Agni-II | |
---|---|
Type | Medium Range Ballistic Missile |
Place of origin | India |
Service history | |
In service | Active [1] |
Used by | Strategic Forces Command |
Production history | |
Designer | Defence Research and Development Organisation |
Manufacturer | Bharat Dynamics Limited |
Unit cost | ₹25 crore (US$3.1 million) to ₹35 crore (US$4.4 million) [2] |
No. built | 12 (2017 est.) [3] |
Specifications | |
Mass | 16,000 kg (35,000 lb) |
Length | 21 m [4] |
Diameter | 1.3 m |
Warhead | Conventional high explosive-unitary, penetration, sub-munitions, incendiary, thermobaric, strategic nuclear weapon |
Warhead weight | 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) [5] |
Engine | Multi-stage solid rocket |
Propellant | Solid fuel |
Operational range | 2,000–3,500 km [6] [5] |
Flight ceiling | 405 km [7] |
Flight altitude | 230 km [4] |
Maximum speed | 3.5 km/s (14,040 km/h) [8] |
Guidance system | Mid-course:
Ring laser gyro
inertial navigation system. Optionally augmented by
GPS/
NavIC
satellite guidance Terminal: Radar scene correlation. Upgraded to active radar homing. |
Accuracy | 30–40 m CEP [5] [9] |
Launch platform | Ashok Leyland/Tata transporter erector launcher |
Agni-II ( IAST: Agni, lit. 'Fire'), is the second strategic ballistic missile of the Agni family envisaged to be the mainstay of the Indian missile-based strategic nuclear deterrence. The Agni-II is a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) 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-IIA is a more advanced version of Agni-II, albeit with more sophisticated and lighter materials, yielding a better range and operating regime. Agni-IIA was later renamed as Agni-IV plugging the gap between Agni-II and Agni-III. While the first test of Agni-IV in December 2010 was a failure, the second test flight in November 2011 was a success [10] Agni-II, developed as part of medium- and long-range Agni series of missile systems, has already been inducted into the Armed Forces. [11]
On 17 May 2010, the trial was conducted with a Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of nuclear-capable Agni-II ballistic missile, with a range of 2,000 kilometres from the Wheelers Island off Orissa coast thus making Agni-II missile operational by army. [12] US Air Force National Air and Space Intelligence Center estimating that as of June 2017 less than 10 launchers were operationally deployed, [13] operated by the 335 Missile Group at Secunderabad using 12 TEL vehicles. [14]
Agni-II can reach all of Pakistan and most parts of south and southeastern China. [15]
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