India successfully test-fires Agni-5 ballistic missile

TIL Desk/National/Balasore(Odisha)/ India today successfully test-fired its nuclear capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-5 – the most advanced missile in the Agni series with a strike range of over 5000 kms — from a test range off Odisha coast.

The user associate test-flight of the missile has further boosted indigenous missile capabilities and deterrence strength of the country. All radars, tracking systems and range stations monitored the flight performance, defence sources said.

Describing the trial as “fully successful”, the sources said, the sophisticated missile travelled for 19 minutes and covered 4,900 km.

The sleek missile was test-fired from a canister launcher, mounted on a mobile platform, at about 9.54 am from No. 4 launch pad of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Abdul Kalam Island, earlier known as Wheeler Island, they said. After four successful developmental trials, this was the first user associate test of Agni-5 missile, the sources added.

‘Agni-5 is most advanced missile in the Agni series with new technologies incorporated in it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine. It has a range of over 5000 km.