The Long Range Ballistic Missile successfully launched from the Wheeler Island about 12 Kms. from Damra off Orissa Coast, on May 07, 2008. Photo Credit: PIBMay 8, 2008 (Sawf News) - India successfully test fired Agni 3, a 3,500 km range nuclear capable missile, from Wheeler Island off Orissa coast at 9.56 am on Wednesday, May 7.
This was the third test of the missile that is 16m long, has a diameter of 1.8m, weighs 48 tons, and is capable of carrying a 1.5 ton thermonuclear warhead with a yield of 200-250 KT
The first test on July 9, 2006 was unsuccessful due to cascaded failure of booster flex nozzle controller.
The second test on April 12, 2007 was a success. The missile impacted its designated target area after a flight of 900 secs.
The test flight on Wednesday lasted 800 sec and the missile impacted its designated target area south of the equator, monitored by two IN ships.
According to Agni program director Avinash Chander, the missile reached a height of 350 km at a speed of 4 km / sec.
"The flight test was a complete success and met all mission objectives," said Chander. During the test, the missile entered a free-flight zone before re-entering the earth's atmosphere from the stratosphere on way to the target.
"The missile re-entered the atmosphere with a very high velocity and experienced a deceleration of more than 35 G and a temperature of over 2,500 degree Celsius," said the scientist.
The test validated a high performance ring laser gyro-based navigation system developed in India, and flight tested for the first time, added Chander.
The test marks the completion of development trials. The missile is expected to be deployed by 2010-2011, after more field trials.
Test of a submarine launched version of the missile, designated Agni 3SL, is planned shortly. It will be 12.2m long, weigh 38 tons, and have a range of 5,200 km. The longer range, if reported correctly, suggests it will have a smaller warhead.
A longer range derivative of the Agni III, designated Agni IV, with a range of 8,100 km is also planned. This will be done by incorporating a miniaturized third-stage into the two-stage Agni-III, in the form of another solid propellant rocket motor.
In the Agni IV configuration, the missile will be 17 m long and weigh 51 tons.
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