Agni-IV and Agni-III launch, September 2012

sathya

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Close on the heels of the successful launch of Agni-V, Agni-II, Agni-I and Prithvi-II missiles from April this year, the Defence Research and Development Organisation is making preparations on the Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast, for two more Agni variants' launches.

While Agni-IV will lift off from a rail-mobile launch pad on September 18, Agni-III missile will blast off on September 21, said V.K. Saraswat, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister. The maiden launch of Nirbhay, a sub-sonic cruise missile, will take place in October or November.

Both Agni-IV and Agni-III are two-stage missiles that can carry nuclear warheads weighing one tonne each. In the missions on September 18 and 21, Agni-IV and Agni-III will be armed only with conventional explosives. Both missiles are 17 metres long. While Agni-IV can devastate areas situated 4,000 km away, Agni-III's range is over 3,000 km.

While the DRDO will flight-test Agni-IV, the Strategic Forces Command of the Army, which is entrusted with firing strategic missiles, will fire Agni-III. This is Agni-IV's third flight. Agni-III will be flying for the fourth time. The maiden flights of both missiles ended in failure.

The Aeronautical Development Establishment, a DRDO facility in Bangalore, has developed Nirbhay, a subsonic cruise missile. Nirbhay means "Fearless" and the missile is a derivative of Lakshya, a pilotless target aircraft. DRDO sources said Nirbhay's range was "in the region of 1,000 km." "It is a tree-top missile, that is, it can fly at the height of a palmyra tree."
 
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Bheeshma

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Good news. Its high the air and sub-launched brahmos were also tested
 

p2prada

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Agni IV:confused: or Agni II Prime.

I think Agni IV is a replacement for the original Agni II.
 

sathya

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before submarine launch, it will be pontoon launched.. so i guess not even close..
 

Bheeshma

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Agni-4 is Agni-2AT and TSS doesn't make any mistakes. Anyhow 2500 miles is 4000 km. Heh Heh Heh...
Though not sure about 17 m length. 20 m always seemed too long for a missile.
 

sayareakd

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Agni IV:confused: or Agni II Prime.

I think Agni IV is a replacement for the original Agni II.
A2P is re named as A4 and yes it will replace A2 in future. BTW best thing about it is that it range :lol:
 

sayareakd

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Best part of A4 and A5 are their ASAT and BMD capabilities, first lets complete the development of regular missile then we can move to specialized field.
 

sathya

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Agni – IV test scheduled for Tuesday deferred


The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) deferred the second developmental trial of nuclear capable Agni-IV missile till Wednesday following technical snags in the missile system on Monday evening. The missile was to be test fired from the Odisha coast on Tuesday, a day after Pakistan test fired its Babur missile from an undisclosed location.

This test is significant as its success would propel the country's elite defence organisation to go for its user phase tests from next year in a bid to induct the missile in the Armed Forces. The Indian scientists too cannot afford to take any chance after the reported successful trial of Babur missile.

Reliable sources told 'The New Indian Express' that the missile system developed technical glitches during last minute check ups after the range synchronization. "We had no option but to defer the test. We are trying to rectify the faults. Hopefully the system will be ready by Wednesday," said a defence official.

Defence sources said preparation had already been completed at the Wheeler Island test facility from where the missile would be launched. While range integration was finished, tracking stations were coordinated accordingly for the scheduled lunch.

"The test would definitely be conducted after rectification of snags, which are not at all major. The final count down would begin at least half-an-hour prior to the test. As the first trial of the missile in November last year was flawless, this time too we hope to get a copybook success," the official informed.

The indigenously developed 3500-km range surface-to-surface intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) has many unique features, which can also defend anti-ballistic defence systems.

Compared to the Pershing missile of the US in terms of technology, the Agni-IV has many cutting-edge technologies, which can meet global standards. The DRDO is planning to induct the missile after two more user-associated trials within next couple of years.

Although its sibling Agni-III has same strike range, but the A-IV weighs less compared to the former. While A-III is about 46 tonnes, A-IV is only 17 tonne. The two missiles have separate identities and will complement each other when required

Even as it is said that the Agni-IV is a modified version of the Agni-II Prime strategic missile whose first test was ended in failure, the DRDO during the maiden test of A-IV claimed there was no missile in the Indian arsenal as A-II Prime.

However, the A-IV missile can carry 1000 kgs warhead with re-entry heat shield. The two-stage solid propelled missile is 20 meter tall. While Agni-III can be launched from rail mobile launcher, Agni-IV from both rail and road mobile launchers, which gives it more flexibility and wide range of operational success.

A DRDO scientist said Agni-IV would bridge the gap between Agni-II and Agni-III. It is designed to increase the kill efficiency along with a higher range performance. The missile is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies that include indigenously developed ring laser gyro and composite rocket motor.
 

Bheeshma

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Why is a cutting edge tech missile like A-4 being compared with green painted chinese missile from 70's? The A-4 is meant for China, the babur is a low tech subsonic cruise missile not even in the same class as Brahmos. Seriously Indian journalist need a better quality of education.
 

A chauhan

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Although its sibling Agni-III has same strike range, but the A-IV weighs less compared to the former. While A-III is about 46 tonnes, A-IV is only 17 tonne.
That's a huge difference 46 tonnes to just 17 tonnes, and the range is same, it seems DRDO is enjoying the work :thumb:
 

p2prada

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Agni IV is a 2500Km missile. Agni III is a 3500Km+ missile and is meant to carry a very large payload, maybe even MIRVs once ready.

Agni IV is something like a Agni II Mk2 with better guidance and maybe a little better range.
 

sayareakd

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Agni IV is a 2500Km missile. Agni III is a 3500Km+ missile and is meant to carry a very large payload, maybe even MIRVs once ready.

Agni IV is something like a Agni II Mk2 with better guidance and maybe a little better range.
:clobber:

cross post from Agni IV/Agni-2 Prime thread


YES WE CAN: Saraswat dedicates Agni-IV success to youngsters in DRDO



Bangalore:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is on Cloud 9 following the success of the long-range, surface-to-surface
missile Agni-IV on November 16. Often battered and bruised by the users for not delivering what has been promised, the DRDO is hogging all the limelight – thanks to the big-bang strike by Agni-IV.


Known for his inimitable straight-forward comments, DRDO chief Dr V K Saraswat dedicated the success of the launch to the young DRDO. "I dedicate this success to all the youngsters who have contributed with a large heart. I am not playing to the gallery as I have already communicated this internally. The mentoring we started a couple of years back is paying rich dividends. Give it to them (youngsters) as they deserve all the laurels," Saraswat told The New Indian Express.


Making mincemeat of technology control regimes, Saraswat said that Agni-IV virtually made these powers futile at one go. "Nobody can stop us and nobody can dictate terms to us. Nobody can get us. It is not DRDO we are talking about, but India. We have shown the world how indigenous new-age technologies can be transferred efficiently on to a top-class product," he said.


The DRDO chief went on to say that the missile technology nuances mastered by his team has put India on par with the best in the world. "We will soon tell another story when Agni-V comes out. It's a constant process and we are all geared up. We have got the momentum and we will get it going," Saraswat said.
The mood in the Missile Complex in Hyderabad too is ecstatic with a strong sense of 'yes-we-can-belief' settling in among various teams that have been working on Agni-IV.


Speaking to Express from Hyderabad over phone, G. Satheesh Reddy, Associate Director, Research Centre Imarat (RCI), said that DRDO's patience have finally paid off. "After last year's failed campaign, we got on to the basics and dissected every system that went onboard. Today, with the success of Agni-IV we have witnessed the quantum jump in the state-of-the-art technologies in missile-making. We are now steadily moving towards our inter-continental ballistic missile (ICBM) dream and all efforts will now go into making of Agni-V," says Sateesh, a young DRDO brain, who got recently elevated to the 'Outstanding Scientist' status.
It was Satheesh's team that developed ring-laser gyro-based inertial navigation system (RINS) and micro-navigation system (MINGS) for Agni-IV. "We are thrilled by the telemetry results of the missile and we couldn't have asked for a better launch," he said.


DRDO sources who were part of the Agni-IV campaign said that the missile could go up to a maximum of 3,700 km and during the maiden launch it touched between 3,200-3,400 km, before hitting with target.

Tarmak007 -- A bold blog on Indian defence: YES WE CAN: Saraswat dedicates Agni-IV success to youngsters in DRDO
Please go through this thread.

http://defenceforumindia.com/forum/strategic-forces/25128-agni-iv-agni-2-prime-9.html

A4/A2P has touched 3000 km in its first test flight.
 

p2prada

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Ok. Let's add another 500Km to it.

But don't compare it to the Agni III. This is a different class of missile meant for carrying a different class of weapons.

Btw, this article has a mistake. It says Agni IV has a RLG, but it actually has an optic nav.
 

sayareakd

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yeah no comparison between A4 and A3

A3 reached about 350 km in altitude


A4 has reached 900 km of altitude.
 
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p2prada

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It's not a right comparison. Different flight trajectories can be used to achieve different objectives during reentry. Even warheads can be ejected at different trajectories from the same missile using MIRVs.

For eg: Shaurya can follow three completely different trajectories and flight patterns to achieve entirely different objectives and can extend the missiles range from 700Km to 2000Km depending on the trajectory.

I explained the same even for BVR missiles where a Aim-120D can have a 120Km range or a 180Km range depending on the trajectory of it's flight.

So, if an Agni III re-entered after a 300km altitude then it was trying to accomplish something different compared to Agni's 900Km altitude.

Btw, if you did not notice in that simulation in the first picture, Agni III achieved a range of 1300Km, not 3500Km.
 

sayareakd

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It's not a right comparison. Different flight trajectories can be used to achieve different objectives during reentry. Even warheads can be ejected at different trajectories from the same missile using MIRVs.

For eg: Shaurya can follow three completely different trajectories and flight patterns to achieve entirely different objectives and can extend the missiles range from 700Km to 2000Km depending on the trajectory.

I explained the same even for BVR missiles where a Aim-120D can have a 120Km range or a 180Km range depending on the trajectory of it's flight.

So, if an Agni III re-entered after a 300km altitude then it was trying to accomplish something different compared to Agni's 900Km altitude.

Btw, if you did not notice in that simulation in the first picture, Agni III achieved a range of 1300Km, not 3500Km
.
that pic is to show height of A3.


check the complete video.
 
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kaustav2001

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Why is a cutting edge tech missile like A-4 being compared with green painted chinese missile from 70's? The A-4 is meant for China, the babur is a low tech subsonic cruise missile not even in the same class as Brahmos. Seriously Indian journalist need a better quality of education.
Well Babur is a terrain hugging subsonic LACM, it may not be as fast as Brahmos but being subsonic it has a lower heat signature (although it's also slower) and if it flies low enough, it's quite difficult to detect. It has a twice the range & a more compact form factor (who knows might even be cheaper - as is usually the case with Chinese imports. And even though it's cloned by the Chinese of course, it's cloned from one of the best in the business the Tomahawk. So although not comparable to the Bhramos (the main capability of the Brahmos lies in the software - in later blocks) it's not exactly a a pushover either.
 

p2prada

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Yeah, ok. It doesn't mean much of anything though.

In the two videos, Agni III accomplishes a greater range with a much larger payload and uses a combination of high kinetic energy and gravitational acceleration to propel the warhead faster compared to Agni IV's reliance on only potential energy.

The extra altitude only reinforces the belief that is is less superior to the Agni III. But then it accomplishes an entirely different objective by allowing greater re-entry speeds that if it followed Agni IIIs trajectory. So, like I said, different trajectories for different objectives.

You can assume the Agni III took a shorter amount of time too.
 

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