Agni-5 missile successfully test-fired

December 13, 2018
Nuclear capable surface to surface Agni-5 ballistic missile was successfully test-fired from Dr Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast.
Agni-5 missile successfully test-fired
  • It was a user associated trial of the missile undertaken by strategic force command along with DRDO scientists.

About the Test:

  • The missile was launched with the help of a mobile launcher from launch pad-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Dr Abdul Kalam Island in the Bay of Bengal.
  • During this trial, the flight performance of the missile was tracked and monitored by radars, tracking instruments and observation stations.
  • It was the seventh trial of the indigenously-developed surface-to-surface missile.
  • The first test was conducted in April 2012, second in September 2013, third in January 2015 and fourth in December 2016.
  • The fifth test was held in January 2018 and seventh was held in June 2018. 
  • All the trials were successful.

About Agni-5 ballistic missile:

  • It is a three-stage solid propellant nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). 
  • It is about 17 metres long, 2 metres wide and has a launch weight of around 50 tonnes.
  • Agni-5 is the latest and most advanced variant in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine in the Agni series of missiles.
  • It has a strike range of over 5,000 kilometres and can carry a nuclear warhead of 1.5 tonne.
  • Thus, it can hit most northern parts of China and other parts of Asia, Europe and Africa.
  • Unlike other missiles of Agni series, Agni-5 is the most advanced missile having new technologies incorporated with it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine. 
  • It is also a fire and forget missile, which once fired cannot be stopped, except by an interceptor missile which only US, Russia and Israel have.
  • It carries Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicles (MIRV) payloads.
  • It is a single MIRV equipped missile that can deliver multiple warheads at different targets.
  • It is also incorporates advanced technologies involving ring laser gyroscope and accelerometer for navigation and guidance. 
  • It has not yet been inducted into the Services.

Question:

Q. Which nuclear capable surface to surface ballistic missile was successfully test-fired from Dr Abdul Kalam Island off the Odisha coast?
a. Agni-3
b. Agni-4
c. Agni-5
d. Agni-6

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