On Thursday night, the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) conducted the first user test of the Agni V ballistic missile on APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Orissa to verify that the missile reached a target 5000 kilometers away during the night action.
The missile is tracked by telemetry and radar ships of the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), takes a perfect flight trajectory in accordance with the specified parameters, and hits the target within 15 to 18 minutes. This is the eighth successful test of the ballistic missile.
In the context of China’s enhanced medium-range ballistic missile capability and Pakistan’s nuclear ambitions, this is the core of India’s minimum deterrence. According to people familiar with the matter, the Agni V-type missile that took off at 7:50 pm, including the weight of the warhead, is standard. The target hits within the acceptable loop probability error range, and both users and developers are satisfied with the result.
The motivation behind the night test is to test whether the user SFC can operate the weapon in day and night operation modes. It is understood that the missile has been fully developed and the China Securities Regulatory Commission is free to conduct further tests as needed.
The Agni V missile is a three-stage solid fuel surface-to-surface missile with an advanced guidance system.
News Source : Hindustan Times
