BALASORE: Indian Army on Monday test-fired nuclear capable surface-to-surface medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) Agni-I from a defence base off the Odisha coast proving its readiness to launch the weapon system at a short notice.
The missile with better re-entry technology and manoeuvrability was fired at about 9.15 am from a road mobile launcher at the launching complex-IV in Abdul Kalam Island of Integrated Test Range (ITR).
The mission was executed by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of the Army, user of the missile. A defence official claimed that the test was made for user’s trial and it has met all the mission objectives.
“The test was to reconfirm the technical parameters set for the user associated launch and check the Army’s readiness to use it. The missile, which carried a dummy payload (conventional explosive), covered the desired striking range,” the official said.
After a vertical lift-off from the launch pad, the missile rose into the sky leaving behind a ribbon of yellow smoke. Ground radars, telemetry stations and Naval ships positioned close to the intended impact point monitored the course of the missile.
The official said the missile equipped with sophisticated navigation system ensured that it reached the target with a high degree of accuracy and precision. “The missile, which has already been inducted into armed forces, has proved its excellent performance in terms of range, accuracy and lethality. It is a proven weapon system,” he added.
The 12-tonne Agni-I has a strike range of 700-900 km. Compared to its longer-range cousins, the missile’s height is just 15 metres and it is powered by both solid and liquid propellants, which impart it a speed of 2.5 km per second. The missile was first test-fired on November 27 last year.
Agni-I, which is now into series of production, has been developed by Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), the premier missile development laboratory of DRDO in collaboration with Defence Research Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Research Centre Imarat (RCI) and integrated by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).