Agni (missile)

Agni is an Indian medium-range missile / ICBM. Agni is Sanskrit / Hindi and represents the fire as one of the natural elements.

Over time, a variety of system have been developed. All these missiles can be armed with nuclear warheads.

Agni I

The missile Agni I was first tested in 1989. It has a range of 700-1300 km.

Agni II

Followed in 1999 Agni II with a range of 2,000-2,500 km.

Agni III

The range of Agni III is 3,000-5,000 km and thus includes major cities in China, including Beijing and Shanghai. The Agni III has a two-stage solid engine ( HTPB / AP / Al) and, in contrast to their precursors not only of land-based launchers, such as mobile missile launchers 8 × 8 Tatra TELAR or mobile rail launchers, but also from submarines to start. Steering is via an INS and an additional GPS.

India tested the Agni III for the first time in July 2006. The Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes had in 2003 designated tests overdue and announced tests for the same year.

Agni V

In April 2012 came the first successful flight of Agni V (V = the Roman numeral five). Pakistan tested a week later, a nuclear-capable, medium-range missile with extended range called Shaheen -1A.