[CA] Agni V

India successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable, Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), the Agni V, (on Dec 26, 2016), from Dr Abdul Kalam island, formerly known as Wheeler Island, off the coast of Odisha.

The three-stage, solid propellant surface-to-surface missile was test-fired from a mobile launcher from launch complex-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at 11:05 am in Balasore district.

This was the fourth and final test of the missile. With the success of the final development test, Agni-V is now ready for the induction into the strategic arsenal (collection of weapons) of India.

The successful induction of Agni V will give India long-range strike capability.

Features of Agni V

Ø The Agni V is India’s indigenously developed intercontinental surface-to-surface nuclear capable ballistic missile with a range of 5,500 to 5,800 km.

Ø It has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program(IGMDP).

Ø Agni-V is one of the most advanced missiles which is 17 metres long, 2-metre wide and has launch weight of around 50 tonnes.

Ø The missile can carry a nuclear warhead of and can carry nuclear warhead of about 1.5 tonnes.

Ø The missile employs Ring Laser Gyro-based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) and Micro Navigation System (MINS) for navigation, which support the missile to reach the target point within a few metres of accuracy.

Ø It has the high-speed on board computer and fault tolerant software along with robust and reliable bus to guide the missile flawlessly.

Ø The Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Agni-V has the capability to strike targets anywhere in all of Asia and parts of Africa and Europe. Agni-V is capable of striking even the northernmost parts of China

Ø Once the Agni-V is inducted, India will join the super-exclusive club of countries with ICBMs (missiles with a range of over 5,000-5,500km) along with the US, Russia, China, France and the UK.

Ø It is the fifth variant in the series of medium to long range Agni missiles. Currently, India’s armoury of Agni missile series includes the Agni-1 with 700 km range, Agni-II with 2000 km range, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with with 2,500 km to more than 3,500 range.

Ø The first successful testing of the missile was conducted on April 19, 2012 by DRDO from Wheeler Island off the coast of Odisha, followed by second on Sep 15, 2013 and third on Jan 31, 2015.

[Defence] Nirbhay

Nirbhay

Basic Facts about Nirbhay

Meaning	“Fearless” in Sanskrit
Missile Type	* Surface to Surface missile. * Can carry both nuclear and conventional explosives. * Two stage flight * Subsonic cruise missile = Less than the speed of sound
Maximum Speed	0.7mach = 858 kmph
Similar to Nirbhay	* Tomahawk Missile (USA) * Babur (Hatf VII) Missile (Pakistan)
Range	* 800+ km * Flight duration – 1 hour
Designer	DRDO
Fuel	Aviation Kerosene
Testing	At Balasore (Odisha) * 2013 – it was failed * Oct 2014 – it was success
Platform	* Lorry, ship, aircraft, submarines * Land and sea versions to be ready in next 3 years. * Sea versions to have range of 200 to 2000 kms.

Special features of Nirbhay

·        Nirbhay designed from pilotless Lakshya drone (0.68 Mach speed). Therefore, it has features of both a missile and an aircraft.

·        Like the Lakshya drone, it can be remotely controlled, can be brought back after mission is over.

·        Nirbhay takes off vertically like a missile. But after reaching 800 mts height, it turns horizontally, spreads wings like an aircraft, and can fly upto 800-1000 kms range.

·        Can carry multiple payloads to attack multiple targets.

·        Seeker system: to lock-on the target, after launch.

Loitering Missile - Nirbhay can circle over an area for many minutes and pick out the target.

Tree Top Missile - Nirbhay can fly at very low altitude to avoid detection. Enemy aircrafts, anti-missile technology can’t destroy it easily.

“Make in India”

·        Nirbhay is India’s first long range subsonic missile.

·        80% of Nirbhay parts are indigenous built.

·        After 2022, India will not have to import any missiles.

Nirbhay in Cold Start

Recall Nirbhay’s special features: Drone-like + attack missile + low flying + no radar detection. Such missile can-

·        Attack Pakistan’s nuclear establishment.

·        Attack incoming Pakistan tank columns.

·        Surgical attack on a specific area within densely populated cities of Pakistan e.g. house of Hafeez Syeed or Dawood Ibrahim- that too before Pakistan radars or jets can detect Nirbhay.

·        Thus, Nirbhay will be a “force Multiplier” for India’s Cold Start Doctrine. Although Nirbhay alone is insufficient, we need modernization in other areas as well.

Nirbhay Vs. MTCR

·        1988: India tested first Agni missile.

·        1989: USA led MTCR forbade India from getting further missile technology.

·        Later, USSR collapsed, We were forced to become self-reliant.

·        Nirbhay: Desi subsonic cruise missile with range 800-1000 kms. So, we’ve not violated MTCR.

Good for India: Experience building. New weapons can be developed using the research data.

Bad for India: Lot of time and money wasted because we had to go by trial-error.

·        Pakistan’s Babar (cruise) and Shaheen (Ballistic) missile developed using Chinese technology. [MTCR violated because in the 90s, China promised to comply with MTCR, without joining as a member.]

Good for Pakistan: Atleast they did not have to waste time and money doing trial-errors like India.

Bad for Pakistan: No experience-building. So their engineers and scientists will always have to steal and smuggle technology in future. Hard to get warranty/replacement/ after sales service because it’s a smuggled Chinese technology!

==============================================

  

More Topics on Indian Defence

[Study Materials/Notes] Current Affairs

[Study Materials/Notes] Indian Geography

[Study Materials/Notes] Economics

[Study Materials/Notes] Culture

[Study Materials/Notes] Indian Polity

[Study Materials/Notes] Other Topics