JOIN USIndia on Monday evening successfully test-fired the indigenously developed nuclear-capable Agni III missile from a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) facility located at Wheelers Island off the coast of Dhamara in Odisha’s Bhadrak district.
The surface-to-surface medium-range ballistic missile, which has a capability to hit a target at a distance of 3,000 km and can carry both conventional as well as nuclear warheads up to 1.5 tonnes, was test-launched from a mobile launcher parked on Launchpad No 4 of the Interim Test Range (ITR) at about 4:55 pm.
Sources in the premier missile-testing centre said the test was an user trial and was carried out by trained jawans of the Strategic Force Command (SFC) of the Indian armed forces under the supervision and assistance of DRDO scientists. The preparations for the important missile test had been going on at the ITR over the past week.
A number of senior defence scientists, including Avinash Chandar, scientific advisor to Union defence minister, were present at the missile testing centre during the launch.
The 16-metre-long missile, which weighs about 48 tonnes, was tracked by radars, telemetry stations and electro-optical networks placed at different points along the Odisha coastline.
The final touchdown at the predesignated target point inside Bay of Bengal was also recorded by two ships of the Indian Navy.