Agni (missile)
| Agni—I—II—III—IV—V—VI | |
|---|---|
| Type | Medium-range ballistic missile (Agni-I) Intermediate-range ballistic missile (Agni-II, Agni-III, Agni-IV) Intercontinental ballistic missile (Agni-V, Agni VI) |
| Place of origin | India |
| Service history | |
| In service | (Tests) 11 April 1999, 17 January 2001, 29 August 2004 and 2 December 2014 |
| Used by | India |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) |
| Unit cost | ₹250 million (US$3.7 million) to ₹350 million (US$5.2 million) (Agni II) |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 12,000 kg (Agni-I) 16,000 kg (Agni-II) 48,000 kg (Agni III) 22,000 kg (Agni-III latest version) 17,000 kg (Agni-IV) 49,000 kg (Agni-V) 55,000 kg (Agni VI) |
| Length | 15 m (Agni-I) 21 m (Agni-II) 17 m (Agni-III) 20 m (Agni-IV) 17.5 m (Agni-V) |
| Diameter | 1.0 m (Agni-I, Agni-II) 2.0 m (Agni-III, Agni V) 1.1 m (Agni VI) |
| Warhead | Strategic nuclear (15 kt to 250 kt), conventional HE-unitary, penetration, sub-munitions, incendiary, or fuel air explosives |
|
|
|
| Engine | Single stage (Agni-I) Two-and-half-stage (Agni-II) Two stage (Agni-III) solid propellant engine |
|
Operational
range |
700–1,250 km (Agni-I) 2,000–3,500 km (Agni-II) 3,500–5,000 km (Agni-III) Over 5,500 km (Agni-V) 8,000–10,000 km (Agni VI) |
| Flight altitude | 300 km (Agni-I) 230 km (Agni-II), 350 km (Agni-III) |
| Speed | 2.5 km/s (Agni-I) 3.5 km/s (Agni-II) |
|
Guidance
system |
Ring laser gyro-INS (inertial navigation system), optionally augmented by GPS terminal guidance with possible radar scene correlation |
|
Launch
platform |
8 × 8 Tatra TELAR (Transporter erector launcher) Rail Mobile Launcher |
The Agni missile (Sanskrit: अग्नि, Agnī, "fire"; also the Hindu God of Fire) is a family of medium to intercontinental range ballistic missiles developed by India, named after one of the five elements of nature. Agni Missiles are long range, nuclear weapons capable surface to surface ballistic missile. The first missile of the series, Agni-I was developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program and tested in 1989. After its success, Agni missile program was separated from the IGMDP upon realizing its strategic importance. It was designated as a special program in India's defence budget and provided adequate funds for subsequent development. As of 2008, the Agni missile family comprises three deployed variants while two more variants are under testing:
The two-stage Agni technology demonstrator, with a solid-fuel first stage, was first tested at the Interim Test Range in Chandipur in 1989. It was capable of carrying a conventional payload of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) or a nuclear warhead. This original technology demonstrator evolved into the solid-fuel Agni-1 and Agni-2 missiles. India first developed the two-stage 2000 km range Agni-2, testing it in 1999. It then used the first stage of this system to develop the 700 km range single-stage Agni-1, which was first tested in January 2002.
Weighing 12 tonne with a length of 15 metres, Agni-1 has a range of 700–1250 km and is capable of carrying a conventional payload of 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) or a nuclear warhead at a speed of 2.5 km/s. Agni missiles consist of one (short range) or two stages (intermediate range). These are rail and road mobile and powered by solid propellants. Agni-I is used by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the Indian Army. The latest missile test occurred on 13 July 2012, when India test fired Agni I successfully at Wheeler Island off Orissa coast. On April 11, 2014 the missile was test fired for the first time in a night trial exercise to its full range of 700 km from the Wheeler island off the Odisha coast. The missile randomly picked from production line was test fired by the Strategic Forces Command after 11 pm in the night. This test was first night after 2 previous test failed due to technical glitches. The missile was test fired from a mobile launcher with logistics support from DRDO at the Integrated Test Range as part of the regular training exercise by the armed forces.
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