In this article, we will be looking top 11 Indian Missile Systems namely Prithvi, Agni, Akash, Nag, Brahmos, Dhanush, Nirbhay, Sagarika, Shaurya, Trishul, and Maitri.
Prithvi Missiles
Surface-to-surface tactical battlefield missile, Prithvi has three version.
Prithvi I – Army version (150 km range with a payload of 1,000 kg)
Prithvi II – Air Force version (250 km range with payload of 500 kg)
Prithvi III – Naval version (350 km range with a payload of 1000 kg)
The Prithvi missile project encompassed developing 3 variants for use by Indian Army, Indian Air Force, and Indian Navy.
Agni Missiles
Agni missile is one of the five missile systems developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) under the integrated guided missile development programme (IGMDP). The four other missiles developed under this program include Akash, Prithvi, Nag and Trishul.
Agni-I Missile: With a range of 700 km, surface to surface Agni-I missile has single stage solid rocket motor that can carry 1-tonne warhead. It can be configured to fire from road/mobile launcher. Agni-I has been inducted into Services.
Agni-II Missile: The range for Agni-II is more than 2000 km. Unlike the Agni-I, the Agni-II has a solid fuelled second stage. The salient features of the test firings are mobile launch capability, multi-staging, state-of-art control and guidance, re-entry technology and sophisticated onboard packages including advanced communication. Agni-II has also been inducted into services.
Agni-III Missile: Agni III is a long range missile with a capability to launch from rail mobile launcher. It has a capacity to carry 2000-2500 kg warhead. Fourth flight test of Agni-III is planned shortly. Nuclear capable Agni Missile has a range up to 3000 km and can carry a payload of 1000 kg. In June 2006, India successfully test-fired Agni-III, a two stage nuclear capable ballistic missile with a range of 3,500 km. Both stages of the Agni-III utilize solid fuel propellants and its range can be extended to 5000 km.
Agni-IV Missile: It is the fourth in Agni series missile Agni IV was tested on November 15, 2011. With a range of 2500-3500 km. Agni-IV can take a warhead of 1-tonne.
Agni-V Missile – Agni V is a solid fueled inter continental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed by DRDO. Agni V was test fired successfully on 19 March 2012 from Wheeler Island off the coast of Orissa. Agni-V can hit strategic targets well beyond 3500 km.
Read More: Agni Missiles
Akash Missile System
It is a medium range surface-to-air missile. It has multiple target handling capacity with a digitally coded command guidance system. User trial of its Air Force version has been completed. Air Force has placed an order for two Squadron of Akash Missile System. Procurement of another 6 Squadrons is in progress.
The missile can hit target aircraft up to 30 km away, at altitudes up to 18,000 m. Akash can be fired from both tracked and wheeled platforms.
Nag Missile System
Nag is a third generation anti-tank missile with ‘top-attack’ and ‘fire and forget’ capabilities. User trials have been completed against moving/static targets under various operating conditions. The helicopter launched version known as helicopter-launched NAG (HELINA).
BrahMos
BrahMos is a supersonic cruise missile that can be launched from submarines, ships, aircraft or land. It is a joint venture between India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroeyenia who have together formed the BrahMos Aerospace Private Limited.
The acronym BrahMos is perceived as the confluence of the two nations represented by two rivers, the Brahmaputra of India and Moskva of Russia.
It travels at speed of Mach 2.8 to 3.0 and is the world’s fastest cruise missile. It is about three and half times faster than the USA’s subsonic Harpoon cruise missile. Although BrahMos is primarily an anti-ship missile. it can also engage land based targets.
It can be launched either in vertical or inclined position and is capable of covering targets over a 360 degree horizon. The BrahMos missile has an identical configuration for land, sea, and sub-sea platform.
Nirbhay
Nirbhay is a long range, subsonic cruise missile being developed in India. The missile will have a range of 1000 km and will arm three services, the Indian Army, Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force.
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Shaurya
Shaurya missile is a short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile developed by DRDO of India for use by the Indian Army. It has a range f 750 to 1200 km and is capable of carrying a payload of one-tonne conventional or nuclear warhead. Shaurya Missile is considered a land version of the Sagarika.
Sagarika
Sagarika is a nuclear capable submarine-launched ballistic missile with a range of 750 km. This missile has a lenght of 8.5 meters, weighs seven tonnes and can carry a pay load of up to 500 kg.
Trishul
The Trishul (Trident) is a short range, quick reaction, all weahter surface-t-air missile designed to counter a low-level attack. It has been flight tested in the sea-skimming role and also against moving targets. It has a range of 9 km and is fitted with a 5.5 kg HE-fragmented warhead. It’s detection of target to missile launch is round 6 seconds.
Maitri
The missile project is a next-generation Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QRSAM). with a lethal hundred per cent kill probability under development by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is a short range 15 km, surface-to-air point defence missile system.
The missile will fill the gap created by the Indian government’s decision to wind up development of Trishul point defence missile system. It is believed to be a blend of the French Mica and DRDO.
Read More: Indian Missiles Development
What is DRDO?
Defence Research and Development Organisation or DRDO is a premier research facility under Ministry of Defence, Government of India. It undertakes design & development leading to production of world class weapon systems for Indian forces and security agencies.
It was established in 1958 after merging Technical Development Establishment and the Directorate of Technical Development and Production with the Defence Science Organisation.
DRDO has a network of 52 laboratories in which total 5000 scientists and 25,000 other technical staffs are working across India.
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