India has successfully completed the fourth test fire of its longest range nuclear capable ballistic missile, the Agni-V.
India has successfully completed the fourth test fire of its longest range nuclear capable ballistic missile, the Agni-V.
The Agni V intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has a range of 5000 km with a weapon payload of 1.5 tonnes. It can achieve longer ranges with reduced payload.
The fourth consecutive successful trial of this ICBM designed specifically to boost deterrence against China clears the missile for service entry.
The missile lifted off at 11.05 a.m. local time, from Defense Research and Development Organisation's missile test facility located at Abdul Kalam Island, off the Odisha coast.
This was the second test of the road mobile version, from a canister mounted on a Tatra truck. Canisterised missiles have increased shelf life due to the hermetical sealing.
A gas generator developing 300 tonne thrust, pushed out the three-stage Agni-V from the canister, before firing its first stage rocket engine.
When the third stage is jettisoned, the warhead would have reached an altitude of 260 km. Warhead then enters the ballistic stage where it continue to gain altitude like a lobbed stone, and reach its maximum altitude of 580 km in its parabolic trajectory.
Then with a speed of 5-7 km per second, gravity pulls the warhead towards the target. Small thrusters on the re-entry heat shield help correct the trajectory.
The Agni V weighs 50 tonnes and is 17 meters long and 2 meters in diameter.
A Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) warhead is under development for Agni-V which will enable a single missile to hit multiple targets.
