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| India-Pakistan |
| India launches ballistic missile |
| 2008-05-07 |
| India has test-fired its longest-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile, Agni-III, officials said. The surface-to-surface missile was test-fired off the coast of Orissa state in eastern India. With a range of more than 3,000km (1,865 miles), the missile could hit targets as far off as Beijing and Shanghai, analysts say. Indian defence spokesman Group Captain Ramesh Kumar Das said the latest test was launched from the interim test range at the Wheeler's Island in the Bay of Bengal. The intermediate range ballistic missile is capable of carrying a 1.5-tonne nuclear payload. When deployed, it will boost India's second-strike capability as it can be launched from anywhere using a mobile launcher. It will need a few more tests before it can be inducted into the armed forces, Group Captain Das said. Possession of the Agni-III will give India deep strike capability because it would have Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai and the US island base of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean well within its striking range. |
| Posted by:ryuge |
| #13 launch photo |
| Posted by: john frum 2008-05-07 17:01 |
| #12 Photo of the Agni-3 missile team |
| Posted by: john frum 2008-05-07 14:02 |
| #11 Agni III could have 5,000 km range: Russian General A top Russian General on Wednesday said that India's Agni-III ballistic missile, which has a range of 3,000 kilometres, could strike targets upto 5,000 kilometres, similar to that of Soviet designed SS-20 nuclear missile. The Russian General's remarks came as India on Wednesday successfully test-fired its surface-to-surface nuclear capable Agni-III missile for the second time giving the country a capability to hit targets as far as deep inside China. "The parameters of the missile disclosed by the Indian defence officials... provide solid ground for presuming that Agni-III is similar to the Soviet Army's first twin stage solid fuel propelled BRSD "Pioneer" (NATO codename SS-20) missile with a range of upto five thousand kilometres," Maj Gen Yevgeny Borodunov was quoted as saying by ITAR-TASS. Gen Borodunov was formerly commander of the 33rd missile division of the Strategic Missile Force, which was the first unit to induct 'Pioneer' missiles in the Soviet Army. He also noted that Agni-III is the first ballistic missile tested on the trajectory crossing the equator. |
| Posted by: john frum 2008-05-07 12:59 |
| #10 Some communication was initiated, yes. |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2008-05-07 12:01 |
| #9 the missile could hit targets as far off as Beijing and Shanghai, analysts say. Is it just me, or do you guys *snicker* too when these "analysts" only name cities in *one specific* nation? Tee-hee. |
| Posted by: BA 2008-05-07 11:31 |
| #8 China will have a nuclear power on its southwestern border soon. Might want to get that border dispute under control real quick. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2008-05-07 10:02 |
| #7 You saying this was a communications missile, Seaworthy One? |
| Posted by: lotp 2008-05-07 09:48 |
| #6 Or one finger. Can you hear us now, heathen Chinee? How 'bout you, Short Round? |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2008-05-07 09:46 |
| #5 [snark] followed the trajectory with single digit guidance accuracy Ya know, that could be accurate to one world, one continent, one city, one kilometre, one whatever! [/snark] |
| Posted by: AlmostAnonymous5839 2008-05-07 09:42 |
| #4 That should tighten all the right sphincters. |
| Posted by: Excalibur 2008-05-07 08:45 |
| #3 Congratulations to India for her ongoing modernization and technical expertise. |
| Posted by: lotp 2008-05-07 08:30 |
| #2 Photo of launch |
| Posted by: john frum 2008-05-07 06:03 |
| #1 Indian MOD Press Release Agni-3 flight tested successfully for the third time The DRDO conducted a launch of AGNI 3 Missile system to a Range of 3000 kms at 09:56 hrs today from the Wheeler Island, about 12 kms from Dhamra off Orissa Coast. It was a text book launch and followed the trajectory with single digit guidance accuracy. All the subsystems of the Missile functioned in a copybook manner giving an outstanding integrated performance of the Missile in terms of Range and accuracy. The Missile reached the pre-designated target in a time of 800 seconds, travelling through a peak height of 350 km with a velocity of more than 4000 metres/second. Two Indian Naval Ships positioned near the target location South of equator, have confirmed the impact of the Missile. This is the third flight test in the series of AGNI-3, which was carried out to establish the repeatability of Missile performance. The Missile system is equipped with sophisticated Navigation, Guidance and Control systems along with advanced distributed architecture based On Board Computer Systems. The electronic systems are hardened for higher vibration, thermal and acoustic effects. A high performance indigenous Ring Laser Gyro based Navigation System is flight tested for the first time in AGNI Missile Systems. The Missile was tracked by various telemetry stations, electro optic systems and radars located along the coast, Port Blair and by the downrange ships positioned near the target location. The data from the various stations is transmitted in real time through an advanced communication network of DRDO for online performance evaluation and range safety. AGNI 3 Missile is a two stage solid propellant system with a length 17 metres, diameter of 2 metres and launch weight of 50 tons, carries a payload of 1.5 tons. The Missile Re-enters into the atmosphere with a very high velocity and experiences a deceleration of more than 35 g and a temperature of more than 2500 °C. The payload is protected by Carbon-Carbon all composite heat shield. The A3 is Rail Mobile System capable of being launched from any where in India. The complete Integration and launch activities are carried out under the leadership of AGNI Programme Director, Sri Avinash Chander, who declared the AGNI 3 flight test a complete success and met all the Mission objectives. He also said that, with this flight, the developmental flights of AGNI 3 are complete and the system is ready for induction. The successful launch of AGNI 3 was witnessed by Sri M Natarajan, Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, Sri Sundaram Krishnan, Advisor to Raksha Mantri, Sri Shekhar Dutt, Deputy National Security Advisor, Dr V.K. Saraswat, Chief Controller (R&D) and other senior officials of the Forces. Defence Minister Sri A.K. Antony congratulated the Mission Director and all the scientists of DRDO for the successful launch of AGNI 3. |
| Posted by: john frum 2008-05-07 06:02 |