Why in News?
Recently, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired indigenously-developed new generation medium-range ballistic missile Agni Prime (Agni-P) from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island at Odisha coast.
Read also:- Agni-1 Missile
What is Agni Prime Missile?
- The ‘Agni P’ is a two-stage canisterised solid propellant ballistic missile with dual redundant navigation and guidance system.
- It is a canisterised surface-to-surface ballistic missile with a range capability between 1,000 and 2,000 km.
- Agni-P is a new generation advanced variant of the Agni class (under IGMDP – Integrated Guided Missile Development Program).
- The Agni Prime, known also as the Agni P, is a medium-range ballistic missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation as a successor for Agni-I and Agni-II missiles.
- The missile comes with new composites, propulsion systems, and innovative guidance and control mechanisms, besides the latest navigation systems.
- It is the sixth missile in the Agni (missile) series of ballistic missile.
Read also:- Cruise Missiles vs Ballistic Missiles
What is the Other Agni Class of Missiles?
- They are the mainstay of India’s nuclear launch capability.
- Range of other Agni Missiles:
- Agni I: Range of 700-800 km.
- Agni II: Range more than 2000 km.
- Agni III: Range of more than 2,500 Km
- Agni IV: Range is more than 3,500 km and can fire from a road mobile launcher.
- Agni-V: The longest of the Agni series, an Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) with a range of over 5,000 km.
Surface-to-Surface missile system
- A surface-to-surface missile (SSM) or ground-to-ground missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea and strike targets on land or at sea.
- They may be fired from hand-held or vehicle mounted devices, from fixed installations, or from a ship.
- They are often powered by a rocket engine or sometimes fired by an explosive charge, since the launching platform is typically stationary or moving slowly.
Indian Surface-to-Surface missile system
- Agni missile
- Prithvi missile
- Shaurya missile
- Surya missile
Read also:- Fattah Missile
