The Indian government has cleared the indigenous Agni-3 ballistic missile for induction into the defense forces, Defence Ministry sources said.
Agni-3, regarded as a nuclear-capable ballistic missile developed with the Chinese threat in mind, was first tested in late 2006. Production of the 3,000-kilometer-range missile would begin at state-owned Bharat Dynamics, said Defence Ministry sources.
The first test of the 48-ton Agni-3 in July 2006 failed, but during the second test April 12, 2007, the 15-minute flight validated all mission objectives.
Agni-3 is fitted with an onboard guidance computer and is the country's first solid-fuel missile that is compact enough for easy transport. It can be easily packaged for deployment on a variety of surface and subsurface platforms, a Defence Ministry official claimed.
Agni-3 was designed and developed by the state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation along with several other state-owned and private-sector companies.
So far, India has inducted the 700-kilometer range Agni-1 missile and the 2,000-kilometer range Agni-2.
Indian scientists are now developing an intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of more than 5,000 kilometers that is expected to be tested early next year.
Defense News
Agni-3, regarded as a nuclear-capable ballistic missile developed with the Chinese threat in mind, was first tested in late 2006. Production of the 3,000-kilometer-range missile would begin at state-owned Bharat Dynamics, said Defence Ministry sources.
The first test of the 48-ton Agni-3 in July 2006 failed, but during the second test April 12, 2007, the 15-minute flight validated all mission objectives.
Agni-3 is fitted with an onboard guidance computer and is the country's first solid-fuel missile that is compact enough for easy transport. It can be easily packaged for deployment on a variety of surface and subsurface platforms, a Defence Ministry official claimed.
Agni-3 was designed and developed by the state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation along with several other state-owned and private-sector companies.
So far, India has inducted the 700-kilometer range Agni-1 missile and the 2,000-kilometer range Agni-2.
Indian scientists are now developing an intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of more than 5,000 kilometers that is expected to be tested early next year.
Defense News