Balasore: India`s nuclear capable Agni-I strategic ballistic missile, which has a
striking range of 700 kms, was successfully test-fired by the Army during a user trial from the Integrated Test Range at Wheeler Island off Orissa coast on Thursday.
"The trial of Agni-I was smooth and the test flight was fully successful," ITR Director SP Dash told a news agency.
The indigenously developed surface-to-surface single-stage missile, powered by solid propellants, was test fired from a rail mobile launcher around 1010 hours from
launch pad-4 of ITR, 100 km off Orissa coast, defence sources said, adding "all parameters were met during the trial."
User of the missile - the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the Indian Army - as part of their training exercise, executed the entire launch operation with the logistic support
provided by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) at the ITR, said a DRDO official.
The missile has a highly specialised navigation system which ensures it reaches the target with a high degree of accuracy, he said.
The entire trajectory of the missile was tracked by sophisticated radars and electro-optic telemetry stations located along the sea coast and two ships positioned near the
impact point in the downrange area.
Weighing 12 tonnes, the 15-metre-long Agni-1, which can carry payloads up to 1000 kg, has already been inducted into the Indian Army.
PTI
