The success of surface –to-surface missile Agni-V added a new milestone in India’s missile programme. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials expressed their happiness over the success of the nuclear capable ballistic missile. And they believe that this would be footprint for future configuration of the missile.
On Saturday, the17-meter-long Agni-V was launched at 8.10 am as soon as auto-launch command was given. Agni-V can cover up to 5,000 km, most parts of China and Europe. It is capable of delivering a 1.1 nuclear warhead. This was the third successful flight test of the Inter- Continental Ballistic Missile and the first canister trial. This missile will be introduced to service within a year.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday congratulated scientists on successfully conducting the first canister-based trial of the nuclear-capable Agni-V missile that is capable of hitting targets over 5,000 km away. “Successful test-firing of Agni-V from a canister makes the missile a prized asset for our forces. I salute our scientists for their efforts,” Modi said in a statement.
“It is a canisterised version of the Agni-V missile. It was tested for the first time. The test was successful,” test range director MVKV Prasad told.
On the occasion, Avinash Chander, Scientific Advisor to Defence Minister, Dr.V.G.Sekaran, Director-General of Missiles and Strategic Systems, G. Satheesh Reddy, Research Centre Imarat Director and other missile technologists were present. (With input from IANS)