India's longest range missile can take out targets 5000 km away.
Agni-V, India's most powerful ballistic missile with the longest range, is all set to lift off from Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast, on Wednesday evening. It can take out targets 5000 km away.
Although it is of the class of an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM), the success of the mission will enable India join a select band of nations with capability to design, develop and produce Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs).
Many crucial technologies will be tested during the flight of the missile, whose three stages are being propelled by solid fuel. The test will last 18 to 20 minutes before the missile impacts the target point deep inside the Indian Ocean.
The 17-metre-long and 50-tonne missile can carry a 1.1-tonne nuclear warhead. However, in this mission, it will carry a dummy payload.
A few hundred scientists and missile technologists have been working round-the-clock for the past many days to integrate the sub-systems of the missile, which was uploaded late on Tuesday evening on to the trailer of the road mobile launcher.
V.K. Saraswat, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, told The Hindu, the launch will mark a “historic day.” “Agni-V is a game-changer and a technological marvel. It is a weapon which can perform multiple functions.” It could be used for anti-satellite capability, for putting micro and nano satellites in orbit and carry multiple warheads.
Dr. Saraswat said it was comparable to the missiles of this class developed by the U.S., France, Russia and China. He said the performance of the systems during the phase three and four tests had been good and satisfactory.
Avinash Chander, Chief Controller (missiles and strategic systems), Defence Research and Development Organisation, said: “This is the first time India will have a true deterrence. We had a good deterrence with Agni-III and an upgrade with Agni-IV. But Agni-V gives you a total quantum jump in that capability.”
He said that it could be launched from a canister giving India the “stop-and-launch” capability. It could be stopped on the roadside and launched, providing it great mobility.
V.G. Sekaran, director, Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL), Hyderabad, said the missile's second stage motor casing made of carbon composite had led to drastic reduction in the weight. This would lead to higher performance. Describing it as a “user-friendly” missile, he said its footprint was the same as Agni-III. There was tremendous potential for achieving higher ranges, he added.
Keywords: Agni-V, test-fire, DRDO Chief V.K. Saraswat
I see lot of comments that they are proud to be Indians. Well, I will be proud when I see India as a educated, prosperous and unfractured society. A destructive weapon at the cost of millions who could not afford one meal a day does not make me proud.
Get real, we have so many social issues to sort and I dont think this missle is going to put the society in balance. Education, Equality and Eradicating Poverty is the need of the hour and not a missile.
Who truly believes this HYPE about missiles being fired with worldwide range except the USA! With 95% of our air force ammunition totally outdated (as outdated as our method of generating electricity with dark ages deadly nuclear madness) this looks like another empty boast of this scam government. I wonder how much of our tax money has ended up jingling in the pockets of all those involved and doubt very much the rest of the world is impressed! We can't even get rid of our garbage and our rivers are stinking.....so who in his right mind will believe our shouted about scientific achievements? Even during the time of BJP so much hype was made about the launch of a nuclear missile. It turned out in the end to be just a FIZZLE and didn't even make the height that was trumpeted about. Only the missile maker in return for his silence got to be the Vice President of India..so on it goes we'll be impressed when well-being of all Indians is taken into account instead GDP/missile obsession!
proud moment for all of us.
This is a great step... All the best. By the way it was supposed to be a Canister Launched Missile? Where is the Canister? It still seems Rail Launched....
Congratulations to everyone involved in this project. We are proud of you, and your achievements are an inspiration in our country, where we have a short supply of sincere, hardworking and honest folks. Keep it up and may the hard work bear rich fruits.
More weapons of destruction .... how do we have money for all this when people are dying of hunger all around
This news expands our chest multifold. If successful, it will change the world politics suddenly. The whole Asia, almost whole Europe, Africa, Australia and if I am not wrong, Alaska (US) will be under our range. This is a work beyond appreciation. Great Job, Our real heroes.
Best wishes to all those who are engaged in day and night to make this happen-a marvell in the field of defence technology.India is going to get what they aspire for n shows the strength of our integrity..some messes are there but we made it to success through our coordinated efforts towords nation building.
Developing such inter-continental ballistic missiles gives immense faith
and power to our motherland.Wish a best of luck to our budding
Engineers, Scientist for making such an event to a grand success.Also a
great heartful thanks goes to DRDO for making such a mission to a great
success for our motherland.
truly a proud moment to show everyone that we are not less in any
respect...
I am following this news story from last few months. Today is the day. My best wishes are with all those who are associated with the project.
Another Milestone in technological development,will make us more stronger technically.
wish you all the best DRDO
Quantum Leap in the Defence sector. Hope the same happens in other sectors also. Especially in fulfilling the basic necessities.
Wishing the Agni team a successful test!
It is a proud moment for every indian....ICBM will boost indian defence nad deter terrorism by our friendly neighbours. Such test will help indian postion among super nations. Cheer to DRDO and V K Shasrwat under whose gaurdianship such test are being conducted.
Wish them great success.. Make us proud once again...
Good luck team DRDO. Make us proud
Excellent, pround moment for us. Being NRI it will really makes us
pround to be an Indian. Love you and all the best.
Wonder what would be the range of A5 if payload is reduced to 700 kg instead of 1.5 tons. It would cover the entire Europe I hope. Our pals in London would not be very happy for sure if we decide to go in for 700 kg payload :)
I am proud of my scientists and soldier who are always keeping us safe from enemies. We have yet to go very far but we are on track. We are a big country so few innovations will not be enough when we are surrounded by enemies. I wish them best of luck. Long live our patriotic scientists and soldiers. Jai Hind.
Hats of to our DRDO guys for putting us on the map for first strike capability. A lot of us don't know but the BrahMos missile by the DRDO is the world's fastest cruise missile in operation. The missile travels at speeds of Mach 2.8 to 3.0. It is three times faster than USA's subsonic Tomahawk missile and three-and-a-half times faster than the USA's subsonic Harpoon or the French Exocet cruise missiles.
An Air launched variant of Brahmos is planned which is expected to come out in 2012 and will make India the only country with supersonic missiles in all the defence forces. A hypersonic version of the missile is also presently under development with speed of Mach 7 to boost aerial fast strike capability. It is expected to be ready by 2016
Yes, indeed a proud moment for all of us.... Great news.
Good luck team. Awaiting the moment which would make all Indians feel proud.
All the best DRDO! Keep up the good work!
Best of luck for all the scientists, engineers and technical staff involved in this project. Hope for Grand Success and Proud Moments for India!!
India has global ambitions today. Like other global powers, india cant
achieve her global ambitions without rising its military. The days have
passed in india when our decisions were based on pakistan. India
understand that it has no permanent enemies and no permanent friends.
World need india today and india is encashing that situation.
Welcome'' Agni V'', we all indians are waiting for u.....proud to be indian.
Congratulations team. You are the greatest. You made India
powerful and proud. I hope next missile will be able to reach
15000 km. Good luck for the launch.
If at all anything is to be believed from Indian technological display then it can only be when we have a real challenge from another nation like china. I would like to see these missiles work in real scenario. when testing in the ocean, success can be claimed. But in reality it may not even hit the target by several hundred miles, even after hitting who guarantee's that the warhead will work. We have a long way to go, we are a people with eating spirit. We eat food, thats what we are good at. Let us take this moment of AGNI V launch with a pinch of salt.
All the best ! The road to perfection is marked by repeated testing and continuous improvement.India needs this to avoid a war that would deviate it from path of economic growth. It is a good investment to secure our country.
Best of Luck for a successful test.
Good Luck Unsung heros of the Nation
Brilliant work by our scientists, best of luck with Agni-V on it's test trials. My warmest congratulations to all those concerned in Agni projects. It makes me feel certain that our ICBM projects will progress through research,development process to use our own Indigenous Technology to come up with many more defence oriented inovations to strengthen India's security.Well done India. Vade Mataram.
We are very happy to know that Agni-5 test firing is taking place on
the 18th instant.And we are praying to the almighty that it turns
out to be fully successful.That will be a rejoicing moment for the
defence service personnel,DRDO team and All of us,including all
types of media-- The whole Nation.
proud to be Indian....all the best...
If successful, this will act as a deterrent against China and Pakistan. In the future years, with even better technology, the range of ICBM's could be increased to 10,000 kms.
Good Luck DRDO!
Wish you all the best!
Hats off V.K. Saraswat!
Amazing job done by the DRDO. Enemies should now pull up their socks...
Great leap! Kudos to the scientific team, wonderful job.
Proud moment for all Indians. I wish the team good luck...
I am really surprised that no one has commented on this testing of ICBM. It has taken a long time to develop this capability, the engineers and the technical staff at DRDO should be congratulated for their achievements. However, this shows a complete lack of foresight at the highest levels. If India is developing this a deterrent already there is enough armament in Indian defense arsenal. Instead of following someone's footsteps, is there brain trust in India that can foresight and realize how the future wars would look like. As a novice I can state that the wars of the future will not be "conventional wars". What is India's preparedness for cyber attack. It was amply demonstrated during Mumbai's terrorist attacks, how incompetent the civil defense system is.
I was waiting for this news for last 1 month !
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