India successfully test-fired the most advanced long-range missile system Agni-IV recently. The missile was launched from a road mobile system from Wheelers’ Island off the coast of Orissa. The missile followed its trajectory in a textbook fashion, attained a height of about 900 km and reached the pre-designated target in the international waters of the Bay of Bengal.

All mission objectives were fully met. All the systems functioned perfectly till the end encountering the re-entry temperatures of more than 3,000°C. The missile is lighter in weight and has two stages of solid propulsion and a payload with re-entry heat shield. The composite rocket motor which has been used for the first time has given excellent performance. The missile system is equipped with modern and compact avionics with redundancy to provide high level of reliability.

The indigenous ring laser gyros based high accuracy INS (RINS) and micro navigation system (MINGS) complementing each other in redundant mode have been successfully flown in guidance mode for the first time. The high performance onboard computer with distributed avionics architecture, high speed reliable communication bus and a full digital control system have controlled and guided the missile to the target.

Avinash Chander, Chief Controller (Missiles & Strategic Systems), DRDO and Programme Director, Agni called it as a new era in the modern long range navigation system in India. He said, “This test has paved the way ahead for the success of Agni-V mission, which will be launched shortly”. Tessy Thomas, Project Director Agni-IV and her team prepared and integrated the missile system and launched the missile successfully.