India successfully test-fires Agni-5 ballistic missile

Balasore: India on Thursday successfully test-fired its nuclear capable surface-to-surface ballistic missile Agni-5 - the most advanced missile in the Agni series with a strike range of over 5000 km from a test range off Odisha coast.

The user associate test-flight of the missile has further boosted indigenous missile capabilities and deterrence strength of the country.

All radars, tracking systems and range stations monitored the flight performance, defence sources said.

Describing the trial as "fully successful", the sources said, the sophisticated missile travelled for 19 minutes and covered 4,900 km.

The sleek missile was test-fired from a canister launcher, mounted on a mobile platform, at about 9.54 am from No. 4 launch pad of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Abdul Kalam Island, earlier known as Wheeler Island, they said.

After four successful developmental trials, this was the first user associate test of Agni-5 missile, the sources added.

'Agni-5 is most advanced missile in the Agni series with new technologies incorporated in it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine. It has a range of over 5000 km.

The missile is so programmed that after reaching the peak of its trajectory it will turn towards Earth to continue its journey towards the intended target with an increased speed due to the attraction of the earth s gravitational pull, he said.

Its path is precisely directed by the advanced onboard computer and inertial navigation system, the official added.

The first two successful flights of Agni-5 in 2012 and 2013 were in open configuration.