India successfully launched an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) called Agni-4 from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha. The launch was conducted under the supervision of the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) and has validated all operational and technical parameters.
- Agni-4 is the 4th missile in the Agni series. It was designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
Note: SFC, also known as the Strategic Nuclear Command, is a part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority (NCA).
Background:
i.In the early 1980s, the development of the Agni missile series began under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) led by former president, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
ii.In 1989, India flight tested the Agni demonstrator for the first time. The Agni missile series includes Agni-1(700 kilometer (km)), Agni-2(2000km), Agni-3(3000km), Agni-4(4000km), Agni-5(5000km) and Agni Prime.
iii.Agni-I development began in 1999, and the missile had its first successful test launch in 2003.
iv.In April 2024, DRDO successfully tested the new-generation nuclear-capable ‘Agni-Prime‘ ballistic missile from the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.
Features of Agni-4:
i.The Agni-4 is a long-range, surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range of 4,000 kilometers (km), capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
ii.It is lighter in weight with 2 stages of solid propulsion and a payload with a re-entry heat shield.
iii.It has a length of 20 meters (m) and weighs 17 tonnes. It carries a payload of up to 800 kilograms of (kg) of conventional or nuclear warheads.
iv.It is equipped with an indigenous-built ring laser gyroscope with a Micro Inertial Navigation System (MINGS), achieving 100 meters (m) accuracy.
v.It has a full Digital Control System (DCS) and a powerful onboard computer system for its guidance.
vi.It is also equipped with Flex Nozzle Control (FNC) thrust vectoring control systems to ensure precise flight control.
vii.Being a Surface-to-Surface Missile (SSM), Agni-4 can be launched from a road-mobile or an 8×8 transporter launcher.
- An SSM is designed to be launched from the ground or sea to hit targets on the ground or sea.
viii.It has undergone 7 successful test fires, with the first test conducted in November 15, 2011.
Recent Related News:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Research and Development (R&D) wing of the Ministry of Defence (MoD), and the Indian Army successfully conducted the test-firing of the indigenously developed Man-Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MP-ATGM). The test was conducted at Pokhran Field Firing Range (PFFR) in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan.
About Odisha:
Chief Minister (CM)- Mohan Charan Majhi.
Governor– Raghubar Das
Capital– Bhubaneswar
Festivals– Raja Parba, Rath Yatra, and Nuakhai
Stadiums– Barabati Stadium (Outdoor), Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, and East Coast Railway Stadium (Outdoor)
