous tests of Agni-IV were successful.While Agni-II Prime had a strike range of 2,750 km having the capability of carrying 1,000 kg payload, Agni-IV has a designed range of 4,000 km and can carry up to one-tonne warhead with a reentry heat shield.