Agni IV ready to take off.

Indian Express,BALASORE:

If everything goes according to defence scientists’ plans, nuke-capable and most powerful longest range missile Agni-IV will in India’s arsenal soon.This has been envisaged as after the successful test-firing of 3000-km range ballistic missile Agni-III earlier this month, defence scientists have already started planning for the maiden test of Agni-IV.“This 5,000-km range missile has already been developed. The missile will be tested from the Wheeler Island only after scientists get the government nod, which could be anytime this year,” a source at the Chandipur defence base told this website's newspaper on Sunday.“But before that, India will also carry out further tests of its special naval missile, an acronym used by DRDO scientists for a submarine launched ballistic missile and the second test of interceptor missile, for which preparations are on here,” the source added.

The scientists working in the DRDO are a delighted lot because they are planning for the first test-flight of the country’s longest range missile at the time, perfectly 19 years after the first test of the Agni missile.India’s most sophisticated and indigenously developed Agni was first tested on May 22, 1989 from the Integrated (then Interim) Test Range (ITR) here.The Agni-IV missile, which will surpass all the previous three versions of the missile, will be surface-based, solid and liquid-propellant ballistic missile and equipped with inertial guidance systems with an improved optical or radar terminal phase co-relation system.The missile also possesses a submarine launch capability. It would be virtually indestructible and unstoppable in times of war.Defence experts said launching of the 5,000-km range missile would entail strapping third stage booster rocket on Agni-IV missiles powered by solid fuel propellant.Its success will propel the country into the select group of nations which have long range ballistic missiles.