Agni-IV: Difference between revisions

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}

{{Use Indian English|date=January 2014}}

|engine=Multi-stage [[Composite material|composite]] [[rocket motor]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://aermech.in/agni-4-irbm-intermediate-range-ballistic-missileindian-armed-forces/|title=AGNI-4 IRBM (Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile),Indian Armed Forces|date=9 September 2015|website=AerMech.IN|language=en-US|access-date=2019-09-22}}</ref>

|vehicle_range=3,500 – 4,000 km<ref name="India Test Fires Long Range Strategic Missile Agni-IV">{{cite news |access-date=19 September 2012 |title=India Test Fires Long Range Strategic Missile Agni-IV |url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=775628 |newspaper=The Outlook India |date=19 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120922222319/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=775628 |archive-date=22 September 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/article3914340.ece|location=Chennai, India|work=The Hindu|title=Long range strategic missile Agni-IV test-fired |date=19 September 2012}}</ref>

'''Agni-IV''' ("Fire") is the fourth in the [[Agni (missile)|Agni series]] of [[missiles]] which was earlier known as ''Agni II prime''. It has been developed by India's DRDO and displayed a number of new technologies and significant improvement in missile technology. The missile is light-weight and has two stages of solid propulsion and a payload with re-entry heat shield.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{Cite web |url=http://livefist.blogspot.in/2011/11/video-todays-successful-agni-iv-test.html |title=Livefist: VIDEO: Today's Successful Agni-IV Test |access-date=19 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130423150723/http://livefist.blogspot.in/2011/11/video-todays-successful-agni-iv-test.html |archive-date=23 April 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> With 3,500 to 4,000 km range,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://missilethreat.csis.org/country/india/|title=Missiles of India|website=Missile Threat|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-15}}</ref> it is capable of striking targets in nearly all of mainland China, if launched from northeastern part of India.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Indian nuclear forces, 2017 |first1=Hans M.|last1=Kristensen|first2=Robert S.|last2=Norris|journal=Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists|volume=73|issue=4|pages=205–209|doi=10.1080/00963402.2017.1337998|year = 2017|doi-access=free}}</ref>

This missile is one of a kind, proving many new technologies for the first time, and represents a significant leap in India's missile technology. The missile is lighter in weight and uses a [[Multistage rocket|two-stage]] [[rocket engine]] powered by [[Solid-propellant rocket|solid propellant]]. The Composite Rocket Motor which has been used for the first time has given excellent performance. The missile system is equipped with modern and compact [[avionics]] with [[Redundancy (engineering)|redundancy]] to provide a high level of reliability. The indigenous-built [[ring laser gyroscope]] is used in the high accuracy INS (RINS) and Micro Inertial Navigation System (MINGS), which complement each other as a redundancy. The high performance onboard computer with distributed Avionics architecture, high speed reliable communication bus and a full [[Digital Control]] System have controlled and guided the missile to the target. The missile reached the target with a high level of accuracy. Radars and electro-optical systems along the Coast of Odisha have tracked and monitored all the parameters of the missile. Two Indian Naval ships located near the target witnessed the final event.

Smt. [[Tessy Thomas]], Project Director of Agni-IV and her team prepared and integrated the missile system and launched the missile successfully. In a jubilant tone she said that the DRDO has produced and proven many new state of the art technologies in the Missile System like Composite Rocket Motors, very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System, Micro Navigation System, Digital Controller System and very powerful onboard computer system. The missile, having capability to carry strategic nuclear warheads for the forces, has provided a fantastic deterrence to the country and it will be produced in numbers and delivered to the Armed Forces as early as possible. Sri S.K. Ray, Director RCI, Sri P. Venugopalan, Director DRDL, Dr V.G. Sekaran Director ASL and Sri S.P. Dash, Director ITR were also present during the launch and reviewed all the activities.

Agni-IV bridges the gap between [[Agni-II]] and [[Agni-III]]. Agni IV can carry a warhead of 1 tonne. It is designed to increase the kill efficiency along with a higher range performance. Its length is 20 meters and launch weight 17 tonnes. It can be fired from a road mobile launcher.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/bhubaneshwar/India-test-fires-nuclear-capable-Agni-IV-missile/Article1-769286.aspx |title=India test-fires nuclear-capable Agni-IV missile |work=Hindustan Times |date=15 November 2011 |access-date=15 November 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111116001820/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/bhubaneshwar/India-test-fires-nuclear-capable-Agni-IV-missile/Article1-769286.aspx |archive-date=16 November 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/india-tests-nuclear-capable-surface-to-surface-agni-iv-missile/articleshow/10737019.cms|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120707193531/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/india-tests-nuclear-capable-surface-to-surface-agni-iv-missile/articleshow/10737019.cms|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 July 2012|title=India tests nuclear-capable surface-to-surface Agni-IV missile|work=The Times of India|date=15 November 2011}}</ref>

Efforts are being made to fine-tune the Agni missiles to defeat anti-ballistic missile systems. The [[radar cross-section]] and other detectable signatures of Agni-IV have been significantly reduced to make them much more immune to counter-measures.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-17/india/30409335_1_agni-v-agni-iv-agni-programme-director|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419150207/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-11-17/india/30409335_1_agni-v-agni-iv-agni-programme-director|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 April 2012|work=[[The Times of India]]|title=Eyeing China, India to enter ICBM club in 3 months |date=17 November 2011}}</ref>

Agni-IV has undergone seven successful tests over the course of six years.<ref name=timesofindia>{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Ballistic-missile-Agni-IV-test-fired-as-part-of-user-trial/articleshow/49720522.cms|title=Ballistic missile Agni-IV test-fired as part of user trial|access-date=9 November 2015|newspaper=Times of India|date=9 November 2015}}</ref>

*19 September 2012: The missile was successfully test-fired again for its full range of 4,000&nbsp;km from the Wheeler Island, off the [[Orissa, India|Orissa]] coast.<ref>{{cite news|title=India test-fires nuclear-capable strategic missile Agni-IV|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-09-19/india/33951612_1_india-test-fires-nuclear-capable-wheeler-island-agni-iv|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022124829/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-09-19/india/33951612_1_india-test-fires-nuclear-capable-wheeler-island-agni-iv|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 October 2012|access-date=19 September 2012|date=19 September 2012|newspaper=[[The Times of India]]|location=Balasore (Orissa), India}}</ref> The missile lifted off from a road mobile launcher at 11:48{{nbsp}}a.m. and after zooming to an altitude of over 800&nbsp;km, it re-entered the atmosphere and impacted near the pre-designated target in the Indian Ocean with remarkable degree of accuracy following a 20-minute flight. Carrying a payload of explosives weighing a tonne, the missile re-entered the atmosphere and withstood searing temperatures of more than {{convert|3000|C|F}}.<ref name="India Test Fires Long Range Strategic Missile Agni-IV"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/article3914340.ece|location=Chennai, India|work=The Hindu|title=Long range strategic missile Agni-IV test-fired|access-date=19 September 2012|date=19 September 2012}}</ref>

*20 January 2014: The missile was test-fired in the actual weapon and road-mobile configuration of the [[Strategic Forces Command]] (SFC), from the launch complex-4 of the [[Integrated Test Range]] at Wheeler Island off Orissa coast. The missile traveled a vertical distance of 850&nbsp;km and covered its full range of 4,000&nbsp;km. The onboard ring laser gyro-based inertial navigation system (RINS) and the micro-navigation system (MINGS) enabled the missile to fall within 100 meters of its target. The re-entry shield withstood outside temperatures as high as {{Convert|4000|C|F}}, enabling the avionics to work at less than {{convert|50|C|F}} inside.<ref name=th2>{{cite news|last=Subramanian|first=T.S.|title=Agni-IV missile successfully test fired|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/agniiv-missile-successfully-test-fired/article5596563.ece|access-date=20 January 2014|newspaper=The Hindu|date=20 January 2014|location=Chennai, India}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Agni-IV test successful, ready for induction|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Agni-IV-test-successful-ready-for-induction/articleshow/29133752.cms|access-date=21 January 2014|newspaper=The Times of India|date=21 January 2014}}</ref>

*2 December 2014: The missile was successfully test-fired by the Army's Strategic Forces Command (SFC). This was the first user trial and fourth consecutive successful flight.<ref>{{cite news|title=Agni-IV launch successful|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/agniiv-launch-successful/article6654494.ece|access-date=2 December 2014|newspaper=The Hindu|date=2 December 2014}}</ref> The missile has been inducted into the Indian Army.<ref>{{cite news|title=India successfully tests nuclear capable Agni IV missile|url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-in-school/india-successfully-tests-nuclear-capable-agni-iv-missile/article6656285.ece|access-date=1 February 2015|newspaper=The Hindu|date=3 December 2014}}</ref>

*9 November 2015: Agni IV was successfully test-fired as part of a user trial by the tri-Service Strategic Forces Command (SFC). According to DRDO officials, the missile met all mission parameters.<ref name=timesofindia/><ref>{{cite news|title=Ballistic missile Agni-IV test-fired as part of user trial off Odisha coast|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-news-india/ballistic-missile-agni-iv-test-fired-as-part-of-user-trial-off-odisha-coast/|access-date=9 November 2015|newspaper=Times of India|date=9 November 2015}}</ref>

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