In a major boost to the country’s strike capabilities spanning continents, barring the Americas, India on Saturday successfully test-fired its most potent Agni-V surface-to-surface missile, capable of hitting a target 5,000 km away from a canister and carrying a nuclear warhead of over one tonne. It signalled the mastering of the “shoot-and-scoot” technology wherein the missile is fired from a mobile launcher thus making it difficult for the enemy to track it.
This was the third test of Agni-V and the maiden canister-based trial. The first two trials in 2013 and 2014 were conducted from ground-based specially made silos. The latest trial was conducted from a road-mobile launcher at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) Wheeler’s Island in Balasore, Odisha.
The successful canister launch means that the solid-propellant-powered missile can be fired with short preparation time as compared to an open launch. Moreover, mobile launch is more reliable, has longer shelf life, less maintenance hassles and enhanced mobility.
The canister capability also makes the missile fully road or rail mobile worthy giving greater secrecy and flexibility to the country’s strategic strike capability. The fixed ground-based silos are vulnerable to surveillance and attack. President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar congratulated the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists for the successful launch. Modi said the missile is a prized asset for the country’s forces.
Terming it as “a copy book launch” with the entire command network functioning in loop, DRDO chief Avinash Chander congratulated the entire team. It was his last day in office as the Government recently terminated his contract. Defence Secretary RK Mathur was given additional charge of DRDO on Friday.
“I cherished every moment of my service in DRDO and I thank you all for the relentless support given to me all through. I am leaving with a great satisfaction of equipping the country with such advanced missiles. I wish the entire DRDO community a great future,” Chander, credited for giving shape to the Agni missile programme over the last few years, said in his farewell message.
On a poignant note he said, “This was a great event and I could not have asked for a better farewell gift from my team which has worked hard to make India a missile superpower.”
The DRDO scientists who conducted the test also notched up another significant breakthrough by using composite carbon. More than 80 per cent of Agni-V was manufactured with this composition thereby making it lighter as compared to previous missiles made from specialized steel.
Moreover, Agni-V has a two-meter diameter giving it more space to carry solid propellant which results in giving it more thrust and power besides greater speed, officials said.
Detailing the 20-minute launch at 8.06 am at Wheeler’s Island, VG Sekaran, Mission Director and Director-General Missiles and Strategic Systems, said all mission objectives were met and down range ships confirmed final splashdown.
The ships located in mid-range and at the target point tracked the missile while all the radars and electro-optical systems along the path monitored all the parameters of the weapon system and displayed it in real time. Elaborating upon the trial sequence, DRDO officials said the 17-metre-long and 50-tonne three-stage missile was fired from the canister. At the predetermined moment, having risen to about 20 meters height, its first stage motor ignited lifting Agni V into the sky.
The flight continued on its predetermined path during which the second, all-composite light weight motor, followed by the third, innovatively-designed conical all-composite rocket motor propelled the missile into space taking it to a height of more than 600 km.
The missile, after reaching the peak of its trajectory, turned towards the Earth to continue its journey towards the intended target with an increasing speed due to the Earth’s gravitational pull and its path precisely directed by the advanced on-board computer and inertial navigation system.
As the missile entered the Earth’s atmosphere, the atmospheric air rubbing the skin of the missile during the re-entry phase raised the temperature to beyond 4,000 degrees Celsius. However, the indigenously designed and developed carbon-composite heat shield continued to burn sacrificially protecting the payload, maintaining inside temperature below 50 degrees Celsius.
Finally, commanded by the on-board computer with the support of a highly accurate ring laser gyro based inertial navigation system, the most modern Micro-Inertial Navigation System (MINS), fully digital control system and advanced compact avionics, the missile hit the designated target point accurately, meeting all mission objectives.