New Delhi: India on Wednesday successfully test-fired the Agni-5 missile amid the ongoing tension with China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. This test has been done at a time when China has passed a land law, which could deepen the differences between the two countries.
Agni-5 is a surface-to-surface ballistic missile. Its firepower is 5 thousand km, the range of Agni 5 can come to many big countries including Pakistan, China. Agni 5 was successfully launched from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha.
China had lodged its objection to the United Nations regarding the test of Agni-5. China is angry about India’s nuclear-powered intercontinental ballistic missile Agni-5. China’s displeasure is because its entire country is coming within the range of Agni-5 missile. There are no cities that can survive this missile attack.
The Agni-5 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (Agni-V ICBM) has been jointly developed by the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL). The range of this missile is said to be 5000 to 8000 km. There is controversy over its range.
According to the news published in many media institutions, some countries including China say that the Indian government is not disclosing the exact range of this missile. The issue is not that how much is its range, China and many countries fear that their entire area is coming under the JD of this missile.
The Agni-5 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (Agni-V ICBM) weighs 50 thousand kg. It is 17.5 meters long. Its diameter is 2 meters i.e. 6.7 feet. On top of this a nuclear weapon weighing 1500 kg can be installed. The missile has a three-stage rocket booster that flies on solid fuel.
Its speed is 24 times the speed of sound. That is, it covers a distance of 8.16 kilometers in one second. It attacks the enemy at a speed of 29,401 kilometers per hour. It is equipped with Ring Laser Gyroscope Inertial Navigation System, GPS, NavIC Satellite Guidance System.
The Agni-5 Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (Agni-V ICBM) strikes its target with precision. For some reason, even if there is a difference in accuracy, it will be only 10 to 80 meters. But this difference does not reduce the lethality of a missile.
A ground-mounted mobile launcher is used to launch it. It can be loaded on the truck and transported to any place by road. Scientist M. Natarajan had planned about this missile for the first time in the year 2007.
If India fires this missile, then it can attack the whole of Asia, Europe, parts of Africa. The most special thing about this missile is its MIRV technology (Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles).
In this technology, instead of a single weapon, multiple warheads can be mounted in the warhead mounted on the missile. That is, a missile can hit multiple targets simultaneously.
It is believed that the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile can be deployed in the Strategic Forces Command. All missiles of India are operated under this command. It includes missiles like Prithvi, Agni and Surya. Surya missile is not built yet.
Its range will be 12 to 16 thousand kilometers. Before that Agni-6 will be made which will be of 8 to 12 thousand km range. This command also includes military missiles present in the sea. Like- Dhanush, Sagarika etc.
The first successful test of the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile took place on 19 April 2012. This was followed by successful trials on 15 September 2013, 31 January 2015, 26 December 2016, 18 January 2018, 3 June 2018 and 10 December 2018. Altogether there have been seven successful trials of Agni-5 missile.
In these tests, this missile was tested on different parameters. In which it was found that this missile is the best weapon to destroy the enemy. Its accuracy, speed and destructive power will make the enemy sweat.
Researcher Du Wenlong of the PLA Academy of Military Sciences in China told the media that the Agni-5 missile has a range of 8000 km.
But the Government of India is not disclosing this range. So that countries around the world do not object to it. Hence the range of Agni-5 missile has been kept secret.
There were reports in the media that the range of Agni-5 missile can be increased. This Agni-5 missile weighing 50 thousand kg is controlled by a control and guidance system of 200 grams. It is mounted on this missile itself. It is called System on Chip (SOC) based on-board computer.
The MIRV technology i.e. multiple warheads was being talked about in the Agni-5 missile. In it, two to 10 warheads can be mounted on the nose of the missile. That is, a single missile can simultaneously hit 2 to 10 different targets spread over several hundred kilometers accurately.
It can also happen that if the target is too large, then 10 warheads of the same missile will destroy its different parts. So that the enemy does not get a chance to raise his head.
While China and Pakistan are shrinking their noses and mouths after hearing about the test of this missile, England and America have praised India. Media organizations in England have said that India will join the list of countries like China, Russia, France, America, England and possibly Israel after the successful test of this missile.
America also spoke in support of India. At the same time, NATO said that there is no threat to the world from India’s missile test. India is making its technology more cutting-edge. No one should have any problem with this.
Preparation for Agni-5 Missile testing
The Former Indian defense minister A. K. Antony, addressing the annual DRDO awards ceremony, asked defense scientists to demonstrate the 5,000-kilometre (3,100 mi) missile’s capability at the earliest opportunity. DRDO chief V. K. Saraswat told Times of India in mid-2011 that DRDO had tested the three solid-propellant composite rocket motor stages of Agni-V independently and all ground tests had been completed. In September 2011, Saraswat confirmed that the first test flight would be conducted in 2012 from Wheeler Island off the Orissa coast.
In February 2012, a source revealed that DRDO was almost ready for the test, but there were scheduling and logistical issues since the missile was to traverse halfway across the Indian Ocean. Countries like Indonesia and Australia as well as international air and maritime traffic in the test zone had to be alerted 7– 10 days before the test. Moreover, Indian Navy warships, with DRDO scientists and tracking and monitoring systems, were to be positioned midway and near the impact point in the southern Indian Ocean.
First test launch of Agni-5 Missile
On 19 April 2012 at 08.05 am, the Agni V was successfully test-fired by DRDO from Wheeler Island off the coast of Orissa. The test launch was made from the Launch Complex 4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Wheeler Island using a rail mobile launcher. The flight time lasted 20 minutes and the third stage fired the re-entry vehicle into the atmosphere at an altitude of 100 kilometres (62 mi). The missile re-entry vehicle subsequently impacted the pre-designated target point more than 5,000 kilometres (3,100 mi) away in the Indian Ocean. The director of the test range, S.P. Das, informed BBC that all test parameters were met. According to news reports the Agni-V was able to hit the target nearly at pin-point accuracy, within a few metres of the designated target point.
Second test launch of Agni-5 Missile
On 15 September 2013, India conducted a second test flight of Agni-V from the Wheeler Island off Odisha coast. The missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher from Launch Complex 4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at about 8:50 am. The flight duration was a little over 20 minutes and hit the pre-designed target in the Indian Ocean with an accuracy of a few metres.
Third test launch of Agni-5 Missile
On 31 January 2015, India conducted a third successful test flight of the Agni-V from the Wheeler Island facility. The test used a canisterised version of the missile, mounted over a Tatra truck. The Integrated Test Range Director, M. V. K. V. Prasad, said: “The missile, witnessed a flawless ‘auto launch’ and detailed results will be known after all data is retrieved from different radars and network systems.”
Fourth test launch of Agni-5 Missile
On 26 December 2016, a fourth test of the missile was successfully conducted from complex 4 of Wheeler Island, Odisha at 11.05 IST. This was the second canisterised test of the missile and will now pave way for user trials of the missile by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC).
Fifth test launch of Agni-5 Missile
On 18 January 2018, a fifth test of the missile was successfully conducted from the Wheeler Island facility, Odisha at 09.53 IST. This was the third consecutive canisterised test of the missile on a road mobile launcher and the first in its final operational configuration. The missile covered a distance of 4,900 km in 19 minutes.
Sixth test launch of Agni-5 Missile
On 3 June 2018, a sixth test launch of Agni-V was successfully conducted from Abdul Kalam Island at 09.45 IST. It was the sixth missile test since 2012 and was a “precision launch”. The Indian Ministry of Defence stated that the radars, electro-tracking stations, and telemetry stations tracked the vehicle throughout the course.
Seventh test launch of Agni-5 Missile
On 10 December 2018, a seventh test launch of Agni-V was successfully conducted from the Launching Complex-IV of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Abdul Kalam Island at about 1.30 pm. This was for the first time that the missile was test-fired in a lofted trajectory. The missile blasted off from a hermetically sealed canister and covered nearly 2,041 km. This lofted trajectory flight was used to determine whether it followed the perfect flight path with close to zero error. This trial completed the Agni-V pre-induction trials.
User Trial of Agni-5 Missile
As part of user trial, Agni-5 was successfully launched on October 27, 2021 from APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. According to Ministry of Defense (MoD), the test was in line with India’s credible minimum deterrence policy with the commitment to ‘No First Use’.
