India test fires n-capable Agni-IV missile

India Tuesday successfully test fired its 4,000 km nuclear capable Agni-IV missile in Odisha, an official said.

The Agni-IV, which can carry one tonne nuclear warhead, was fired at 10.19 a.m. from a launch pad from the Wheeler Island, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said.

"The test firing was successful. The missile crossed over more than 3,500 km," Ravi Gupta, a director at DRDO, told IANS.

The Radars and Electro-Optical Tracking systems (EOTS) located along the coast tracked and monitored all the parameters throughout the flight, said official sources.

It was the first user trial of the long-range, nuclear-capable, surface-to-surface missile.

The operation was carried out by the Indian Army's Strategic Forces Command (SFC).

The two-stage, 17 tonne and 20-metre tall Agni-IV is equipped with state-of-the-art avionics, and a fifth generation on-board computer.

It has the latest features to correct and guide itself through in-flight disturbances.

This was the fourth success in a row for Agni-IV. The first was in November 2011, the second in September 2012 and the third in January 2014.

Agni-IV has already been inducted into the army, said DRDO sources.

It has the latest features to correct and guide itself through inflight disturbances.

The re-entry heat shield is capable of withstanding high temperatures that may reach as high as 4,000 degree centigrade and above during re-entry of missile in the earth's atmosphere.

"With Agni 1, 2, 3 and Prithvi already in India's arsenal, Agni 4 further extends the reach and enhances effective deterrence capability," a DRDO statement said.