Indian Missile News And Discussion

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Agni V to bolster India's Missiles



Bad title but what to say?

Agni V to Bolster India’s Missile Pack





Dr Monika Chansoria Published: June 2011



New Delhi. India is well on its way of testing what can be described as its most ambitiously zealous strategic missile system—the Agni V, by the end of 2011.





India’s Defence Minister, AK Antony, recently stressed upon the need for acquiring a missile with a reach of 5,000 kms. Asking the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to demonstrate its capability to reach the range of 5000 kms at the earliest, Antony stated, “The interceptor missile development programme has taken India to an elite club of nations that possess the capability to demonstrate and deploy missile defence.” It can also be added here that the DRDO is already focused upon futuristic technology development as it frames a roadmap “Defence Technology Vision 2050.”



Reacting to Defence Minister’s statement, the Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister and Director General of the DRDO, Dr VK Saraswat provided assurance with a statement, “We have tested the three (solid-propellant composite rocket motor) stages of Agni V independently...all ground tests are now over… The integration process is now in progress… We want to test the missile in December, not let it spill over to 2012.”



DRDO is India's state-run defence research body, involved in five major missile programmes, some of which have already been tested and inducted by the Armed Forces.



India search and longing for an inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) has been on for long, more so since ICBMs have been in the exclusive possession of the prominent five nations till now, particularly China. The Agni V with a development cost of over Rs 2,500 crores, is likely to cover China's northernmost regions within its nuclear strike envelope, owing primarily to its high road mobility, fast-reaction ability and a strike range over 5,000 kms. The Agni V will provide for the must-needed credible deterrence especially against China, which already showcases a Dong Feng-31A ICBM that can likely hit across the length and breadth of India.



Technologically innovative while displaying ring laser gyroscope and accelerator for navigation and guidance, the Agni V is reportedly easy to store and swift in so far as its transportation is concerned. It is a canister-launch missile system, which in case fired from India’s Northeast region would be capable of targeting China’s northernmost city of Habin.



India’s security concerns seem to find validation with recent reports pointing at China reportedly placing advanced Dong Feng-21 (DF-21/CSS-5) medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs) along the borders it shares with India. China appears to be strengthening its deterrent capabilities in the region by replacing the earlier liquid-fuelled, nuclear capable CSS-3 intermediate range ballistic missiles with the upgraded CSS-5 missiles—a road mobile, solid-propellant, tactical missile system with payload and accuracy sufficient enough to target key civilian population centres and thus can, in effect, be effectively used as a deterrent against India. The basic variant of the DF-21 (CSS-5 Mod-1) is capable of delivering a 500 kiloton nuclear warhead over a maximum range of 1,800 kms. According to various sources, over 100 DF-21 missiles have been built with some of them being reconfigured with conventional warheads that can be put to use along China’s southern and north-western borders—thereby targeting areas throughout northern India.





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