BHUBANESWAR: India on Monday successfully test fired a brand new missile in its most ambitious Agni series from a defence facility off Odisha coast.
The first test of the new generation nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni Prime was conducted from the launching complex IV of the Abdul Kalam Island at about 10.55 am.
Defence sources said indigenously developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the missile met all mission objectives.
"Various telemetry and radar stations positioned along the eastern coast tracked and monitored the missile. The missile has followed textbook trajectory, meeting all mission objectives with high level of accuracy," stated a statement issued by DRDO.
Agni P is the latest and most advanced variant of the Agni class of missiles. It is a canisterised missile with range capability between 1000 km and 2000 km.
The new Agni missile has been developed with the cutting-edge technologies used in 4000-km range Agni-IV and 5000-km Agni-V missiles.
The two-stage and solid-fuelled weapon system is guided by inertial navigation systems based on advanced ring-laser gyroscopes. Both stages have composite rocket motors and guidance systems are equipped with electromechanical actuators, defence sources said.
This is the first test of a missile by DRDO amid the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic. The premier defence agency had left the world awestruck after launching 12 missiles within a span of six weeks in September and October last year.
The last missile technology tested from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) of Odisha coast on March 5 was Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) that will help India develop long-range air-to-air missiles.
The first missile in the Agni series was test-fired in May 1989. Having a strike range of 700 km to 900 km, it was inducted in the armed forces in 2004. India already has five Agni class missiles in its arsenal.