Strategic Forces Command (SFC), a special wing of Indian Armed Forces conducted a user-specific trial of 2,000 km-plus-range, nuke-capable Medium Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) Agni-II from a defence base off the Odisha coast on Sunday.
Defence sources said the indigenously-built missile was successfully test fired from the launching complex -IV off Wheeler Island, a part of Integrated Test Range (ITR) at about 10.22 am.
The launch, conducted with logistic support provided by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), once again proved the reliability of medium-range, surface-to-surface missiles.
Chief Controller (Missiles and Strategic Systems) of DRDO and Agni Programme director Avinash Chander said Agni-II was launched as a training exercise by the Armed Forces.
“The test was smooth and perfect. The missile behaved as expected and covered desired range as coordinated. It has met all mission objectives. All the radar and telemetry systems tracked and monitored all parameters throughout the trajectory. Two ships located near the target point have tracked the missile in the final stage. It was a fantastic mission accomplished,” he told The Express.
The two stage missile equipped with advanced high accuracy navigation system, guided by a novel scheme of state of the art command and control system was propelled by solid rocket propellant system.