Advanced Agni-6 missile with multiple warheads off the shelves.

[CorporateAffairs]

Advanced Agni-6 missile with multiple warheads off the shelves.

Ending worldwide speculation about the futuristic Agni-6 missile, the Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) has briefed Business Standard about the direction of India's ballistic missile development programme after the Agni-5 enters service, probably in 2015.

DRDO chief Dr VK Saraswat, and missile programme chief Dr Avinash Chander, say the Agni-6 missile's specifications and capabilities have been decided and development is proceeding apace. Once the ongoing Agni-5 programme concludes flight-testing, the defence ministry (MoD) will formally okay the Agni-6 programme and allocate funding.

Chander says the Agni-6 will carry a massive three-tonne warhead, thrice the weight of the one-tonne warhead that Agni missiles have carried so far. This will allow each Agni-6 missile to launch several nuclear warheads -Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Warheads (MIRVs) - with each warhead striking a different target. Each warhead - called Maneuverable Reentry Vehicle (MARV) - performs evasive maneuvers while hurtling down towards its target, confusing enemy air defence missiles that are trying to destroy them mid-air.

The DRDO is at an advanced stage of developing these warhead technologies. But the difficult challenge is building a booster rocket that can propel a three-tonne payload to targets 5000 kilometres away. This weighs almost as much as the satellite payload carried by the Indian Space Research Organisation's much larger and heavier Global Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV).

"Our ballistic missiles must be compact and road mobile, even the Agni-6 with its heavy payload. We will do this by building the first stage with composites, fitting the Agni-6 with India's first composite 40-tonne rocket motor. This is a technical challenge but we have good capability in lightweight composites," says Chander.

The road mobile Agni-6 would also have stringent limits on its length. "It must be carried on a standard size trailer that can move from one part of the country to another, turn on our roads, cross our bridges and climb our heights. As the payload weight increases, we will require more advanced technologies to keep the missile's length constant," explains Chander.

Coaxing higher performance from smaller rockets becomes especially important in submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), which can be no longer than 13 metres so that they can fit into the cramped confines of a submarine. Even long-range SLBMs that can fly 14,000 kilometres, like the Chinese JL-2, are built no longer than 13 metres. The DRDO faces this challenge as it develops the K-4 SLBM for the country's Arihant-class nuclear-propelled ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs).

Eventually the Agni-6 will be no taller than the Agni-5, i.e. about 17 metres, says Chander. It will, however, be heavier and thicker - slightly over two metres - which will cater for the different shape of the MIRV payload.

"The timeframe for developing a new missile system is about five years and the DRDO has mostly achieved this in the Agni programme," says Chander. Calculating five years from April 2012, when the Agni-5 had its debut launch, the first test of the Agni-6 could happen in 2017.

The DRDO says the Agni-6 will have a longer range than the 5,000-kilometre Agni-5, but is not mentioning figures. "The MARVs and MIRVs will give us extended range. I will not be able to tell you how much because that is secret," Saraswat told Business Standard.

Ballistic calculations, however, suggest that at least some of the MIRV warheads on the Agni-6 would reach at least 6,000 kilometres. In a missile that travels 5,000 kilometres, the last MIRV warhead released flies an extra 1,000 kilometres.

Currently, the DRDO is readying for the second test next month of the Agni-5 Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile. This will be fired in the same configuration as its debut test a year ago, in order to establish the missile's reliability. A third test by end-2013 will see the missile fired from a canister.

"We will conduct at least five-six more Agni-5 tests before the missile enters operational service. After the repeat test this month or the next, we will conduct two test firings from a canister. Then the military units that will operate the Agni-5 will conduct two-three test firings as part of the induction process. Even after induction, the users conduct test firings as part of the Strategic Forces Command training plan," says Avinash Chander.

The Agni-5 is a three-stage, solid-fuel missile but its first stage consists of a metallic rocket motor, while the second and third stages have composite motors.



With A5 covering China, wondering whats India up to with A6

 

[Indischer]

I think that going for MIRVs as well as longer range on the same platform is a bad move. The Agni 6 program would've been much better if it were just a Technology Demonstrator for MIRVs. Won't be bad even if the range is just 2000kms, as long as the MIRV tech reaches fruition on Agni 6.

 

[CorporateAffairs]

What A6 will do is, send countries into a second thought before any loose tongued comment against India

 

[kaykay]

I think that going for MIRVs as well as longer range on the same platform is a bad move. The Agni 6 program would've been much better if it were just a Technology Demonstrator for MIRVs. Won't be bad even if the range is just 2000kms, as long as the MIRV tech reaches fruition on Agni 6.

why?? Whats wrong in that?? I mean you'll get an ICBM with MIRV at the same time. And I feel that A6 would carry around 6 mirvs with good yields or 8-10 small yield mirvs as it will have a massive 3T warhead capacity.

 

[xunzi]

The India is getting scary. Everything they do is targeting us. For our people safety, we MUST developed counter-measure to the Indian target. Since Indian proximity is close to China, we can used J-20 to bomb the missile launch site when it's being detected by our satellites. Given the short distance, it should be easier to travel with supersonic speed as long as our satellites are giving enough time to detect it. We can also build missile defense system on the far West region to detect ongoing missiles and killed it in mid-air before it reaches Beijing. Though, if it's MIRV then that's problematic. I see only two solution. One is conducting MASSIVE cyberattack on their launch system to disrupt its missile projectory destination and two is like I said, bomb the missile sites before it is launched. Any suggestion how to deal with this threat from India?

 

[CorporateAffairs]

The India is getting scary. Everything they do is targeting us. For our people safety, we MUST developed counter-measure to the Indian target. Since Indian proximity is close to China, we can used J-20 to bomb the missile launch site when it's being detected by our satellites. Given the short distance, it should be easier to travel with supersonic speed as long as our satellites are giving enough time to detect it. We can also build missile defense system on the far West region to detect ongoing missiles and killed it in mid-air before it reaches Beijing. Though, if it's MIRV then that's problematic. I see only two solution. One is conducting MASSIVE cyberattack on their launch system to disrupt its missile projectory destination and two is like I said, bomb the missile sites before it is launched. Any suggestion how to deal with this threat from India?

by that time, your cyber professionals will turn to ashes

and BTW, we'd have similer plans for your missiles

 

[Jade]

India's PLSV can be turned into a ICBM with range more than 10,000 KM. The basics behind PLSV and Missiles should be same.

In a way we possess the capability to create missiles with range more than 10,000 KM.

 

[Indischer]

why?? Whats wrong in that?? I mean you'll get an ICBM with MIRV at the same time. And I feel that A6 would carry around 6 mirvs with good yields or 8-10 small yield mirvs as it will have a massive 3T warhead capacity.

Well, for a missile to have MIRV capability and better the range of its predecessor and at the same time go for miniaturization of it's proven subsystems, is asking for too much at one time. Also, which significant target are we going to cover by increasing its range to 6000kms? It'll only turn Western Europe even more skeptical about our intentions. All the strategic and tactical assets of our adversaries are covered by the Agni 5's range. Is that not enough?

Remember, at the start of IGMDP, India didn't go for a solid fuel missile even when it was obvious that liquid fuel tech was near-obsolete. A lot of such technological milestones are better to be realised in single incremental steps rather than at one go.

 

[Indischer]

The India is getting scary. Everything they do is targeting us. For our people safety, we MUST developed counter-measure to the Indian target. Since Indian proximity is close to China, we can used J-20 to bomb the missile launch site when it's being detected by our satellites. Given the short distance, it should be easier to travel with supersonic speed as long as our satellites are giving enough time to detect it. We can also build missile defense system on the far West region to detect ongoing missiles and killed it in mid-air before it reaches Beijing. Though, if it's MIRV then that's problematic. I see only two solution. One is conducting MASSIVE cyberattack on their launch system to disrupt its missile projectory destination and two is like I said, bomb the missile sites before it is launched. Any suggestion how to deal with this threat from India?

Please troll in Mandarin so that we are accorded the honour of not being able to understand your juvenile GI Joe universe!

 

[NirmalKrish]

The India is getting scary. Everything they do is targeting us. For our people safety, we MUST developed counter-measure to the Indian target. Since Indian proximity is close to China, we can used J-20 to bomb the missile launch site when it's being detected by our satellites. Given the short distance, it should be easier to travel with supersonic speed as long as our satellites are giving enough time to detect it. We can also build missile defense system on the far West region to detect ongoing missiles and killed it in mid-air before it reaches Beijing. Though, if it's MIRV then that's problematic. I see only two solution. One is conducting MASSIVE cyberattack on their launch system to disrupt its missile projectory destination and two is like I said, bomb the missile sites before it is launched. Any suggestion how to deal with this threat from India?

First build a countermeasure for your soy sauce stained teeth, then think about building a countermeasure for your chinese people. when you target us then its all fair and legit. when we retaliate and perpare for self defenses, then its ohh big bad indians targeting the poor chinese. wake up and smell the coffee lost case.

we all know about your cyber warfare tacits to steal intellectual property, its a given and we are preparing for that as well. till then

 

[Guynextdoor2]

The India is getting scary. Everything they do is targeting us. For our people safety, we MUST developed counter-measure to the Indian target. Since Indian proximity is close to China, we can used J-20 to bomb the missile launch site when it's being detected by our satellites. Given the short distance, it should be easier to travel with supersonic speed as long as our satellites are giving enough time to detect it. We can also build missile defense system on the far West region to detect ongoing missiles and killed it in mid-air before it reaches Beijing. Though, if it's MIRV then that's problematic. I see only two solution. One is conducting MASSIVE cyberattack on their launch system to disrupt its missile projectory destination and two is like I said, bomb the missile sites before it is launched. Any suggestion how to deal with this threat from India?

I can tell you the best seggestion possible- go out to the nearest street corner and ask for the 1st pot dealer you can find and then roll the stuff up...by evening Indian missiles won't be a probelm at all The whole world will look so much more peaceful and better.

 

[me_itsme]

The India is getting scary. Everything they do is targeting us. For our people safety, we MUST developed counter-measure to the Indian target. Since Indian proximity is close to China, we can used J-20 to bomb the missile launch site when it's being detected by our satellites. Given the short distance, it should be easier to travel with supersonic speed as long as our satellites are giving enough time to detect it. We can also build missile defense system on the far West region to detect ongoing missiles and killed it in mid-air before it reaches Beijing. Though, if it's MIRV then that's problematic. I see only two solution. One is conducting MASSIVE cyberattack on their launch system to disrupt its missile projectory destination and two is like I said, bomb the missile sites before it is launched. Any suggestion how to deal with this threat from India?

Well all this is for our defense we will not go on the offensive using these weapons. The best way to counter all these threats is for both of us to live in peace.

 

[Nowruz]

Man I am glad Iran has no problems with India! I would not want to get on their bad side!

#DontpissofIndia

 

[Nan Yang]

So what "KILLER" will this new missile be call ?

 

[rohitshubham]

India's PLSV can be turned into a ICBM with range more than 10,000 KM. The basics behind PLSV and Missiles should be same.

In a way we possess the capability to create missiles with range more than 10,000 KM.

well as so called "rocket scientist" i can assure you they are different although ISRO scientists can help to create a longer range missile due to first two stage of them being nearly same as both seek to create "Compressible laminar flow in a capillary" .(refer to HR Van den Berg, CA Ten Seldam… - Journal of Fluid …, 1993 - Cambridge Univ Press)