Indian Army conducts Agni-II IRBM user trial

Balasore, Orissa: India has tested its nuclear-capable intermediate range ballistic missile, the Agni-II, with a range in excess of 2000 km. Initial reports suggest that the test may be deemed to be successful though the final result will only be available after analysis of all the data. The missile was tested by the Indian Army from the Wheelers Island off the coast of Orissa.

The trial was conducted from a rail mobile system in Launch Complex-4 of Integrated Test Range (ITR) at around 9.15 am, defence sources said. They also said data relating to various parameters of the mission's objectives was being analysed.

The Agni-II has already been inducted into the arsenal of the services and today's test was carried out by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of the Army with logistic support from various laboratories and personnel of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

A DRDO scientist said it was a training exercise to familiarise the end-users with different operational conditions.

The missile was picked up from a production lot at random for testing.

Defence Research and Development Organisation officials have suggested that the test was intended to re-establish confidence in the missile particularly after the missile failed two flight tests in May and November last year. The failures were put down to production flaws rather than any faults in the design.