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Agni-V

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Agni-V
TypeIntercontinental ballistic missile[1][2]
Place of originIndia
Service history
In service2014[3] (Testing)
Used byIndian Army
Production history
ManufacturerDefence Research and Development Organization (DRDO),
Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL)
Specifications
Mass50,000 kg[4]
Length17.5 m[5]
Diameter2 m
WarheadNuclear
Warhead weight1100 kg[7]
EngineThree stage solid fuel
Operational
range
Over 5,500 kilometres (3,400 mi)[1][6]
Maximum speed Mach 24[8]
Guidance
system
Ring Laser Gyro- INS (Inertial Navigation System), optionally augmented by GPS, terminal guidance with possible radar scene correlation
Launch
platform
8 x 8 Tatra TEL & Rail Mobile Launcher (Canisterised missile package) [9]
TransportRoad or Rail mobile
Further information: Agni (missile)

Agni-V is a solid fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile that has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India. It will greatly expand India's reach to strike targets well beyond 5,500 km away.[1][2][6] The missile was successfully test-fired on 19 April 2012 from Wheeler Island in Orissa.[10][11]

Introduction

Dr M Natrajan, a senior defence scientist of India, disclosed in 2007 that DRDO was working on an upgraded version of the Agni III, known as the Agni-V (Earlier known as Agni-III* and Agni-IV), and that it would be ready in 4 years.[12] The missile will have a range of about 5,000 km.[13]

It will be quite easy to store and swiftly transport the missile by road because of its canister-launch missile system, distinct from those of the earlier Agni missiles.[5]

Agni-V would also carry MIRV (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles) payloads being concurrently developed. A single MIRV equipped missile can deliver multiple warheads at different targets.

With a "launch mass" of around 50 tonnes and a development cost of over Rs 25,000 million, Agni-V will incorporate advanced technologies involving ring laser gyroscope and accelerometer for navigation and guidance. It takes its first stage from Agni-III, with a modified second stage and a miniaturised third stage to ensure it can fly to distances of 5,000 km. With a canister-launch system to impart higher road mobility, the missile will give the armed forces much greater operational flexibility than the earlier-generation of Agni missiles. According to a source, the accuracy levels of Agni-V and the 3,500-km Agni-IV (first tested in November 2011), with their better guidance and navigation systems, are far higher than Agni-I (700-km), Agni-II (2,000-km) and Agni-III (3,000-km).[14]

The Agni-V will be operational by 2014–2015 after four to five repeatable tests by the DRDO.[14]

Indian authorities believe that the solid-fuelled Agni-V is more than adequate to meet current threat perceptions and security concerns. The missile will bring the whole of Asia, including the northernmost parts of China, 70% of Europe and other regions under its strike envelope.[14]

Preparation for testing

The defence minister A. K. Antony, addressing the annual DRDO awards ceremony, asked defence scientists to demonstrate the 5,000-km missile's capability at the earliest.[5]

DRDO chief V K Saraswat told Times of India in mid-2011 that DRDO has tested the three solid-propellant composite rocket motor stages of Agni-V independently and all ground tests were over. In September 2011, DRDO Chief V.K. Saraswat confirmed that the first test flight would be conducted in 2012 from Wheeler Island off the Orissa coast.[15][14]

In February 2012, a source revealed that DRDO was almost ready for the test, but there were scheduling and logistical issues since the missile would be travelling halfway across the Indian Ocean. Countries like Indonesia and Australia as well as international air and maritime traffic in the test zone will have to be alerted a week or 10 days before the test. Moreover, Indian Navy warships, with DRDO scientists and tracking and monitoring systems, would have to be positioned midway and near the impact point in the southern Indian Ocean.[14]

First test launch

On 19 April 2012 at 8.07 am, the Agni V was successfully test-fired by DRDO from Wheeler Island off the coast of Orissa.[16] The test launch was made from the Launch Complex 4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Wheeler Island using a rail mobile launcher.[17] The flight time lasted 20 minutes and the third stage fired the re-entry vehicle into the atmosphere at an altitude of 100 km. 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.[18] The director of the test range, S.P. Das, informed BBC that all test parameters were met.[11]

Following the launch, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated the DRDO by issuing a statement: "I congratulate all the scientific and technical personnel of the DRDO and other organisations who have worked tirelessly in our endeavour to strengthen the defence and security of our country. Today's successful Agni-V test launch represents another milestone in our quest to add to the credibility of our security and preparedness and to continuously explore the frontiers of science. The nation stands together in honouring the scientific community who have done the country proud."[19] The Defence Minister A.K. Antony also congratulated the DRDO chief Dr. V.K. Saraswat and DRDO team including its project director Dr. Avinash Chander and said that "The immaculate success of the Agni-5 is a major milestone in the country's missile research and development programme."[20]

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen noted in the context of the launch that NATO does not consider India as a missile threat to NATO allies or territory.[21]

Description

Agni missile range.

Propulsion

The Agni-V is a three stage solid fuelled missile with composite motor casing in the third stage. In many aspects, the Agni-5 carries forward the Agni-3 pedigree. With composites used extensively to reduce weight, and a third stage added on (the Agni-3 was a two-stage missile), the Agni-5 can fly 1,500 km further than the 3,500 km range Agni-III.[22][23] Two stages of this missile will be made of composite material.[24] Advanced technologies like ring laser gyroscope and accelerometer will be used in the new missile.[25] "You can reduce the payload and (further) increase the range of Agni-V" Saraswat told the Reuters in Feb 2010.[26]

Mobility

"The Agni-5 is specially tailored for road-mobility," explains Avinash Chander, Director, ASL. "With the canister having been successfully developed, all India's future land-based strategic missiles will be canisterised as well."[22] The missile will utilise a canister and will be launched from it. Made of maraging steel, a canister must provide a hermetically sealed atmosphere that preserves the missile for years. During firing, the canister must absorb enormous stresses when a thrust of 300 to 400 tonnes is generated to eject the 50-tonne missile.[22]

MIRVs

Agni-V will feature Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicles (MIRVs) with each missile being capable of carrying 2–10 separate nuclear warheads. Each warhead can be assigned to a different target, separated by hundreds of kilometres; alternatively, two or more warheads can be assigned to one target.[22] MIRVs ensure a credible second strike capability even with few missiles.

Agni-V SLBM

See also: K Missile family

There have been reports that a submarine launched version of the Agni 5 is being worked on. However some experts have raised questions about the utility of such a design for the contemporary requirements of the Indian Navy, calling the reports nothing but "myths."[citation needed]

Reactions to testing

Domestic

In India, the success of the launch was received with much acclaim and widespread media coverage. Missile program director Avinash Chander commented that the launch signified "giant strides taken by India in its integrated missile development programme."[27]

International

A spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry, Liu Weimin, said, "China and India are large developing nations. We are not competitors but partners. We believe that both sides should cherish the hard-won good state of affairs at present, and work hard to uphold friendly strategic co-operation to promote joint development and make positive contributions towards maintaining peace and stability in the region."[11] The state-owned China Central Television (CCTV) reported that the test was "a historic moment for India, and it shows that India has joined the club of the countries that own ballistic missiles."[11] However, CCTV listed some of the missile's shortcomings and reported that "it does not pose a threat in reality." More negative commentary can be found in Global Times, which reported that India "still lags behind in infrastructure construction, but its society is highly supportive of developing nuclear power and the West chooses to overlook India's disregard of nuclear and missile control treaties." and warned India not to "over-estimate its strength".[28]

The United States of America stated that India boasted of an excellent non-proliferation record and that it had engaged with the international community on such issues.[29] Mark C. Toner, a US State Department spokesman said, "We urge all nuclear-capable states to exercise restraint regarding nuclear capabilities. That said, India has a solid nonproliferation record."[30] Moreover, responding to comparisons with North Korea's attempted launch of a long-range rocket that same week, Jay Carney said that, "India's record stands in stark contrast to that of North Korea, which has been subject to numerous sanctions, as you know, by the United Nations Security Council."[31]

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen stated that they did not think India was a missile threat, nor a threat to NATO and its allies, despite India's advancement in missile technology.[32]

Pakistani websites and news agencies were reportedly "flooded" with the news of the successful launch; however, no official statement has been released yet.[33] An article by the Associated Press reported that Pakistani officials showed no concern, with the foreign office spokesman Mozzam Ahmed Khan saying only that India had informed it of the test ahead of time in line with an agreement they have."[31]

The BBC reported that the launch marked the moment India joined an "elite nuclear club" that also included China, Russia, France, the US, the UK and possibly Israel.[11]

See also

Related development

Related lists

Related people

References

  1. ^ a b c Rajat Pandit (17 November 2011). "Eyeing China, India to enter ICBM club in 3 months". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  2. ^ a b "With Russian help, India to enter ICBM club soon". Dailypioneer. 8 October 2011.
  3. ^ "DRDO Lab Develops Detonator for Nuclear Capable Agni-V Missile As It Gets Ready For Launch". Defencenow. 17 January 2012.
  4. ^ T.S. Subramanian (23 July 2011). "Preparations apace for Agni V launch". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  5. ^ a b c "DRDO plans to test 10 missiles this year". The Times of India. 27 January 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011.
  6. ^ a b c "Agni-4/5". Missile Threat. 19 July 2010.
  7. ^ T.S. Subramanian (8 April 2012). "Agni-V getting ready for launch". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  8. ^ Raj Chengappa (16 April 2012). "India's most potent missile Agni V all set for launch". The Tribune. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  9. ^ Y. Mallikarjun, Agni-V design completed; to be test-fired in 2010, The Hindu, 27 November 2008
  10. ^ Rajat Pandit (19 April 2012). "Agni-V, India's first ICBM test-fired successfully – The Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  11. ^ a b c d e "India test launches Agni-V long-range missile". BBC. First Post. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  12. ^ Press Trust of India. "Next variant of Agni to be inducted within 4 years: Scientist". Retrieved 26 September 2007. [dead link‍]
  13. ^ "Don't Even Think About It". Foreign-policy. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  14. ^ a b c d e Rajat, Pandit (24 February 2012). "Decks cleared for first test of 5000-km range Agni-V missile". Times of India. Retrieved 10 March 2012.
  15. ^ Agni-5 demo in February 2012. Ibnlive.in.com. October 22, 2011. Retrieved on 2012-04-20.
  16. ^ Agni-V, India's first ICBM, successfully test-fired. NDTV (2012-04-19). Retrieved on 2012-04-20.
  17. ^ HT:India successfully test fires Agni-V, takes a giant stride. Hindustantimes.com (2011-11-15). Retrieved on 2012-04-20.
  18. ^ Y. Mallikurjan and T.S. Subramanian (19 April 2012). "Agni-V propels India into elite ICBM club". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  19. ^ CNN IBN: Agni-V missile test-fired: PM congratulates DRDO. Ibnlive.in.com (2011-05-10). Retrieved on 2012-04-20.
  20. ^ "Agni-5's launch is a major milestone, defence minister A K Antony says". Press Trust of India. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  21. ^ "India poses no missile threat: NATO". India Today. Indo-Asian News Service. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  22. ^ a b c d "What makes 5000 km range Agni-5 missile deadlier". News.rediff.com. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  23. ^ DRDO readying design for 5,000 km-range Agni-V. Hindu.com (2008-05-10). Retrieved on 2012-04-20.
  24. ^ M. Somasekhar (25 September 2008). "DRDO to make missiles lighter, cost-effective". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  25. ^ Y. Mallikarjun (27 November 2008). "Agni-V design completed; to be test-fired in 2010". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  26. ^ "India to test 8000-km Agni-V missile within year". Reuters. 10 February 2010. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help) [dead link‍]
  27. ^ "Agni-V, capable of reaching China, test-fired succesfully". Press Trust of India. The Times of India. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  28. ^ "China critical of Agni-V launch, says India being swept by missile delusion". Indo-Asian News Service. First Post. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  29. ^ "India has a solid non-proliferation record: US‎". Indo-Asian News Network. First Post. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  30. ^ Heather Timmons and Jim Yardley (19 April 2012). "India, Eye on China, Tests Missile With Longer Range". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  31. ^ a b Ravi Nessman (19 April 2012). "India missile test has few critics, unlike NKorea". Associated Press. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  32. ^ "India poses no missile threat: NATO". Indo-Asian News Network. First Post. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  33. ^ "Agni-V launch news floods Pak websites". Indo-Asian News Network. First Post. 19 April 2012. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
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