Nuclear-capable Agni-3 test-fired successfully

Agni-3, India’s most powerful nuclear capable missile, was successfully test-fired on Sunday. The 3,500 km-range indigenous ballistic missile is ready for induction into the armed forces.

The missile, that will work as a key nuclear deterrent against neighbours, especially China, was flight-tested from Wheeler island in the Bay of Bengal, off the Orissa coast. It can reach its target in about 15 minutes, and can strike deep inside China and Pakistan from safe bases deep inside the Indian mainland, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said.
“The missile, tested for the full range, hit the target with pin-point accuracy and met all mission objectives,’’ the DRDO said. “The missile system will be inducted into the armed forces,’’ defence ministry spokesman Sitanshu Kar said.

The marker pen-like Agni-3 missile is 17 metres in length and two metres in diameter. It has a two-stage solid propellant system and can carry 1.5 tonnes of payload. During the course of flight, the missile reached a peak height of 350 km and re-entered the atmosphere successfully “tolerating the skin temperatures of nearly 3,000 degree celsius’’, the statement said.

The military research agency said the missile has a new state-of-the-art computer system, and an advanced navigation system.
Today’s test was the fourth successful test of the missile. DRDO is presently working on a new version of Agni, with a range of over 5,000 km.