Agni- I (A) Successfully Test Fired From Abdul Kalam Island Off Odisha Coast

Balasore: India on Tuesday successfully test fired indigenously developed nuclear capable Agni-I (A) ballistic missile from Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast at 8.30 AM.

It was 18th version of Agni-I, which could achieve all the parameters within speculated time period.

The test was conducted by the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of Indian Army from the launch complex-IV of Integrated Test Range (ITR) of the Odisha coast.

The surface-to-surface missile, powered by solid propellants, had been test-fired from a mobile launcher of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Abdul Kalam Island (Wheeler Island). The surface-to-surface medium range single-stage missile was “part of training exercise by Strategic Forces Command of Indian Army”, Defence sources said.

The trajectory of the 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 accuracy, sources said.

The single-stage missile developed by DRDO under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme is powered by solid propellants. Agni-I was developed by a premier missile development laboratory of DRDO in collaboration with Defence Research Development Laboratory and Research Centre Imarat and integrated by Bharat Dynamics Limited, Hyderabad.

 The 15-metre tall and 1-metre wide Agni-I missile is equipped with sophisticated navigation system which ensures it reaches the target with a high degree of accuracy and precision. The missile, which has already been inducted into Indian armed forces, has proved its excellent performance in terms of range, accuracy and lethality. It can weigh 12 tonnes to carry both nuclear and conventional payloads. Its strike range can be extended by reducing the payload, a Defence scientist said.

The last trial was on successfully on November 22, 2016 from the same base. It was the 18^th test of Agni-I from ITR complex. DRDO had successfully tested country’s longest indigenously developed nuclear missile Agni-V, on January 18 this year.