| Country: |
India |
| Class: |
MRBM |
| Basing: |
Surface based |
| Length: |
21.00 m |
| Diameter: |
1.30 m |
| Launch Weight: |
19000 kg |
| Payload: |
Single warhead, 1000 kg |
| Warhead: |
Nuclear 45 or 200 kT, HE, chemical, submunitions |
| Propulsion: |
First-stage solid, second-stage liquid |
| Range: |
700-1200 km |
| Status: |
Operational |
Details
The Agni is an antiquated short range, surface-based, liquid-propellant ballistic missile. Only five to ten systems are still reported as active. Most notably, the Agni, originally designated Agni-1 but changed due to program realignment, served as the basis for the more advanced Agni systems: Agni-2, Agni-3 and the more recent short-range Agni-1. However, in the case of hostile action from both China and Pakistan, the Agni would likely be deployed purely as a stopgap measure.
India's development of the Agni began in 1979 under the direction of the Indian Deference Research and Development Organization (DRDO). The Agni is 21.0 m in length, has a diameter of 1.3 m in the first stage, 0.9 m in the second stage, and has a launch weight of 19000 kg. Its payload is a single warhead, weighing no more than 1,000 kg. The Agni may be fitted with warheads containing 800 kg of payload, either nuclear (45 or 200 kT), chemical, high-explosive, or submunitions.
The missile uses a two-stage solid/liquid propellant engine. Its first-stage motor is similar to the first-stage, solid propellant rocket motor in the Indian Satellite Launch Vehicle-3. The SLV-3 was based on the US Scout rocket design and has been used in other satellite launches since 1979. The Agni's second-stage uses the liquid propellant motor system that is used in the Prithvi missile. The missile's range is between 700 km and 1200 km depending on the respective payload, with an accuracy of 100 m CEP, provided by an inertial guidance system coupled to an optical correlation system in the warhead.1
The missile’s first operational test launch was made in May 1989, when a trial missile flew approximately 1,000 km.2 In 1996, however, the Indian government terminated the Agni program, explaining that it was not developed for use as a weapon, but rather as a demonstrator of technological capabilities. In 1997 the Agni program was reestablished.Sources indicate that China’s new solid-propellant missile may have instigated this resurgence.3 When this occurred the original missile gained the designation Agni while the new missile was called Agni-1.
Despite the termination of the program, between five and ten missiles remained in operational storage. It is believed that they may have been upgraded to Agni-2s. It is possible that the missiles are kept in storage in case India faces asimultaneous threat fromChina and Pakistan.4
Footnotes
- Duncan Lennox, ed., Jane's Strategic Weapons Systems 42 (Surrey: Jane's Information Group, January 2005), 82-84; GlobalSecurity.org, "India Missile Special Weapons Delivery Systems," available at http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/world/india/agni.htm, accessed on 19 May 2005.
- Gary Milhollin, "India's Missiles: With a Little Help from Our Friends," Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists (November 1989): 31-35.
- Lennox, Volume 42, Pages 82-84.
- Duncan Lennox, ed., Jane's Strategic Weapons Systems 46 (Surrey: Jane's Information Group, January 2007), 50-51.
India Tests Agni-1
October 24, 2007 :: Spacewar.com :: News
On October 24, India successfully test fired its nuclear-capable Agni-1 ballistic missile from a test range in the eastern state of Orissa. The test is the second this month, following an earlier October 5 launch. The Agni-1 has a range of 700 kilometers (420 miles), making it capable of striking at most targets within Pakistan. The launch was conducted by India's recently-established strategic armed forces, signaling Agni-1's official induction into the million-plus military, defense experts said. "It is a major success," the official added. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: Testing - Foreign, India
» Missile details: Agni, Agni-1
India Tests Agni II Missile; Report of Indian Missile Defense Work
August 29, 2004 :: Spacewar.com :: News
India today test launched its short range, nuclear capable Agni II ballistic missile. The missile was described in an Indian press release as having a range of 2,500 km, having a payload capacity of 1,000 kilograms, and the capability to be launched on either road or rail mobile launchers.
The Agni II was launched from a mobile launcher on Wheeler Island, near the eastern Orissa state. While the missile was described as having a range of 2,500 km, this particular test had the missile deliver its payload to a site only 1,200 km away. In fact, the Agni II has been estimated as having a range between 3,000 and 3,500 km.
The test marked the third test of the missile, developed by India’s Defense Research Development Organization. The two previous tests reportedly took place on April 11, 1999 and January 17, 2001. The missile was also described as having a length of twenty meters and a launch weight of 16 metric tons.
In addition, the PTI news agency in New Delhi reports that India has already begun to operationally deploy both its 700km-range Agni I missiles, and the 2500km range Agni II missiles. (In fact, around 5 Agni II missiles may already have been deployed since 2001; moreover, the Agni I designation most likely refers to what is also known as the “Agni Short Range,” or “Agni SR”; the original “Agni I” program was terminated.) The newly deployed missiles will join the short range Prithvi missiles already in service. India’s “top scientist Dr. V.K. Atre” is cited for the deployment announcement, saying that “We have completely developed systems for these two missiles and a certain number of them have been delivered to the army.” The first test of the much longer range Agni III missile is also expected later this year, according to Indian reports.
The same news item, however, also indicates that India is working on its own missile defenses:
Retiring after a tenure of over five years in the top post, Atre said that along with developing short, medium and longer range missiles, Indian scientists were also working on developing an anti-missile defence system as well as airborne early warning system.
India has previously expressed interest in purchasing U.S., Russian, and even Israeli missile defense systems, but this is perhaps the first report that India may have its own programs. (Article, Link)
» More stories on: India, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Agni, Agni-2
India Tests Agni Missile
July 4, 2004 :: News
India today successfully tested what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh termed its “Agni A-1” ballistic missile, in what is likely a response to Pakistan’s Hatf missile tests last month, and the promise of other “important” tests in coming months.
The “Agni A-1” missile, described as having a 700-900 km range, is however probably the same missile as what is also termed the Agni-SR. (The SR stands for Short Range, as it has a lesser range but enhanced maneuverability and reentry technology, than the Agni-1 MRBM from which it was derived.) The Agni-SR is capable of being armed with a 20 kiloton nuclear warhead, and is highly accurate.
The only discrepancy between the comments by Indian “defense sources” about today’s missile test and what was previously known of the Agni-SR, is that the missile launched today is described as having a length of 12 meters, whereas the Agni-SR was previously reported as having a length of 14.8 meters. The same sources, cited by the PTI news agency in New Delhi, added that the missile is powered by a single-stage solid- fuel rocket, and that the missile travels at up to 2.5 km per second. They also confirmed that the so-called “Agni A-1”—like the Agni-SR—had had increased maneuverability and reentry capabilities, as compared to the original Agni missile, from which the Agni SR, Agni 2, and Agni 3 were each derived.
Sunday’s test launch took place from a mobile launcher located at the Integrated Test Range on Wheeler’s Island, in the Bay of Bengal, off India’s Orissa coast. This was reportedly the third test of the missile, with previous tests on January 25, 2002, and January 9, 2003, from the same launch site. (Article, Link)
» Spacewar on Agni launch
» More stories on: India, Testing - Foreign
» Missile details: Agni
