Agni III launched successfully from Wheeler Island

Balasore, Apr 12 (UNI) India today achieved a major milestone in missile technology by successfully conducting the flight test of the Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM)'' AGNI III'' from the Wheeler Island in the Bay of Bengal off Orissa coast.

The 16-meter long sophisticated missile weighing 48 tonnes, lifted off successfully from its Rail Mobile Launcher System at 1050 hours leaving a trail of orange and yellow smoke.

Defence sources said the trajectory of AGNI III was computed by the onboard computer system based on the launch and target coordinates.

Defence Minister A K Antony has congratulated the defence scientists on the successful launch and for achieving another important milestone in self-reliance in this critical strategic system.

Mr Antony said India has matured in the missile technology area and was at par with the other developed countries. AGNI III has confirmed India's strategic capability for minimum credible deterrence, he added.

The entire flight path of approx 15 minutes duration validated all mission objectives primarily to establish the performance of the two stage propulsion in flight and the flex nozzle control system being attempted by DRDO scientists for the first time.

The flight was tracked from ground stations at Dhamra, ITR, Balasore, Port Blair and two Indian Naval ships in the Indian Ocean.

With the success test launch, the design team was happy that the problems faced in the previous attempt on July 9 last year has been realised and solved.

The tests of the country's longest-range Surface to Surface missile, having a range of over 3,000 km, were rescheduled twice during 2003 and 2004 but had to be put off when some problems in the propulsion systems came to light.

Its maiden test-flight from the Wheeler island on July 9 last year was unsuccessful. Defence sources said when the missile was test fired its second stage did not separate and it fell into the sea.

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