Agni-1 Missile

About Agni-1 Missile:

• Agni- 1 ballistic missile is a medium-Range Ballistic Missile having range 700–900 km.
• It is a single-stage, solid-fuel missile.
• It is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead with an estimated payload of 1,000 kg.
• The latest upgrade to the Agni-1 missile includes a new guidance system that makes it more accurate and a new warhead that increases its destructive power.
• It is road-mobile, which gives it a high degree of mobility and makes it difficult for an enemy to target.
• It was first test-fired in 2002.
• The Indian Army’s Strategic Forces Command first deployed this missile in 2007.
• The Agni-I originated from India’s 1983 Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP).

About IGMDP:

• It was a programme for the R&D of the comprehensive range of missiles in India, started in 1982–83 under the leadership of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.
• It was a Ministry of Defence programme managed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
• Types of missiles under the programme: APJ Abdul Kalam started multiple projects simultaneously to develop the following types of Indian Guided Missiles –
  • Short Range Surface to Surface Missile (SSM) ‘Prithvi’
  • Long Range Surface to Surface Missile (SSM) ‘Agni’
  • Medium Range Surface to Air Missile (SAM) ‘Akash’
  • Short Range Surface to Air Missile (SAM) ‘Trishul’
  • Anti-tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ‘Nag’

Q1) What is nuclear warhead?

A nuclear warhead is a device designed to be mounted on a missile or other delivery system and capable of releasing an immense amount of energy through a nuclear reaction. It is the explosive component of a nuclear weapon.

Source: India conducts successful training launch of Agni-1 ballistic missile

‹ ›