New Delhi: Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully tested the new generation nuclear-capable ballistic missile 'Agni P' from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam island off the coast of Odisha at 1106 hrs on Saturday, December 18, 2021. Various telemetry, radar, electro-optical stations and downrange ships positioned along the eastern coast tracked and monitored the missile trajectory and parameters. The missile followed a textbook trajectory meeting all mission objectives with a high level of accuracy.
It is pertinent to note here that on October 27, DRDO had successfully carried out its first user trial of the nuclear-capable Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile. The surface-to-surface intercontinental ballistic missile Agni-5 is capable of striking targets at ranges up to 5,000 kilometres with a very high degree of accuracy. Agni P is a medium-range ballistic missile having a maximum range of between 1,000 and 3,000 kilometres.
Developed as a successor for Agni-I and Agni-II missiles, the Agni P is a two-stage canisterised solid-propellant ballistic missile with dual redundant navigation and guidance system. This second flight test has proven the reliable performance of all the advanced technologies integrated into the system.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated DRDO for the successful flight test and expressed his happiness for the excellent performance of the system. Secretary Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO Dr G Satheesh Reddy appreciated the efforts of the team to have done the second development flight trial with many additional features and congratulated them for the consecutive success within the same calendar year.
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