Agni II

[Sridhar]

Agni II night trial: ‘It was one of the worst'

Hemant Kumar Rout
First Published : 25 Nov 2009 12:00:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 25 Nov 2009 08:51:07 AM IST

BALASORE: The debacle of the first ever night trial of India’s nuclear capable Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM), Agni-II, has put the credibility of DRDO scientists at stake. The trial was conducted by the Army from the Wheeler Island off Orissa coast yesterday evening. Defence sources said the trial failed to meet many of the mission parameters.For the second time within six months this indigenously built 2000-km plus range missile has failed to deliver desired results which raised doubts on the deployment of the missile, considered as one of the trusted missiles of the country.‘’Like the unsuccessful previous test on May 19, this time too the missile developed technical glitches at the stage separation phase. Although it crossed the first stage separation phase, because of inherent problem it had cumulative effects on other systems,’’ an official said today.The official indicated that the control and command system to the fins which provides aero-dynamic thrust to the vehicle was locked thereby plunging the missile into the sea. “During the May trial the missile started wandering midway before falling, but this time it directly plunged into the sea. In fact it was one of the worst trials ever,” he said.‘’Besides, the India-made inertial navigation system (INS) that guided the missile on its coordinated path by mid-way corrections also failed to provide the desired levels of performance. Significantly, during the developmental trials (all successful) foreign made INS used to be fitted into the missile,’’ he pointed out.During post-mission analysis (PMA) it was found that the missile had covered 97 km in nearly 41 seconds while on earlier occasion it had covered around 203 km in 127 seconds. But peculiarly the scientists reportedly claim to have done a great job by launching the missile during night.Meanwhile, several defence analysts have criticised the DRDO for the recurring failures. ‘’It is high time the DRDO should come out with facts as to where the faults lie as it relates to the Indian defence and tax payers money.The political class of the country will have to give a pertinent and plausible reply to the recurring failures of the missile programmes,” he added.The establishments like ITR should be brought out of the clutches of the defence research and development laboratory (DRDL) and put under director general quality assurance (DGQA) for impartial evaluation of the technical data and thus minimising the chances of manoeuvring and fabrication of the PMA data.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Agni+II+night+trial:+%E2%80%98It+was+one+of+the+worst&artid=1zfN4dQSWZs=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&SEO=IRBM,+DRDO,+INS,+PMA&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=

 

[Vladimir79]

Foreign made INS in the development but different in the deployment. Anyone could have told you that could lead to disaster. It is fine to test the concept on an imported INS, but the domestic should have been tested in the late development phase. How did India get their hands on a foreign INS for a ballistic missile? Those technologies are banned.

 

[Singh]

Agni's failure raises eyebrows​

BALASORE: The recurring failures of the Agni series, considered one of the most trusted missiles in the Indian arsenal, have raised serious concerns not only among scientists but across the nation as well.

In the past 20 years, since the beginning of Agni's developmental trails, it has failed four times to meet many of the mission parameters, which has left the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientists worried.

More importantly, nuclear capable 2000 km plus range Agni-II missile has failed to deliver desired results, consecutively twice in the past six months during the "trainer user trials".

Unfortunately, the debacle happened at the deployment stage, five years after the induction of the missile in the armed forces.

"It's come as a shock for the DRDO. I think they should be more careful before going for user trials of Agni," said Maj Gen (Rtd) R K Sahu.

So far three variants Agni-I, Agni-II and Agni-III with strike range of 700 km, 2000 km and 3500 km respectively. have been tested 15 times. While the second test of Agni-I from ITR at Chandipur-on-Sea on May 29, 1992 had failed, the maiden test of much-hyped Agni-III from Wheeler Island on July 9, 2006 could not meet mission parameters.

And now the two consecutive miscarriages of the Agni-II. Even more surprising is that, DRDO, the agency which is solely responsible for the development of the missiles, has not come out with any credible explanations.

Crores of rupees are being spent on the missile development programmes. It is high time the government took a serious look into the matter. The DRDO should come out with facts, for it relates to the country's security and tax payer's money," said Jayanta Das, president of a citizens' forum

Defence analysts feel that something tangible needs to be done to stem the rot or else it would be too late to maintain the territorial integrity of the country.

Agni's failure raises eyebrows - Bhubaneswar - City - The Times of India

 

[Sridhar]

Foreign made INS in the development but different in the deployment. Anyone could have told you that could lead to disaster. It is fine to test the concept on an imported INS, but the domestic should have been tested in the late development phase. How did India get their hands on a foreign INS for a ballistic missile? Those technologies are banned.

1972 United States Missile gyros and calibrating equipment The Defense Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) imports gyros and equipment for the Valiant ballistic missile’s inertial navigation system.


1982-1989 West Germany Technical assistance India acquires technical assistance for building a navigation system for satellites based on the Motorola microprocessor.


Late 1984 France & Sweden Gyros Gyros are purchased for the IGMDP.




NTI: Country Overviews: India: Missile Import/Export

 

[p2prada]

So, it was a user trial. Disappointing.

 

[Vladimir79]

1972 United States Missile gyros and calibrating equipment The Defense Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) imports gyros and equipment for the Valiant ballistic missile’s inertial navigation system.


1982-1989 West Germany Technical assistance India acquires technical assistance for building a navigation system for satellites based on the Motorola microprocessor.


Late 1984 France & Sweden Gyros Gyros are purchased for the IGMDP.




NTI: Country Overviews: India: Missile Import/Export

All prior to 1987 and the establishment of the Missile Technology Control Regime.

Missile Technology Control Regime

 

[fulcrum]

So our missiles can't see at night? or are they afraid of the dark? lol Anyway, I'm pretty much used to DRDO's excellent results, so I'm not feeling depressed.

So, it was a user trial.

You're kidding! It's already inducted? So we have a strategic deterrent based on these missiles? Scaaaary!
What if ""the control and command system to the fins which provides aero-dynamic thrust to the vehicle"" gets locked and hits our own land instead of enemy's in wartime. Do we have a self destruct system for these missiles?

Solid-fuel rockets do not need a length prep time like liquid-fuel rockets do

Wrong and right. Liquid fuel missiles(like prithivi) need refueling, but IIRC Soviet union's SS-18 Satan(apt name, that was the most powerful(more payload) than any missile in the world till date) uses Liquid fuel which is stored in the missile permanently. All they had to do is flip the switch and Washington, Tokyo and etc..s.. would have disappeared if WW-III starts. Liquid fuel is most efficient since it provides more thrust per kg of the fuel. Solid fuel is inefficient but can be stored on the missile. The best would be to devise a liquid fuel which is storable. Ofcourse India doesn't have this capability.
R-36M / SS-18 SATAN - Russian / Soviet Nuclear Forces

 

[p2prada]

Do we have a self destruct system for these missiles?

Yes. There is a remote self destruct mechanism in place in all ballistic missiles.

 

[billwengcn]

Solid-fuel rocket has low specific impulse, but It can get high thrust by relatively low cost. It's simple , reliable and compact .

 

[billwengcn]

Does the "fins" mean the four small fins near to the warhead ?

The official indicated that the control and command system to the fins which provides aero-dynamic thrust to the vehicle was locked thereby plunging the missile into the sea. “

 

[Rage]

Solid-fuel rocket has low specific impulse, but It can get high thrust by relatively low cost. It's simple , reliable and compact .

Indeed. Solid fueled rockets have a typical specific impulse of 285 seconds or 2.6 kN·s/kg as opposed to liquid propellants that obtain high specific impulse from high exhaust gas temperatures and emission byproducts having very low (molecular) weight. But what, pray tell, is the relevance of this generic, sweeping statement to the current Agni test

Does the "fins" mean the four small fins near to the warhead ?

That's right. The "fins" refer to the four maneuvering fins next to the payload that enable the Reentry-Vehicle to execute a non-ballistic trajectory during the terminal phase to make interception more difficult.

 

[billwengcn]

and .... In boost phase , are the four maneuvering fins used as control surfaces ?

That's right. The "fins" refer to the four maneuvering fins next to the payload that enable the Reentry-Vehicle to execute a non-ballistic trajectory during the terminal phase to make interception more difficult.

 

[Rage]

and .... In boost phase , are the four maneuvering fins used as control surfaces ?

The Agni-II has maneuvering fins in only the first and terminal stages, IIRC, that operate in tandem with INS/GPS guidance modules and a radar correlation guidance system. The second stage has flex nozzles for thrust vectoring that can be manipulated with the help of an on-board closed-loop guidance & control system. However, the maneuvering fins also have a post boost phase utility in that they serve to counter any atmospheric turbulence at high altitude trajectories. The Agni-I, on the other hand, whose second stage is liquid-propelled, uses gimballing of the nozzle for thrust-vectoring control: a concept that cannot be applied in the case of solids.

 

[RPK]

Agni-II glitches to be removed: Antony

New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) Defence Minister A.K. Antony Friday downplayed the recent failure of the nuclear-capable intermediate range Agni-II missile’s test firing, saying scientists would soon rectify the glitches.
“It is not absolutely correct. Sometimes tests do fail,” Antony said in reply to a query if the test was a setback for India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme.

“I am absolutely confident that DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) scientists will look into the problem and do away with it,” Antony added.

The first night test of the Agni-II missile Nov 23 turned out to be a failure. The surface-to-surface missile with a range of 2,000-plus km was tested from Wheeler’s Island - a launch site in Orissa’s Bhadrak district, about 200 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, at about 7.50 p.m.

The take-off and first phase separation went off smoothly. However, the second stage booster failed to function as expected. The test was a user trial to give the Indian Army the confidence to fire the missile whenever required.

Earlier this year, a daytime trial of the Agni-II was also a failure.

The Agni-II missile is 20 metres long and can carry a 1,000 kg payload. It weighs 17 tonnes and its range can be increased to 3,000 km by reducing the payload.

The Agni-II version of the Agni-series of missiles was first test fired in 1999.

 

[vaibhavk]

one thing I can't understand is we managed a sucessful test for Agni III and recurring failure of Agni II....???

 

[sayareakd]

The news of this test when MMS was in US was suspicious from the very start.
I keep on thinking what would happen if test would have been sucessesful, just imagine what would Oboma would have done if the news of sucessesful test.

 

[tarunraju]

The news of this test when MMS was in US was suspicious from the very start.
I keep on thinking what would happen if test would have been sucessesful, just imagine what would Oboma would have done if the news of sucessesful test.

lol tinfoil hat. That is a very reasonable suspicion. A successful missile test isn't really a good backdrop for an American president's first state visit. For the better part of the day, there wasn't any news about the test being a failure.

 

[shotgunner]

...2AT has a minimum range of 4000km and can throw a cute TN of 1500kg right away into Chinese heart.And so many strategic missile developments were queued up. ...
Hahah.... I wonder who would be our next enemy to take the cause for the development of an ICBM:viannen_10:

Throwing cute stuff, great! Where is it now?

You seems happy, good, let me share your joy!

 

[proud_hindustani]

The news of this test when MMS was in US was suspicious from the very start.
I keep on thinking what would happen if test would have been sucessesful, just imagine what would Oboma would have done if the news of sucessesful test.

Why the hell we should really care about what US will do if our missile tests go successful. We have the right to develop missiles in order to strengthen our defense system. Many countries already have long range missiles so We have to have long range missiles as well. We see the threats from China and inductions of our long range missiles are extremely necessary in order to pose threat to China. Long range missile with multiple warheads would diminish our fear of Chinese threat to some extend, thinking that China will have to consider many times before invading us.

Our Agni 1 is already in operational mode which is good to respond moron Pakistan. It'd be great if we give Agni 1 a MIRV capabilities which would become even bigger threat to Pakistan.

 

[p2prada]

So you are saying that

1. Pak and China both have BMs and we don't have a BM.

but, are they good enough?

So you acknowledge that Govt run institutions suck, and so does DRDO.
Isn't it time to bury DRDO ? or have PPP viz a viz Defence ?

What will replace DRDO. PPP will not help. TATA etc will not come into defence big time. Private defence industry is still too shaky. Disinvestment will not help either. Nobody in the country outside of the govt can invest in R&D.

As per a US TT 12 TEL's are operational. And is this the same TT that claims solve Kashmir win Astan ?

The very reason why OOE said a nuclear war between India, China and Pakistan is a dud. We need 1000s of them to actually matter.

As per Indian media however this missile is inoperational.

Since when have you started believing in everything the media says.

Shouldn't we work on already operational missiles like the very potent Prithvi so that they don't fail 40% of the time as they are expected too.

The Prithvi missiles consistency is superior to the Agni. So, the 40% figure will be better.