1st training user-trial of Agni-II conducted

[Atul]

New Delhi: In a step towards making the 2,000-km-plus Agni-II fully operational, the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) conducted a “training test-firing’’ of the nuclear-capable missile on Tuesday.
Though the test was conducted from Wheeler Island, near Dhamra off the Orissa coast, at about 10.05 am, defence officials till late evening were reluctant to dub the test “fully successful’’.
“The missile launch did take off properly but it’s difficult to say whether the complete test was successful in meeting all the laid-down flight objectives,’’ said a senior official. “It can be called a success or a failure only after a detailed analysis of telemtry data generated by the flight-test. It was a completely user-driven trial, with the army missile unit under the SFC conducting the test,’’ he added.
The test is significant as it is the first “training user-trial’’ of Agni-II, which weighs 17 tonnes and can carry a 1.15-tonne payload or warhead, to give soldiers the requisite capability to fire the surface-to-surface missile on its own without the help of defence scientists.
The tri-Service SFC has already undertaken the “training trials’’ of 700-km Agni-I, designed to plug the operational gap between Prithvi (150-350 km) and Agni-II missiles. SFC, as also the Nuclear Command Authority, were created in January 2003 to ensure proper command and control structures around India’s nuclear arsenal.

 

[Yusuf]

For some reason everyone is mum about the success of the test. At least the army is not saying anything about it. They are saying we are waiting for the telemetry data to say anything. Usually a success is announced right away

 

[Atul]

For some reason everyone is mum about the success of the test. At least the army is not saying anything about it. They are saying we are waiting for the telemetry data to say anything. Usually a success is announced right away

Dear Yusuf,

Yes, if the test is successful it is announced right away, but its all military hardware, no one can guarantee perfection. There's no Harm in waiting for the telemetry data to arrive. ( & then conclude if things went ok or not ).

there are examples of a Toma Hawk ( US cruise Missile ) going DUD against the Taliban in Afghanistan & Pakistan.

 

[Rage]

Agni-II test fired, jury still out on test's success

20 May 2009, 0000 hrs IST, TNN


NEW DELHI: In a step towards making the 2,000-km-plus Agni-II fully operational, the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) conducted a "training test-firing'' of the nuclear-capable missile on Tuesday.

Though the test was conducted from Wheeler Island, near Dhamra off the Orissa coast, at about 10.05 am, defence officials till late evening were reluctant to dub the test "fully successful''.

"The missile launch did take off properly but it's difficult to say whether the complete test was successful in meeting all the laid-down flight objectives,'' said a senior official.

"It can be called a success or a failure only after a detailed analysis of telemtry data generated by the flight-test. It was a completely user-driven trial, with the Army missile unit under the SFC conducting the test,'' he added.

The test is significant since it is the first "training user-trial'' of Agni-II, which weighs 17 tonnes and can carry a 1.15-tonne payload or warhead, to give soldiers the requisite capability to fire the surface-to-surface missile on its own without the help of defence scientists.

The tri-Service SFC has already undertaken the "training trials'' of 700-km Agni-I, designed to plug the operational gap between Prithvi (150-350 km) and Agni-II missiles.

SFC, as also the Nuclear Command Authority (NCA), were created in January 2003 to ensure proper command and control structures around India's nuclear arsenal after the 10-month troop mobilisation along the Indo-Pak border under `Operation Parakram' in the wake of the December 2001 Parliament attack.

NCA's political council led by the PM is the "sole body which can authorise the use of nuclear weapons'', with the SFC tasked with executing such directives.

The only nuclear-capable ballistic missile which can be said to be 100% operational as of now is the short-range Prithvi missile. Though Agni-I and Agni-II are being inducted into the armed forces, it will take some time for them to become "fully-operational in the numbers required''.

The fourth test of 3,500-km Agni-III, which will give India the strategic capability to hit targets deep inside China is also on the anvil now.

But Agni-III, tested successfully only twice in April 2007 and May 2008, will also not be ready for induction before 2012. Development of the country's most ambitious strategic missile with near ICBM (intercontinental ballistic missile) capabilities, the 5,000-km range Agni-V, is also underway to ensure its first test is conducted by 2010-2011 or so.


Agni-II fired, jury still out on test's success - India - The Times of India