Agni-II user trial anytime between 3-8 November

Balasore, Orissa: Indian defence scientists and Indian Army officials are working towards conducting a user trial of the country's medium range ballistic missile, the Agni-II, sometime between 3-8 November this year.  The Agni-II, a nuclear capable missile, can hit targets beyond 2,000 km and up to a distance of 3,500 km with varying payloads. 

 ''The missile is scheduled to be fired from the Wheelers Island based test range facilities any time between November 3 and 8,'' defence sources said.

According to scientists, the 700-km range Agni-I along with the 2000+ km range Agni-II and the 3000+ km range Agni-III form the triad of the country's nuclear deterrence.

The Agni-II missile, whose first operational variant was test-fired in April 1999, is 20-meter long and 1.3 meter in diameter. Weighing 16 tonnes it is designed to carry a nuclear payload of about 1,000 kg to a distance in excess of 2500 km.

The previous user trial conducted on 19 May this year was not a success.

The missile has already been inducted into the Indian Army's 555 missile group.