AGNI 5 MISSILE

Why in news?

 Mission Divyastra, the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology conducted recently

BACKGROUND

Agni is a long-range missile developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO since 1990s

What are the Features of the Missile?

• Agni-5 is an ingeniously built advanced surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP) of DRDO.
• It is a fire-and-forget missile, which cannot be stopped without an interceptor missile.
• The missile has the capability of hitting targets beyond the range of 5000 km and more and is crucial for India’s self-defense systems.
• Has a canister-launch system to impart higher road mobility.
• 3 stage solid fuelled system.
• Has Multiple Independently targetable Re entry Vehicle capacity:

• In contrast to a traditional missile, which carries one warhead, MIRVs can carry multiple warheads. Warheads on MIRVed missiles can be released from the missile at different speeds and in different directions.

• It is in possession of only a handful of countries — the United States, Russia, China, United Kingdom and France. Last year, Pakistan also claimed to have tested a MIRV-equipped missile, Ababeel.

Other Ranges of Agni Missiles:

 Agni I: Range of 700-800 km.

Agni II: Range more than 2000 km.

Agni III: Range of more than 2,500 Km

 Agni IV: Range is more than 3,500 km and can fire from a road mobile launcher.

Agni-V: The longest of the Agni series, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range of over 5,000 km.