SFC to conduct Agni-I user trial

Balasore, Odisha: India is preparing to conduct a user trial of the Agni I missile from its missile testing facility located at Balasore, off the Odisha coast. The test follows on the heels of successful tests of the nuclear-capable Agni II and Agni IV missiles.

The Agni I is a single stage, solid fuel, road and rail mobile, medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), which is Pakistan-specific. The 15 metre tall Agni-1 missile, weighing about 12 tonnes, is capable of carrying both conventional as well as nuclear warheads of 1,000 kg.

The user trial will be carried out by the Indian Army component of the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) on 1 December.

Sources at the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur here said preparation for the test had already begun at the Wheeler Island launching complex.

''There were considerable improvements in its re-entry technology and manoeuvrability since Agni's first trial….This test will reconfirm the technical parameters set for the Army,'' said a defence scientist.

As the missile has already been inducted in the Army, this will be limited stock production (LSP) test, with the missile being selected at random from a batch.