India successfully test fired canister version of its 5000 km range nuclear capable Agni-V Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) t...
India successfully test fired canister version of its 5000 km range nuclear capable Agni-V Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) today from Wheeler Island, off Odisha coast.
The China centric Agni-V missile was launched from a canister mounted on a Tatra truck. The missile rose majestically from the canister and traversed its entire range in 20 minutes before splashing into the Indian Ocean. The missile’s nose cone carrying the dummy payload withstood temperatures of more than 3,000 degrees Celsius and impacted near the pre-designated impact point.
The 17.5-metre-long, rail-road mobile three-stage missile weighing 50 tonnes, was earlier successfully flight tested twice and can carry a 1.1 tonne payload.
A gas generator placed at the bottom of the canister erupted into life to push the missile out of the tube and raised the missile to 30m height, before igniting the first stage.
In missile parlance, a canisterised launch is called a “cold launch” which improves the lifetime of missile.
India is developing Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) capability for Agni V, which enable striking multiple targets with a single missile.
