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.
Comments
India has taken off so well
Raghubir Singh
11 Aug 2012 - 09:52
India has taken off so well on Wings of Fire really- with the Agni series.Most redeeming is that our missiles are labour of love born out of our sweat after surmounting failures and mastering the closely guarded missiles technologies.Ballistic missile defence shield is our crowning glory which we can be rightly proud of-jealousies and half knowledge terming it a hoax not withstanding? Equally glorious has been introduction of the defence spinoff of the bio-digestor in our villages.It is not sufficient to develop world class defence systems - it should also be possible to market it. MBT Arjun has been the worst case of being at the receiving end inspite of being a good tank & so is the delays in Kaveri.China even today has not been able to develop reliable gas turbine which is has been the privy of just four nations so far. Now BMD & Bio-digestors can be marketed abroad-subject to govt priorities, for which media campaign is needed? The leadership in missiles & Bio-digestors deserve our gratitude & perhpas nation would do well to bestow Padma awards.
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