India conducts first night trial of Agni-III missile

The first night trial of the nuclear-capable Agni-III long-range ballistic missile was conducted from the Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast on Saturday.

The trial by the Strategic Forces Command of the Indian Army was conducted at 7.20 pm. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) provided logistic support for the test.

Quoting defence sources, PTI reported that the test of the surface-to-surface missile was carried out from a mobile launcher at Compex-IV of the Integrated Test Range.

The report said that the trajectory of the missile is being monitored and the outcome of the trial is awaited.

"It was the fourth user trial in the Agni-III series carried out to establish the repeatability of the missile's performance. For the first time the test was conducted during night time," a DRDO source was quoted as saying by the news agency.

Earlier on November 16, the first night trial of the nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile, Agni-II, was successfully conducted. Agni-II is a two-stage ballistic missile and has a strike range of 2,000 km.
 
Agni-III: Specifications 

Inducted into the armed forces in June 2011, Agni-III missile has a strike range of over 3,500 km. Indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), it is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads weighing up to 1.5 tonnes.

Powered by a two-stage solid propellant system, the missile has a length of 17 metres, and diameter 2 metres with a launch weight of around 50 tonnes.

It is capable of carrying a warhead of 1.5 tonnes which is protected by carbon all composite heat shield.

The missile is equipped with hybrid navigation, guidance and control systems along with an advanced on-board computer.

The electronic systems are hardened for higher vibration, thermal and acoustic effects, the PTI report said.