Agni-5, India's Indigenously-developed Ballistic Missile, Successfully Test-fired off Odisha Coast

Balasore (Odisha): India successfully test-fired nuclear-capable ballistic missile Agni-5, which has a strike range of 5,000 km, from Dr Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast on Monday.

This is the seventh trial of the indigenously-developed surface-to-surface missile, defence sources said.

Agni-V is a three-stage missile, 17 metres tall, two metres wide and capable of carrying 1.5 tonne of nuclear warheads.

Unlike other missiles of the series, Agni-5 is the most-advanced in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine, according to officials.

"The missile was launched with the help of a mobile launcher from launch pad-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Dr Abdul Kalam Island in the Bay of Bengal on Monday afternoon," said a defence source.

"It was a user associated trial and strategic force command with DRDO scientist conducted it," they said.

The missile has been designed to hit the designated target point accurately, guided by the on-board computer with the support of a Ring Laser Gyro-based Inertial Navigation System, the Micro

Inertial Navigation System, fully-digital control system and advanced compact avionics, as per DRDO officials.

The first two flights of Agni-5 in 2012 and 2013 were in open configuration.

The third, fourth and fifth launches were from canister integrated with a mobile launcher, in its deliverable configuration to enable launch of the missile with a very short preparation time as compared to an open launch.

The sixth trial was in June during which the missile was fired from a mobile launcher. Several new technologies were successfully tested during the sixth trial.

The Agni-5 also has advantages of higher reliability, longer shelf life, less maintenance and enhanced mobility, according to sources.

India has in its armoury the Agni series - Agni-1 with 700 km range, Agni-2 with a 2,000-km range, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with 2,500 km to more than 3,500-km range.