Agni II
The Agni (Fire) is an Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile which had begun development in 1979. It became part of India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) in 1983. The first Agni test occurred on 22 May 1989, and two more tests were conducted on 29 May 1992 and 19 February 1994. These tests were technology test-beds (TTBs) for developing vehicle structure, integration, navigation and control, flight dynamics and re-entry vehicle technology. The TTBs achieved a maximum range of 1500 km, however the main drawback was the missile’s solid-liquid propulsion configuration, which seemed unsuitable for an operational IRBM. Thus the Agni-II was developed, which had a length of 20 metres, a diameter of 1.3 metres and weighs 16 tonnes, and is an improvement over its predecessor which had a length of 21 metres and weighed 19 tonnes.
Prithvi
The Prithvi (Earth) is a single stage, dual engine, liquid fuel (red fuming nitric acid as an oxidiser, with a 50/50 mix of xylidiene and triethylamine as fuel), road-mobile, short-range ballistic missile which began design in 1983 and was first tested in 1988. The missile has a length of 9 metres, a diameter of 1.1 [...]
Agni I
The Agni-I (Fire) is a 15-metre tall, 12-ton, single-stage, solid-fuelled, medium range ballistic missile. The missile is smaller than its big brother - the Agni-II IRBM - in dimensions and range, but can still carry a one ton nuclear payload to most targets in Pakistan without having to be deployed at the borders. The core and triggers can be swiftly assembled by BARC (Bhaba Atomic Research Centre) and DRDO (Defense Research & Development Organisation) - within India’s avowed no-first-use paradigm. Agni-I is also designed to be launched from a rail-based mobile launcher; one that can move on a standard broad-gauge rail system and also from a road-mobile launcher system. DRDO’s Ahmednagar-based VRDE (Vehicle Research & Development Establishment) and the Pune-based R&DE (Research & Development Engineers) played important roles in validating the tractor-cum-transporter-cum-launcher. A mobile missile system reduces vulnerability and allows for greater operational flexibility, while critics feel that the cost of these mobile systems could be higher and that they greatly increase the time for moving from one place to another
Dhanush
The Nag (Cobra) is a third generation, all weather, top-attack, fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile. It is one of five missile systems developed by the Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO) under the Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP). Design work on the missile started in 1988 and the first tests were carried out in November 1990 [1].