Agni-II Ballistic Missile: India Successfully Test Fires Medium-range nuclear-capable missile from APJ Abdul Kalam island, Odisha
The Agni-II is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) with two solid fuel stages and a Post Boost Vehicle (PBV) integrated into the missile's Re-entry Vehicle (RV).
Odisha, February 20: The Agni-II Ballistic Missile has been successfully test-fired from Abdul Kalam Island at Dhamra port near Balasore, Odisha. The Agni-II was fired at 8:38 am from a mobile launcher at launching complex 4 of the Integrated Test Range. The trial launch was conducted by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of Indian Army as part of user training exercise. The indigenously built missile has a strike range of more than 2000 km.
The Agni-II is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) with two solid fuel stages and a Post Boost Vehicle (PBV) integrated into the missile's Re-entry Vehicle (RV). It must be noted Agni II missile has already been inducted into the Indian army since 2004. It has been designed to be launched from a rail-mobile launcher and it is also available in road-mobile.
The two-stage missile is equipped with advanced high accuracy navigation system. Both stages of the missile have a solid propulsion system, which allows the missile to be mobile and flexible. It is 21 metres tall and is capable of carrying a payload of one tonne. It has appropriate on-board thrusters fitted on the second stage.
Earlier on 17 May 2010, the trial was conducted with a special strategic command force (SSC) of the nuclear-capable Agni-II ballistic missile. The surface-to-surface missile can carry a nuclear payload of 1000 kg. The range of the 20-metre long missile weighing 17 tonnes can also be increased to 3000 km by reducing the payload. The Agni-II's navigation and aiming use an advanced ground-based beacon system using a TDOA (Time Delay Of Arrival) technique, similar to a GPS system, that constantly provides missile flight position and velocity updates and has been proven in test flights.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2018 11:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).