Five key features of Agni-V ballistic missile

India on December 16 successfully test fired nuclear-capable Agni-V ballistic missile, marking a significant boost to the country's strategic deterrence.

The Agni V, like the other missiles of the same series, was designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) of the Government of India.

Here are 5 key things to know about Agni-V:

* Agni-V is a three-stage missile, 17 metres tall, two metres wide and capable of carrying 1.5 tonnes of nuclear warheads.

* It is an advanced version of the indigenously built Agni, or Fire, series, part of a programme that started in the 1980s.

* Agni-V ballistic missile has a range of over 5,000 km while the existing variant Agni IV is capable of hitting targets at a range of 4,000 km and Agni-III has a range of 3,000-km, and Agni II can fly up to 2,000-km.

* Agni V has a superior accuracy that can also be attributed to the incorporation of a system on chip (SOC) based on-board computer (OBC) that weighs just 200 grams and boasts 6-7 times greater processor capability than legacy PCB based systems.

* It relies on digitally connected multi-channel communications within its body for the control system, thereby reducing a lot of the cabling that would have otherwise gone into such missiles. This serves to reduce the risk of failure in the missile system and increases dependability.

(With agency inputs)