BHUBANESWAR: The stage is set for the fourth experimental trial of India’s most potent long range nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni-V from a defence base off Odisha coast on Monday.
Developed indigenously by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Agni-V has the capability to strike targets anywhere in all of Asia and parts of Africa and Europe.
The missile will be fired from the launching complex-IV of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Abdul Kalam Island. A defence official said the missile has been integrated with the launcher and it will be made vertical prior to the test scheduled before noon.
According to DRDO, the missile is among the best in its class with advanced ring-laser gyros, composite rocket motors, highly accurate micro and inertial navigation systems.
Sources said the mission team has worked meticulously to achieve success with high accuracy as the weapon system is likely to be inducted in the armed forces after this test.
Since the missile has to traverse across the Indian Ocean and has the striking capabilities close to intercontinental range, all logistic issues have been fixed. The official said a number of countries has been alerted.
“Security measures have been undertaken to ensure that it is not affecting the international air and maritime traffic in the test zone,” he said.
Capable of being launched within minutes from road and rail mobile launchers, the three-stage, 17-metre tall, two-metre wide Agni-V weighing 50 tonnes can carry nuclear warhead of about 1.5 tonnes up to a distance of more than 5,000 km.
Earlier, the missile has been successfully tested twice from mobile launchers and once from a hermetically sealed canister.