Army test-fires Agni-II

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India successfully flight tested Agni-II, a surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a target range of 2,000 km, on Thursday. The missile was fired by the Strategic Forces Command of the Army from Wheeler’s Island in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Odisha at 8.46 am. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) provided logistical support.

According to Ravi Kumar Gupta, senior scientist and head of public interface, DRDO, the two-stage solid propellant missile was launched as part of a regular Strategic Forces Command exercise. The missile reached the pre-designated target point in the Bay of Bengal with an accuracy of a few metres.

Two ships located near the target point tracked the vehicle and witnessed the final event. “The radars and electro-optical tracking stations tracked and monitored the vehicle and all the relevant parameters,” Mr Gupta said. All the systems on board functioned perfectly. Agni-II is already inducted into the Army and is part of the country’s arsenal for strategic deterrence. This was a training exercise by the armed forces.

The team was led by project director Laxmi Narayana and mission director Avinash Chander. Dr V.K. Saraswat, scientific adviser to the defence minister, was present at the launch. Mr Laxmi Narayana said defence minister A.K. Antony congratulated the armed forces, DRDO scientists and the industry on the successful launch of Agni-II. Dr V.G. Sekaran, director, Advanced Systems Laboratory, Dr S.K. Chaudhari, director, RCI, M.V.K.V. Prasad, director Integrated Test Range, Dr Satish Kumar, Dr D.N. Reddy, chairman, Recruitment and Assessment Centre, were also present during the launch.