Agni-IV

Agni-IV
Agni IV missile being launched from Wheeler’s Island, Odisha.
Type	Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile
Place of origin	India
Service history
In service	2014
Used by	Indian Armed Forces
Production history
Designer	Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
Manufacturer	Bharat Dynamics Limited
Specifications
Weight	17,000 kilograms (37,000 lb)
Length	20 metres (66 ft)
Warhead	Strategic nuclear (~15 kilotonnes (15,000 t) to ~250 kilotonnes (250,000 t)), conventional, Thermobaric
Engine	Two stage solid propellant engine
Operational range	4,000 km (2,500 mi)
Flight altitude	900 kilometres (560 mi)
Guidance system	Ring Laser Gyro - INS (Inertial Navigation System), optionally augmented by GPS/IRNSS. Terminal guidance with possible radar scene correlation
Launch platform	8 x 8 TELAR (Transporter erector launcher) Rail Mobile Launcher

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. The missile is light-weight and has two stages of solid propulsion and a payload with re-entry heat shield. This missile is one of its kinds, proving many new technologies for the first time, and represents a quantum leap in terms of missile technology. The Missile is lighter in weight and has two stages of Solid Propulsion and a Payload with Re-entry heat shield. The Composite Rocket Motor which has been used for the first time has given excellent performance. The Missile System is equipped with modern and compact Avionics with Redundancy to provide high level of reliability. The indigenous Ring Laser Gyros based high accuracy INS (RINS) and Micro Navigation System (MINGS) complementing each other in redundant mode have been successfully flown in guidance mode for the first time. The high performance onboard computer with distributed Avionics architecture, high speed reliable communication bus and a full Digital Control System have controlled and guided the Missile to the target. The Missile reached the target with very high level of accuracy. Radars and electro-optical systems along the Coast of Odisha have tracked and monitored all the parameters of the Missile. Two Indian Naval ships located near the target witnessed the final event.

Dr Vijay Kumar Saraswat, Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Director General DRDO, who witnessed the launch, congratulated all the Scientists and employees of DRDO and the Armed Forces for the successful launch of AGNI-4. Sri Avinash Chander, Chief Controller (Missiles & Strategic Systems), DRDO and Programme Director, AGNI, while addressing the Scientists after the launch, called it as a new era in the modern Long Range Navigation System in India. He said, “this test has paved the way ahead for the success of AGNI-5 Mission, which will be launched shortly”.

Smt. Tessy Thomas, Project Director AGNI-4 and her team prepared and integrated the Missile System and launched the Missile successfully. In a jubilant tone she said that the DRDO has produced and proven many new state of the art technologies in the Missile System like Composite Rocket Motors, very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System, Micro Navigation System, Digital Controller System and very powerful onboard computer system. The Missile, having capability to carry Strategic Warheads for the Forces, has provided a fantastic deterrence to the country and it will be produced in numbers and delivered to the Armed Forces as early as possible. Sri S.K. Ray, Director RCI, Sri P. Venugopalan, Director DRDL, Dr V.G. Sekaran Director ASL and Sri S.P. Dash, Director ITR were also present during the launch and reviewed all the activities.