Indian ballistic "Gods of Fire"
Currently, only five countries in the world have intercontinental ballistic missiles. These are Russia, Great Britain, China, the USA and France. A few more countries have intentions to join this “club”, but only India, which creates the Agni family of ballistic missiles, has chances for it so far.
The composition of this family, named after the Hindu god of fire, now includes four missiles that can be distinguished by numbers in the index. All Agni rockets have different ranges and, as a result, different targets. So, "Agni-1" is a short-range missile and can fly only 500-700 kilometers. "Agni-2" and "Agni-3" belong to the class of medium-range ballistic missiles, and the "Angi-5" closely approached the cherished barrier separating the large and intercontinental radius of action. Similarly, rockets differ in size, starting mass, weight of the warhead, etc.
The freshest news about Agni rockets are associated with a training launch conducted by August 8. Agni-2 rocket was launched from the launch site of the Wheeler test site on the Bay of Bengal. It is reported that she successfully achieved her conditional goal and hit her. The launch range exceeded the estimated two thousand kilometers. According to reports, the maximum distance that this rocket is able to fly is equal to two and a half thousand kilometers. The Agni-2 ballistic missile was put into service in 2002 and is the main medium-range missile in the Indian armed forces. When creating the Agni-2, the experience gained in the development of the Agni-1 short-range missile was taken into account. Moreover, the first stage of the rocket with a deuce in the name is almost completely identical to the Agni-1. Both of these missiles have a distinctive feature: they are transported and launched from launchers in a car chassis. In addition, a complex of tools was developed for the Agni-2, which allows the rocket to be transported and deployed from suitably modified railway platforms. Due to the mobility and range of the rocket, the Agni-2 can hit targets in an area of just under a third of Asia.
The next rocket of the family, the Agni-3, was put into service last year's 2011. It also belongs to the class of medium-range ballistic missiles, but it has a longer range than the Agni-2. One tonne payload can be delivered over a distance of 3500 kilometers. The maximum weight of the warhead reaches 1800 kg. Such a carrying capacity allows the Agni-3 to be equipped with both conventional and nuclear warheads. The maximum power of the warhead is estimated at 250-300 kilotons. The launch weight of this rocket, reaching almost 50 tons, did not allow a launcher to be made on the car chassis. For this reason, Agni-3 is launched only from the railway or from the mine complex. Thus, the third rocket of the family retains the mobility of its predecessors, at the same time improving the indicators of range and throw weight. When the launch range in 3500 kilometers under attack from the territory of India may be, for example, large administrative centers of China, including Beijing. As for the old enemy of India - Pakistan - the "Agni-2" and "Agni-3" cover its territory with interest. To reliably defeat Pakistani targets, Indian missile troops may not even come close to the border.
The logical continuation of the series of Indian ballistic missiles (at least in terms of the name) was to be the Agni-4. However, there is no verified data on the existence of such a rocket. Instead, it immediately became aware of the Agni-5 rocket, which has a much longer range. Even before the end of the tests "Agni-3" and adopting it into service, the Indian Organization for Defense Research and Development (DRDO) announced its readiness to begin flight tests of the new missile. Initially, they were scheduled for the spring 2011 of the year, but later they were postponed several times. In the end, the date of the first launch was set for 18 on April 2012 of the year, but it was not without problems. On this day, the weather was bad at the test site, because of which Agni-5 flew only on the 19 number.
We have to admit that the permanent postponement of the date nevertheless yielded its result - all technical problems were eliminated and the rocket successfully delivered the training combat unit to the target area. The fifty-ton three-stage rocket covered a distance of over five thousand kilometers. At the same time, official representatives of DRDO claim that the maximum range of the Agni-5 rocket is 5500 kilometers. The frontier of five and a half thousand kilometers is the very border, after reaching which the ballistic missile becomes intercontinental. The successful first launch of the new rocket allowed Indian engineers and military men to boast of plans. So, in 2014-15, the new rocket will be put into service and will go into series. In addition, in the near future, Indian designers will develop a divided warhead with blocks of individual guidance. Such a payload will significantly increase the combat potential of each missile individually and of all armed forces as a whole.
Shortly after the announcement of the first flight of the Agni-5 rocket, rumors about a new project of Indian rocket builders began to spread. The mythical Agni-6 program implies the creation of a ballistic missile with a range of about 10 thousands of kilometers and a divided head. However, there is no official data regarding this project, besides the fact that work on a new ballistic missile is still underway. It may well be that the Agni-6 will have a short range and will replace the very first rocket of the family.
Regardless of the characteristics of a promising rocket, we can already draw the appropriate conclusions. In recent years, India has become the largest importer of weapons and military equipment. It speaks of the attention paid to its armed forces. Simultaneously with the procurement, New Delhi has several joint projects with foreign countries (including Russia), and is also engaged in the independent development of a number of particularly important systems. These include ballistic missiles, anti-missile systems, as well as nuclear ammunition. Everything indicates that India intends to become the leader of its region in the military-political aspect. Of course, in this it will have to compete with China. In the course of this “competition”, according to available information, from 2020, India will begin the final stage of building its nuclear forces. The "triad" will include several regiments with long-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles, 4-5 submarines armed with strategic missiles, as well as fighter-bombers with the ability to carry conventional and nuclear ammunition.
By the time the Indian nuclear triad has taken its final form, the mythical rocket Agni-6 with a range of at least 10 thousands of kilometers will probably be put into service. Such a delivery system can significantly change the balance of power in the Asian region and bring India into the number of leading military states, of course, subject to the full and comprehensive development of the armed forces. It is likely and even expected that some countries in the region, especially Pakistan, will openly show their discontent. However, the leading countries of the world are unlikely to start accusing India of bad intentions, as is done with Iran and North Korea. Perhaps, not everyone is aware of the plans of the Indian leadership, or they simply do not have the proper amount of information to draw conclusions and official statements. Or maybe India does not make the impression of an unpredictable "unreliable regime." Anyway, no one bothers the Indians to conduct their own projects and build ballistic missiles of various ranges, as well as to strengthen their armed forces.
On the materials of the sites:
http://rosbalt.ru/
http://lenta.ru/
http://bharat-rakshak.com/
http://globalsecurity.org/
The composition of this family, named after the Hindu god of fire, now includes four missiles that can be distinguished by numbers in the index. All Agni rockets have different ranges and, as a result, different targets. So, "Agni-1" is a short-range missile and can fly only 500-700 kilometers. "Agni-2" and "Agni-3" belong to the class of medium-range ballistic missiles, and the "Angi-5" closely approached the cherished barrier separating the large and intercontinental radius of action. Similarly, rockets differ in size, starting mass, weight of the warhead, etc.
The freshest news about Agni rockets are associated with a training launch conducted by August 8. Agni-2 rocket was launched from the launch site of the Wheeler test site on the Bay of Bengal. It is reported that she successfully achieved her conditional goal and hit her. The launch range exceeded the estimated two thousand kilometers. According to reports, the maximum distance that this rocket is able to fly is equal to two and a half thousand kilometers. The Agni-2 ballistic missile was put into service in 2002 and is the main medium-range missile in the Indian armed forces. When creating the Agni-2, the experience gained in the development of the Agni-1 short-range missile was taken into account. Moreover, the first stage of the rocket with a deuce in the name is almost completely identical to the Agni-1. Both of these missiles have a distinctive feature: they are transported and launched from launchers in a car chassis. In addition, a complex of tools was developed for the Agni-2, which allows the rocket to be transported and deployed from suitably modified railway platforms. Due to the mobility and range of the rocket, the Agni-2 can hit targets in an area of just under a third of Asia.
The next rocket of the family, the Agni-3, was put into service last year's 2011. It also belongs to the class of medium-range ballistic missiles, but it has a longer range than the Agni-2. One tonne payload can be delivered over a distance of 3500 kilometers. The maximum weight of the warhead reaches 1800 kg. Such a carrying capacity allows the Agni-3 to be equipped with both conventional and nuclear warheads. The maximum power of the warhead is estimated at 250-300 kilotons. The launch weight of this rocket, reaching almost 50 tons, did not allow a launcher to be made on the car chassis. For this reason, Agni-3 is launched only from the railway or from the mine complex. Thus, the third rocket of the family retains the mobility of its predecessors, at the same time improving the indicators of range and throw weight. When the launch range in 3500 kilometers under attack from the territory of India may be, for example, large administrative centers of China, including Beijing. As for the old enemy of India - Pakistan - the "Agni-2" and "Agni-3" cover its territory with interest. To reliably defeat Pakistani targets, Indian missile troops may not even come close to the border.
The logical continuation of the series of Indian ballistic missiles (at least in terms of the name) was to be the Agni-4. However, there is no verified data on the existence of such a rocket. Instead, it immediately became aware of the Agni-5 rocket, which has a much longer range. Even before the end of the tests "Agni-3" and adopting it into service, the Indian Organization for Defense Research and Development (DRDO) announced its readiness to begin flight tests of the new missile. Initially, they were scheduled for the spring 2011 of the year, but later they were postponed several times. In the end, the date of the first launch was set for 18 on April 2012 of the year, but it was not without problems. On this day, the weather was bad at the test site, because of which Agni-5 flew only on the 19 number.
We have to admit that the permanent postponement of the date nevertheless yielded its result - all technical problems were eliminated and the rocket successfully delivered the training combat unit to the target area. The fifty-ton three-stage rocket covered a distance of over five thousand kilometers. At the same time, official representatives of DRDO claim that the maximum range of the Agni-5 rocket is 5500 kilometers. The frontier of five and a half thousand kilometers is the very border, after reaching which the ballistic missile becomes intercontinental. The successful first launch of the new rocket allowed Indian engineers and military men to boast of plans. So, in 2014-15, the new rocket will be put into service and will go into series. In addition, in the near future, Indian designers will develop a divided warhead with blocks of individual guidance. Such a payload will significantly increase the combat potential of each missile individually and of all armed forces as a whole.
Shortly after the announcement of the first flight of the Agni-5 rocket, rumors about a new project of Indian rocket builders began to spread. The mythical Agni-6 program implies the creation of a ballistic missile with a range of about 10 thousands of kilometers and a divided head. However, there is no official data regarding this project, besides the fact that work on a new ballistic missile is still underway. It may well be that the Agni-6 will have a short range and will replace the very first rocket of the family.
Regardless of the characteristics of a promising rocket, we can already draw the appropriate conclusions. In recent years, India has become the largest importer of weapons and military equipment. It speaks of the attention paid to its armed forces. Simultaneously with the procurement, New Delhi has several joint projects with foreign countries (including Russia), and is also engaged in the independent development of a number of particularly important systems. These include ballistic missiles, anti-missile systems, as well as nuclear ammunition. Everything indicates that India intends to become the leader of its region in the military-political aspect. Of course, in this it will have to compete with China. In the course of this “competition”, according to available information, from 2020, India will begin the final stage of building its nuclear forces. The "triad" will include several regiments with long-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles, 4-5 submarines armed with strategic missiles, as well as fighter-bombers with the ability to carry conventional and nuclear ammunition.
By the time the Indian nuclear triad has taken its final form, the mythical rocket Agni-6 with a range of at least 10 thousands of kilometers will probably be put into service. Such a delivery system can significantly change the balance of power in the Asian region and bring India into the number of leading military states, of course, subject to the full and comprehensive development of the armed forces. It is likely and even expected that some countries in the region, especially Pakistan, will openly show their discontent. However, the leading countries of the world are unlikely to start accusing India of bad intentions, as is done with Iran and North Korea. Perhaps, not everyone is aware of the plans of the Indian leadership, or they simply do not have the proper amount of information to draw conclusions and official statements. Or maybe India does not make the impression of an unpredictable "unreliable regime." Anyway, no one bothers the Indians to conduct their own projects and build ballistic missiles of various ranges, as well as to strengthen their armed forces.
On the materials of the sites:
http://rosbalt.ru/
http://lenta.ru/
http://bharat-rakshak.com/
http://globalsecurity.org/
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