New Delhi: In a step towards improving strategic prevention capabilities, India on Monday managed to test the new generation of nuclear ballistic missiles from the test range on Abdul Kalam Island offshore Odisha.
Missile two advanced stages called `agni-prime ‘have a collapse range from 1,000 to 2,000-km.
“The test was fired at 10:55 a.m., missiles were tracked by various telemetry and radar stations that were positioned along the east coast.
It meets all the objectives of the mission with high-level accuracy,” said an official Drdo.
Congratulates defense scientists for a successful mission, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said, “Agni-P missiles will further strengthen credible prevention capabilities in India.” AGNI-P missile has been developed with a new propulsion system and composite rocket motorcycle sheath and sophisticated navigation and guidance systems.
“This is a most new missile, the smallest and lighter among the entire series of Agni’s ballistic missiles,” said a scientist.
Significantly, Agni-P is also a canister-launch missile like the first intercontinental ballistic missile in the country, more than 5,000-km Agni-V, which is now in process is caused by the command of strategic strength (SFC).
“Tennisization” missiles give armed forces the operational flexibility needed to store it for a long time, quickly transport it via train or road when needed, and fired it from wherever they want.
“Hermetic sealed tubes protect missiles from the environment.
It also functions as a launch platform because missiles are stored in it in ready-made configuration.
This reduces the response time and ensures higher reliability with fewer maintenance,” added scientists.
AGNI-P missile will require at least some “development trials”, followed by “user trials”, before ready for induction.
The missile will gradually replace Agni-i (700-km) missiles in the tri-service SFC warehouse, which also has PrithVI-II (350-km), Agni-II (2,000-km) and Agni-III (3,000 km) unit Missile.
While India has also modified several Sukhoi-30MKI, Mirage-2000 and Jaguar fighters to make them able to provide nuclear gravity bombs, the third leg “nuclear triad” is only represented by a solitary ballistic missile (SSBN).
Arihant at this time.
INS Arihant is armed with Nuclear Ritsile K-15 750 Km.
Countries such as the US, Russia and China have SSBN for more than 5,000 km ballistic missiles launching submarines (SLBMS).
India has three more SSBNs in development, with insereighat scheduled for commissioning this year after several delays.
The trial of the development of the K-4 missile, with a 3,500-km strike circuit, in turn, has been completed but induction is still far, as previously reported by TOI.