India's DRDO successfully test-fired Agni-P also called Agni Prime from Odisha’s Balasore on 28th June at 10.55 am. It is the next-generation nuclear-capable ballistic missile in India’s nuclear arsenal. The missile comes with its own unique technology giving it more accuracy while making it difficult to intercept. The surface-to-surface ballistic missile has a range of 1000 to 2000 km. With this range, the deadly missile is capable of covering vital targets all across Pakistan. The Agni series of ballistic missiles are being developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme of the DRDO. According to a statement by the Ministry of Defence.
Various telemetry and radar stations positioned along the eastern coast tracked and monitored the missile. The missile followed textbook trajectory, meeting all mission objectives with a high level of accuracy. Agni P is a new generation advanced variant of the Agni class of missiles. It is a canisterised missile with a range capability between 1,000 and 2,000 km."
A new generation advanced variant of the Agni class of missiles, Agni P will replace Prithvi, and tactical surface-to-surface short-range ballistic missiles, Agni-1 and Agni-2, as these missiles were built two decades ago and their technologies have become obsolete in the current scenario. Agni P is the first of the new class of Agni series of missiles, developed by DRDO. The missile weighs 50 percent less than Agni 3 and has new guidance and a new generation of propulsion. Further, the missile was made using the same technology used in the longer-range Agni 4 and Agni 5 missiles.
During the test, the missile was launched from a BEML TEL and a canister. And it was a cold launch. Adding to the usefulness of the missile is that it is a canisterised system. This means that the movement and launch options increase for the Strategic Forces Command, which oversees India’s nuclear arsenal. The missile can be launched from rail or road and can be transported to various parts of the country. The missile comes with new composites, propulsion systems, innovative guidance, and control mechanisms, besides the latest navigation systems. The two-stage and solid-fuelled weapon system come with new propulsion systems, composite motor casings, and inertial navigation systems based on advanced ring-laser gyroscopes. The accurate ring-laser gyroscopes show the location of the missile and the trajectory it is taking.
"It is not a replacement for any of the existing missiles. Agni P is part of the Agni series of missiles with new modern features which makes it very maneuverable and increases the accuracy. The sleek missile, an advanced variant in the Agni series, was test-fired from a mobile launcher off the Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha at 10.55 am," said a DRDO source.
As soon as India announced Agni Prime's successful test the Chinese counterpart start comparing with their DF-21 series aircraft killer ballistic missile. Agni prime is a milestone for India's ballistic program but is still 10 years behind from the Chinese ballistic missile program quote by Chinese media. If you look at the accuracy of the missile, Agni prime has Circular error probable (CEP) 10-50m, while Agni-5 has 10-80m CEP, and Chinese Df-21 accuracy is estimated to be 50~100m. So Agni Prime has better CEP compare to others and it is enough to sink Chinese Fighter carriers.
India has in its armory the Agni missile series - Agni-1 with a range of 700 km, Agni-2 with a range of 2,000 km, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with 2,500 km to more than 3,500 km range. The Agni-5, with a range of 5000km, is the most advanced in navigation guidance, warhead, and engine. All these missiles are part of the Indian military's Strategic Force Command.
India's first intermediate-range ballistic missile Agni 1 was successfully test-fired in 1989 and inducted into service in 2004. It has a range capability between 700 and 900 kilometers. Since then, four variants of Agni missile have joined India's arsenal. Agni-V, with its 5,000-plus km range, was developed keeping China in mind. Agni V made India the eighth nation in the world to have intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capabilities. It can target any target in Asia and half of Europe with its range of 5,000 km and can carry a payload of 1.5 tonnes of nukes. Many advanced technologies including Composites, Propulsion Systems, innovative Guidance, and Control mechanisms, and state-of-the-art navigation systems have been introduced.
