AGNI – 5 BALLISTIC MISSILE

AGNI – 5 BALLISTIC MISSILE

IN NEWS –

• Agni-4, an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile, was successfully launched from Integrated Test Range in Chandipur, Odisha.

ABOUT AGNI -5

• Agni-5 is an ingeniously built advanced surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
• It is a fire-and-forget missile, which cannot be stopped without an interceptor missile.
• The missile has the capability of hitting targets beyond the range of 5000 km and is crucial for India's self-defense systems.

THE AGNI MISSILES

• The Agni missile class is the backbone of India's nuclear launch capability, as are Prithvi short-range ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and fighter aircraft.
• Agni-1 to 5 missiles are designed & developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

OTHER RANGES OF AGNI MISSILES

• Agni I: Range of 700-800 km.
• Agni II: Range more than 2000 km.
• Agni III: Range of more than 2,500 Km
• Agni IV: Range is more than 3,500 km and can fire from a road mobile launcher.
• Agni-V: The longest of the Agni series, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range of over 5,000 km.

THE IGMDP (Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme)

• IGMDP was the brainchild of renowned scientist Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
• It was intended to attain self-sufficiency in the field of missile technology.
• After keeping in mind, the requirements of various types of missiles by the defense forces, the program recognized the need to develop five missile systems.
• The IGMDP formally got the approval of the Indian government in 1983.
• It brought together the country’s scientific community, academic institutions, R&D laboratories, industries and the three defence services in giving shape to the strategic, indigenous missile systems.
• The missiles developed under IGMDP are:
  • Short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile – Prithvi
  • Intermediate-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile – Agni
  • Short-range low-level surface-to-air missile – Trishul
  • Medium-range surface-to-air missile – Akash

• • Third generation anti-tank missile – Nag