India successfully test launches ballistic-missile Agni-5

India today successfully test-fired its indigenously-developed nuclear-capable long-range ballistic missile Agni-5, from an island in the Bay of Bengal.

Agni-5 has a strike range of 5,000 kilometre, reports our New Delhi Correspondent.

The surface-to-surface missile was launched with the help of a mobile launcher at the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Dr Abdul Kalam Island this morning, said a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) official.

The missile covered its full distance during the trial which was a total success, the New Delhi correspondent.

"The flight performance of the missile was tracked and monitored by radars, tracking instruments and observation stations all through the mission," the sources said.

Unlike other missiles of the series, Agni-5 is the most advanced with new technologies in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine, many new technologies developed indigenously were successfully tested in the Agni-5 trial. Navigation systems, very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro-based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) and the most modern and accurate Micro Navigation System (MINS) had ensured the missile to reach the target point, the official said.

The missile has been programmed in such a way that after reaching the peak of its trajectory, it will turn towards the earth and continue its journey towards the intended target with an increased speed due to the attraction of earth's gravitational pull. The path has been precisely directed by the advanced on-board computer and inertial navigation system, defence sources said.

The ships located in mid-range and at the target point, tracked the vehicle and witnessed the final event of the trial. All the radars and electro-optical systems along the path monitored all parameters of the missile and displayed in real time, the official added.

The first two flights of Agni-5 in 2012 and 2013 respectively, were in open configuration. The third, fourth and fifth trials were carried out using the canister integrated with a mobile launcher in its deliverable configuration that enables launch of the missile with a very short preparation time as compared to an open launch.

India has in its armoury the Agni series of missiles with different strike ranges-- Agni-1 with 700 km range, Agni-2 with 2,000 km range, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with 2,500 km to more than 3,500 km range.

The first test of Agni-5 was conducted on April 19, 2012, the second on September 15, 2013, the third on January 31, 2015 and fourth on December 26, 2016. The last test was held on January 18, 2018.

All the five earlier trials were successful.