24.12.13

Agni III successfully test fired


2013 has finally ended with a bang as the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) successfully fired the long-range Agni-III missile from Wheelers Island, off the Odisha coast on Monday at about 4.58 pm. The Agni-III missile has a range capability of over 3,000 kms. In fact, if the sources are to be believed, 2014 will be kick started with another bang as plans are more or less finalised to fire the prestigious Agni-IV in the first week of January 2014.
It was the sixth launch of Agni-III whose maiden launch in 2006 was a disappointment but the subsequent five launches have proved successful. Officials disclosed that the ‘users’ are involved in every stage followed by development trials in case of strategic missiles and usually after three consecutive successful fires, the missile is inducted into the forces. Agni-III missile is equipped with advanced high accuracy navigation system and guided by an innovative guidance scheme. Project Director for Agni-III is V V Rao while the Agni Programme Director is Dr V G Sekaran. Trajectory of Agni-III trial was tracked by a battery of sophisticated radars, telemetry observation stations, electro-optic instruments and naval ships from its launch till the missile hit the target area with pin point accuracy. During the course of flight, the missile reached a peak height of 350 kms and re-entered into the atmosphere successfully tolerating the skin temperatures of nearly 3,000 degree Celsius.
Agni-III has target range of 3,500 km
The marker pen-like Agni-III is 17 meters long with 2 metres in diameter with a range capability of 3,500 km. The missile is a two-stage solid propellant system with a payload capability of 1.5 tonnes.

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