Agni-5, India’s nuclear-capable missile launched successfully

mangaloretoday.com

Wheeler Island, Odisha, Sept 15: India has successfully test-launched its long range ballistic missile, Agni-5, which can carry a nuclear warhead in the east as far as all of China and in the west all over Europe.


The test-launch, done from Wheeler Island at 8:43 am, off the Odisha coast, for the second time in two years, is seen as a major step in India’s efforts to become a regional power that can counter the dominance of China.

 

The Agni-5 is about 17 meters long and weighs 50 tons. It is a three-stage missile designed to carry an over 1 ton warhead with a range of 5,000 kilometers, allowing it the farthest reach among all Indian missiles.


The versatile missile system can be launched from a road mobile vehicle or even from a special railway wagon where it can be kept hidden and moved around at will.


The first test of the Agni-5 missile was conducted on April 19, 2012 when the guidance system - critical in determining the efficiency of missile - worked perfectly.


The development of Agni-5 began in 2009 according to DRDO it will now be rolled into production mode with and induction likely in 2015


Agni-5 gives India the ability to launch nuclear weapons from land at will from any where in India.  It will give India the ability to hit back or have second-strike capability even after a nuclear


The INS Arihant, an indigenously-made nuclear-powered submarine is undergoing sea trials and expected to join the Indian Navy by 2016-2017.


India has also proven its ability to launch nuclear missiles from under the sea. Over a dozen successful test of K-15 missiles - nuclear missiles which can be launched from a submarine - have been conducted in the last several years.