AGNI Ballistic Missile

INDIAN AGNI MISSILE

It is surface-to-surface missile (SSM) or ground-to-ground missile (GGM) is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea and strike targets on land or at sea. 

Agni- I

Agni Missile is an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile. Agni-I used solid propulsion booster and a liquid propulsion upper stage, derived from Prithvi, essentially to prove the re-entry structure, control and guidance. The strap-down inertial navigation system adopts explicit guidance, which has attempted for the first time in the world. The Agni-1 is 14.8 m long, 1.3 m in diameter, with a launch weight of 12,000 kg. It has a range of 700 km with an accuracy of 25 m CEP at a range of 860 km. At its maximum payload of 2,000 kg,

the missile can carry a 20 or 45 kT nuclear warhead, or conventional explosives. By reducing the payload by half, the Agni-1 could most likely extend its range to 1,200 km, a distance which encompasses all of Pakistan. Payload weight reductions could also be used to include penetration aids. Some suspect that the reentry vehicle also includes liquid propellant side-thrust motors to add a degree of maneuverability to avoid defenses. The Agni-1 is designed to be launched from Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL) vehicles, either based on road or rail-mobile platforms. In addition, the missile has a relatively high accuracy, due to its combination of an inertial guidance system with a terminal phase radar correlation targeting system on its warhead.It uses all carbon composite structure for protecting payload during its re-entry phase. The first flight conducted in May 1989, established the re-entry technology and precise guidance to reach the specific target. Agni-I flight trials having proved the long-range technologies, an operational version of agni with solid-solid propulsion system was test fired in April 1999, which is Agni-II with mobile capability.

Agni- II

The Agni is a two-stage, medium-range, rail/road-mobile, solid propellant ballistic missile. Development on the Agni-2 variant missile began in July 1997 after the original Agni (technical demonstrator) missile program was canceled in 1996. The Agni-2 borrows heavily from the original program, though it uses a two-stage solid propellant motor instead of the liquid propelled second stage motor employed by its predecessor.

The Agni-IIA is a more advanced version of Agni-II, albeit with more sophisticated and lighter materials, yielding a better range and operating regime. Agni-IIA was later renamed as Agni-IV plugging the gap between Agni-II and Agni-III. While the first test of Agni-IV in December 2010 was a failure, the second test flight in November 2011 was a success Agni-II, developed as part of medium- and long-range Agni series of missile systems, has already been inducted into the Armed Forces.

 Agni-III

 The Agni-3is an intermediate-range, two-stage solid propellant ballistic missile. Compared to the original Agni-1 and Agni-2, the Agni-3 is shorter, wider, and capable of delivering a heavier warhead. Whereas the Agni-2 is 20 m long, the newer missile is only 16.7 m long. With a width of 1.85 m and a weight of 48,000 kg though, the Agni-3 delivers a heavier warhead a greater distance.

India's Credible minimum deterrence envisages a nuclear triad of counter-strike capability which required a long range missile to provide robust second strike capability.

A missile system that can be dispersed far and wide in the Indian mainland, its far flung islands or its blue water naval assets dispersed across the world's oceans. Following this necessity India developed a larger Agni-III missile, with a heavier payload and a longer range but in a compact configuration, i.e. thicker but shorter length. This development is driven by need for a more assured retaliation that can defeat emerging anti ballistic missile (ABM) defence and countermeasures.

Agni-IV

Agni-IV is the fourth in the Agni series of missiles which was earlier known as Agni II prime. It has been developed by India's DRDO and displayed a number of new technologies and significant improvement in missile technology. Early reports about the Agni-4 suggested that it may be a technology demonstrator between the Agni-3 and the ICBM range Agni-5.

However, after a successful test in January 2014, Indian Army officials suggested that the missile would enter serial production, suggesting that it will play a role in the nation’s nuclear arsenal The missile is light-weight and has two stages of solid propulsion and a payload with re-entry heat shield.[5] With a 4,000 km (2,500 mi) range, it is capable of striking targets in nearly all of mainland China (including Beijing and Shanghai) if launched from northeastern India.

Agni -V 

Agni V is primarily for enhancing India’s nuclear deterrence against China. Until recently, the longest range missile India had was Agni-III with a range of 3000–3500 km. This range was not sufficient to reach targets on the extreme eastern and north- eastern region of China. Most of the important economic centres of China lay on its eastern sea board. Agni-V is an intercontinental ballistic missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India.

 Agni V is part of the Agni series of missiles, one of the missile systems under the original Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. The DRDO chief V.K. Saraswat initially declined to disclose the exact range of Agni-V. Later, however, he described Agni V as a missile with a range of 5,500–5,800 km. Du Wenlong, a researcher at China’s PLA Academy of Military Sciences, told the Global Times that the missile has a range of around 8,000 kilometres  Senior defence scientist M. Natrajan disclosed in 2007 that DRDO was working on an upgraded version of the Agni III, known as the Agni-V, and that it would be ready in 4 years. The missile was to have a range of more than 5,000 kilometres .

AGNI- IV

New Delhi, Nov 8: Agni 5 is India's most advanced missile and it has been inducted into the service after successive trials. After Agni 5 project ended, there were speculations that the DRDO may have begun working on an ICBM with longer range and payload carrying capabilities. Many reports have claimed that the DRDO a three-stage Agni VI missile. India has not made any clear statement on the development of Agni 6 which, many opine, may have range between 8,000 km to 10,000 km. DRDO usually has a development gap between each Agni-series of around 4-5 years.

    It has been over 5 years since Agni-V was developed and this has led to speculation that its successor could be ready. Agni 6 could be a three-stage solid fuel ICBM missile which will be heavier and thicker thanthe Agni-V. Agni-VI could possibly be able to carry 3 tonne warheads thrice that of Agni-V which can carry only 1.1 Tonne warheads. Agni-VI will be the first missile to have the capability to carry 4 or 6 multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRV) payloads. Why MIRV technology is key in India-Pak missile race? The question of MIRV technology is tricky, as some reports suggest that India may already have tested Agni 5 with MIRV technology. DRDO or the government has made no official statement on any Indian missile capable of MIRV. The range of Agni 5 itself is a mystery of sorts as China claims that it can travel as far as 8,000 kms. The DRDO claims that Agni 5 has a range of 5,000 kms. Range of ballistic missiles is a contentious issue. Many European nations and experts in the US argue that why should India develop a 10,000 kms plus range ICBM when its furthest rival is China. If India unveils Agni 6, then it may irk the US and some European countries. India would be risking sanctions if it blatantly goes ahead and tests Agni 6. How INS Arihant will significantly change India's strategic position? India is a rising economic power and at this juncture, it would not like to sour economic ties with Europe. A missile of 10,000 km range is bound to make European nations uncomfortable and this may have an impact on trade ties. So, even if the DRDO is ready with the technology, Indian government is very unlikely to unveil, or even acknowledge the existence of Agni 6 ICBM.

AGNI MISSILE SPECIFICATIONS

S.NO	AGNI MISSILE	I	II	III	IV	V	VI
1	Type	Short Range Ballistic Missile	Medium Range Ballistic Missile	Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile	Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile	Intercontinental ballistic missile	ICBM development Progress
2	Place of origin	India	India	India	India	India	India
3	Used by	India army	India army	Strategic Forces Command	(SFC)	(SFC)	(SFC)
4	Designer	Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)	DRDO	DRDO	DRDO	DRDO	DRDO
5	Manufacturer	Bharat Dynamics Limited	BDL	BDL	BDL	BDL	BDL
6	Mass	12,000kg	16,000 kg	50,000KG	17,000 kg	50,000kg	55,OOO to 70.000kg
7	Length	15m	21m	17m	20m	17.5m	20 to 40m
8	Diameter	1.0m	1.3m	2.0m	2m	2m	2m
9	Warhead	1,000-2,500 kg Strategic nuclear weapon (15 kt to 250 kt),	1,000 kg Strategic nuclear weapon	2000 to 2500 kg Strategic nuclear weapon	(~15  to 250 kilotonnes Strategic nuclear weapon	1,500 kg (1.5 ton) Strategic nuclear weapon	3000kg Strategic nuclear weapon
10	Engine	Single Stage, Solid fuel	Two-and-half-stage solid propellant engine	Two stage solid propellant engine	Two stage solid propellant engine	Three-stage solid-fuel rocket.	development Progress
11	Range	700 – 900k	2,000–3,500 km	3,500 km – 5,000 km	4000km	5000 to 8000km	8000 to 12,000km
12	Flight ceiling	370km	405km	> 450 km	900km	-	development Progress
13	Speed	2.5km/s	3.9 km/s	5 – 6km/s		Mach 24
14	Accuracy	25m CEP	30–40 m CEP	40 m CEP	less than 100 m CEP	10-80 m CEP	development Progress
15	No. built	12  At 2017	12  At 2017	-	-	-
16	platform	8 x 8 Tatra TELAR (Transporter erector launcher)	8 x 8 Tata TELAR (Transporter erector launcher) Rail Mobile Launcher	8 × 8 TELAR (Transporter erector launcher) Rail Mobile Launcher	8 x 8 TELAR (Transporter erector launcher) Rail Mobile Launcher	8 × 8 Tatra TEL and rail mobile launcher (canisterised missile package)	Road mobile
17	Guidance system	Ring Laser Gyro- INS (Inertial Navigation System), optionally augmented by GPS terminal guidance with possible radar scene correlation	ring laser gyroscope- INS (Inertial Navigation System), optionally augmented by GPS terminal guidance with possible radar scene correlation	Ring Laser Gyro- INS (Inertial Navigation System), optionally augmented by GPS, terminal guidance with possible radar scene correlation	Ring Laser Gyro - INS (Inertial Navigation System), optionally augmented by GPS/IRNSS. Terminal guidance with possible radar scene correlation[citation needed]	Ring laser gyroscope and inertial navigation system, optionally augmented by GPS/IRNSS	development Progress
	Unit cost		₹25–35 crores	₹250 TO ₹350 million	-	₹50 crore	development Progress

gni 5 missile testing