India on Monday successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable intermediate range Agni-I ballistic missile, which has a range of 700km, as part of a user trial by the Army. The surface-to-surface, single-stage missile, powered by solid propellants, was test-fired from a mobile launcher at 9.15am from launch pad-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Abdul Kalam Island (Wheeler Island), a defence official said. The trial, which formed part of training exercise by the Strategic Forces Command of the Indian Army, was fully successful, he said. The last trial was done on November 27, 2015. The sophisticated missile covered 700km within 9 minutes and 36 seconds, they said. ”The launch was undertaken as a part of periodic training activity by SFC to further consolidate operational readiness,” the official said.
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 the armed forces, has proved its excellent performance in terms of range, accuracy and lethality, the sources said. Weighing 12 tonnes, the 15-metre-long Agni-I is designed to carry a payload of more than one tonne. Agni-I was developed by Advanced Systems Laboratory of the Defence Research & Development Laboratory (DRDL) and Research Centre Imarat and integrated by Bharat Dynamics Ltd, Hyderabad.
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