Agni-II user trial next week

BALASORE: The Army is planning a user trial of surface-to-surface, Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (IRBM) Agni-II from its defence base off the Orissa coast, next week. Defence sources said, the 2,000-plus km indigenously developed missile which was inducted in the Army in 2004 would be tested anytime between August 24 and 30. Meanwhile, preparation for the test has begun at the launching complex-IV located in Wheeler’s Island range facilities. “This will be a user trial. If everything goes as planned and weather favours, the missile will be test-fired as per the schedule,” a source at the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea said. The DRDO scientists are an excited lot because this trial of the Agni-II, one among the Agni series of missiles that include Agni-I, Agni-II and Agni-III, will propel them for the next maiden test of 5,000-km Agni-V missile scheduled for December. The missile is designed to be launched from a rail-mobile launcher and also available in road-mobile configuration. This lends flexibility and reduces vulnerability to the first strike. The three-variant Agni missiles form the triad of the country’s minimum credible nuclear deterrence.DRDO chief V K Saraswat said preparations for the test were underway but the date was yet to be decided.