Agni Missile Maiden Night Test Successful

At the end of the flight, the missile zeroed in on a pre-designated target with accuracy

In its first night trial, the Agni-1 surface-to-surface nuclear-capable ballistic missile was test-fired for its full 700-km range from the Wheeler Island off the Odisha coast on Friday.

Part of regular user training

The missile was picked up randomly from the production lot and launched by Strategic Forces Command personnel as part of regular user training. The 12-metre-tall missile lifted off from its mobile launcher and zoomed into the night sky at 11.03 p.m.

At the end of the flight, the missile zeroed in on to a pre-designated target in the Bay of Bengal with accuracy.

Two down-range ships recorded the terminal event as the missile splashed down into the sea, while the entire trajectory was tracked and monitored by radars, the electro-optical network and telemetry stations along the east coast.

The single-stage, solid-fuelled missile is capable of carrying a payload weighing 1,000 kg up to a distance of 700 km. The missile, which has already been inducted, was developed in a record time of 15 months in the wake of the Kargil conflict after the Army perceived its need.

Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister Avinash Chander and Director-General, DRDO (missiles and strategic systems) V.G. Sekaran were among those present for the trial.

Earlier, the night trial of Agni-1 was postponed twice in February after the missile developed a technical glitch.

The Hindu