Agni (missile)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Agni missile (Sanskrit: अग्नि, Agnī "Fire") is a family of Medium to Intercontinental range ballistic missiles developed by India under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program. As of 2008, the Agni missile family comprises three deployed variants:
- Agni-I short range ballistic missile, 700 - 800 km range.
- Agni-II medium range ballistic missile, 2,500 km range.
- Agni-III intermediate range ballistic missile, 3,500 km range.
- There will not be an Agni-IV missile, with DRDO leapfrogging from intermediate range Agni-III to a standard ICBM possibly.
- Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile, 5,000 - 6,000 km [4] range (under development).
Agni-I was first tested at the Interim Test Range in Chandipur in 1989, and is capable of carrying a conventional payload of 1000 kg (2,200 lb) or a nuclear warhead. Agni missiles consist of one (short range) or two stages (intermediate range). These are rail and road mobile and powered by solid propellants.
The Agni I has a range of 700-800 km while the Agni-II has a range of 2,000–2,500 km. They are claimed to be a part of the "credible deterrence" against China and Pakistan. The Agni-II can only reach most parts of western, central and southern China. With the successful test of Agni-III which has a range of 3500 km, it falls within the reach of most major Chinese cities, including Beijing and Shanghai.
Agni-III is the third in the Agni series of missiles. Agni-III was tested on July 9, 2006 from Wheeler island off the coast of the eastern state of Orissa. After the launch, it was reported that the second stage of the rocket had failed to separate and the missile had fallen well short of its target. Agni-III was again tested on April 12, 2007, this time successfully, from the Wheeler Island off the coast of Orissa.On May 7, 2008 India again successfully test fired this missile. This was the third consecutive test; it validated the missile's operational readiness while extending the reach of India's nuclear deterrent to most high-value targets of the nation's most likely adversaries.
It has been reported that the missile's Circular Error Probable (CEP) lies in the range of 40 meters, which, if confirmed, would make the Agni-III one of [5]the most accurate strategic ballistic missile of its range class in the world.[6] This is of special significance because a highly accurate ballistic missile increases the "kill efficiency" of the weapon; it allows Indian weapons designers to use smaller yield nuclear warheads (200 Kiloton thermonuclear or boosted fission) while increase the lethality of the strike. This permits India to deploy a much larger nuclear force using less fissile/fusion material (Plutonium/Lithium Deuteride) than other Asian nuclear powers. Older, less accurate ballistic missiles, such as those deployed by earlier nuclear powers require larger yield (1-2 Megaton) warheads to achieve the same level of lethality. It has also been reported that with smaller payloads, the Agni-II can hit strategic targets well beyond 3500 km.
In May 2008 Indian scientists announced they had developed and patented a path-breaking technology that increases the range of missiles and satellite launch vehicles by at least 40%. [7]The enhanced range is made possible by adding a special-purpose coating of chromium based material to a rocket's blunt nose cone. The material acts as a reactive-ablative coating that forms a thin low density gaseous layer at the tip of the rocket as it approaches hypersonic speeds; this super-heated gas layer reduces drag by 47% (at mach 7-8), thereby allowing range enhancements at least 40%.[8][9] It has been announced that this technology will be incorporated in future Agni deployments after having undergone ranging and calibration tests. These same scientists who developed this new material also intend continue development to create materials that will generate a plasma shield envelope around launch vehicles, to further reduce drag.
Contents |
[edit] Agni I
Agni-I is a single stage, solid fuel, road and rail mobile, medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM). This shorter ranger missile specially designed for targets in Pakistan. The need for the Agni-I was felt after the Kargil war with Pakistan. It took DRDO 18 months to develop the Agni-I after having completed Agni-II development. It is propelled by solid fuel, giving it a shallow re-entry angle. Maneuvering RV body-lift aerodynamics give it the ability to correct trajectory errors and reduce thermal stresses. The MRV has a velocity correction package to correct launch trajectory variances. Some Agni RV versions use a set of solid fueled thruster cartridges of predetermined impulse, allowing the onboard guidance controller to trim velocity, using discrete combination of impulse quanta along the desired spatial orientation. The 15 metre tall Agni-1 missile, weighing about 12 tonnes, is capable of carrying both conventional as well as nuclear warheads of 1000 kg.
On October 5, 2007, a nuclear-capable Agni I was test fired from Wheeler Island, a defense base in the Bay of Bengal on Orissa coast at Bhadrak, Orissa; and again on March 23, 2008 from the same site.[10]
[edit] Agni II
.jpeg)
Agni-II, provides a breadth of payload and range capabilities. The Agni-I is a short range ballistic missile (SRBM) with a single stage engine. While the Agni-II is an intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) with two solid fuel stages and a Post Boost Vehicle (PBV) integrated into the missile's Re-entry Vehicle (RV). The Agni's manoeuvring RV is made of a carbon-carbon composite material that is light and able to sustain high thermal stresses of re-entry, in a variety of trajectories. The Agni-IIAT is a more advanced version of Agni-II, albeit with more sophisticated and lighter materials, yielding a better range and operating regime.
Quick deployment of the Agni-II was possible, by building on the earlier Agni-TD program that provided proven critical technologies and designs required for long range ballistic missiles. Thus when the decision was made to build the Agni weapon system, some quick optimization and ruggedization was done to the basic '1980 vintage' design, including a solid fuelled second stage. Further the solid fuel chemistry, RV and avionics were brought up to state-of-the-art levels. As the Pokhran-II (POK-II) nuclear test proved a family of more powerful and lighter nuclear weapons, the 200 KT thermonuclear weapon is far lighter compared to 1000 kg earlier budgeted for the 200 KT boosted nuclear weapon. Thus a high yield weapon configuration now assumes a payload of 500 kg, including weapon and RV. However, in the interest of rapid development the basic design that was earlier developed continued to be used and keeping the future options open, for more optimized missile design and lighter payload.The Agni 2 missile was last test fired on May 19th 2009, the test was a 'user trial' with the aim to give the army confidence to fire the missiles on its own. The Agni-II missile is used by 555th Missile Group of the Indian Army. A new variant of the Agni-II called the Agni-IIIA is under development.[11]
[edit] Agni III
Agni III an intermediate-range ballistic missile was developed by India as the successor to Agni-II.[12] Designed by the Indian government's Defence Research and Development Organisation, Agni III is intended to be a two-stage ballistic missile that is capable of nuclear weapons delivery.
Agni III is expected to be India's nuclear deterrent against People's Republic of China.
The Agni-III has two stages with an overall diameter of 2.0 m. The first stage mass is about 32 tonnes and 7.7 m long, the second stage mass is about 10 tonnes and 3.3 m long. The missile is likely to support a wide range of warhead configurations, with a 3,500 km range and a total payload weight of 2490 kg.[13] The two-stage solid fuel missile is compact and small enough for easy mobility and flexible deployment on various surface/sub-surface platforms.
[edit] Agni V
According to one of the country's top defence scientists, Dr M Natrajan, DRDO scientists are working on an upgraded version of the Agni III known as the Agni-V (Earlier known as Agni-III* (Agni-III star) and Agni-IV).[14] The missile will have a range of about 5000-6000 km and the first test flight is expected in 2010 end.[15][16]
The Agni-V is a three stage solid fueled missile with composite motor casing in the third stage.[17] Two stages of this missile will be made of composite material.[18] Agni-V will be able to carry multiple warheads and will have countermeasures against Anti-ballistic missile systems.[19]
The design of the missile is completed and the first test is expected in 2010. The missile will utilize a canister and will be launched from it. Sixty percent of the missile will be similar to the Agni-III missile. Advanced technologies like ring laser gyroscope and accelerometer will be used in the new missile.[20]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Technical tune to Agni test before talks". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1040830/asp/nation/story_3694401.asp. Retrieved on 2007-12-13.
- ^ "India close to developing Agni-IV missile". Rediff News. http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/dec/12agni.htm. Retrieved on 2007-12-13.
- ^ Vishwakarma, Arun (2007-07-01). "Indian Long Range Strategic Missiles" (pdf). Lancer Publishers and Distributors. http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/MISSILES/Images/Indian_Long_Range_StrategicMissiles_-Agni-III_r11.pdf. Retrieved on 2007-12-13.
- ^ AFP: India building 6,000km nuclear-capable missile
- ^ http://www.missilethreat.com/missilesoftheworld/id.9/missile_detail.asp
- ^ "AGNI-III launched successfully". Press Information Bureau, Government of India. 2007-04-12. http://pib.nic.in/release/rel_print_page1.asp?relid=26817. Retrieved on 2007-12-13.
- ^ http://www.domainb.com/aero/space/launch_veh/20080514_technology.html
- ^ http://www.domainb.com/aero/mil_avi/miss_muni/20080910_Indian_technology.html
- ^ New tech to boost missile range by 40%
- ^ "India successfully test-fires Agni-1 missile". Times News Network. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_successfully_test-fires_Agni-1_missile/rssarticleshow/2890590.cms. Retrieved on 2008-03-23.
- ^ Missile success
- ^ "Agni-III test fired by India". The Indian Express. http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=70753. Retrieved on 2006-07-09.
- ^ "Agni-III test fired by India". The Indian Express. http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=70753. Retrieved on 2006-07-09.
- ^ Press Trust of India. "Next variant of Agni to be inducted within 4 years: Scientist". http://content.msn.co.in/News/National/NationalPreT_260907_2316.htm?WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished. Retrieved on 2007-09-26.
- ^ Full of fire
- ^ India planning to test fire 5000-km range missile soon
- ^ DRDO readying design for 5,000 km-range Agni-V
- ^ DRDO to make missiles lighter, cost-effective
- ^ Agni V, next goal of DRDO
- ^ Agni-V design completed; to be test-fired in 2010
[edit] External links
|
|||||||||||
