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Agni-II Prime test fired successfully off Orissa coast.
Balasore, Orissa: India successfully test-fired Agni-II prime ballistic missile from Wheeler Island off the Orissa coast on Tuesday.
The advanced nuclear-capable Agni-II has a strike range of around 3,000 km and is an advancement over the existing Agni-II, which has a strike range of 2,000 km. The first test of the missile had failed in December last year due to some technical glitches.
The 'Prime' has same size of boosters which are there in the existing missile but will have an extended range of 1,000 km.
Powered by solid fuel propellants, it also has better navigational system and greater accuracy in comparison to the Agni-II missile.
Newer technologies have also been incorporated in the missile to make it lighter and the weapon system has also been provided with greater thrust.
India has developed a number of variants of the Agni missile series under the Integrated Missile Development Programme (IMDP) with different striking ranges since the 80s.
It is also planning to carry out the first test firing of the Agni-5 ballistic missile by the end of this year, the sources said.
Agni-5 will be able to strike targets in range of 5,000 km and will make India join the league of select nations with such capabilities.
With PTI inputs
EDIT:
Agni-2 prime has now been renamed as Agni-IV
Giving a boost to India's strategic defence preparedness, missile technologists successfully test-fired the 3,000 km plus nuclear weapons capable ballistic missile, Agni 2 prime, which has now been renamed as Agni-IV, from Wheeler Island off the Orissa coast on Tuesday.
The advanced surface-to-surface ballistic missile fired from a road mobile launcher zeroed in on to the pre-designated target in the Bay of Bengal with a high degree of accuracy after a flight duration of about 20 minutes.
Designed to increase the kill efficiency of the vehicle with a higher range performance, the missile was equipped with state-of-the-art technologies, including indigenously developed ring laser gryo and composite rocket motor.
The missile's payload was reduced from 1,000 kg to 800 kg to give the missile better range.
The two stage surface-to-surface missile is 20 meters-tall and weighs 17 tonnes.
All the radars, telemetry and electro-optical instruments tracked the entire flight of the missile until its splash down.
Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister V.K.Saraswat, Chief Controller, Defence Research and Development Organisation (Missiles and Strategic Systems) Avinash Chander and Advanced Systems Laboratory Director Sekharan were among those present.
Dr. Saraswat told The Hindu that it was a 'copybook' launch, which met all the mission objectives. He said the launch demonstrated the complete maturity of India in surface-to-surface missile technoogy. It also confirmed the capability of the country in strategic defence, he added.
Mr. Chander described the launch as a breakthrough in the missile capability of India.
DRDO is now planning to test launch Agni - V by the end of the year, Dr. Saraswat said.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2629274.ece
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