India will test-fire longest range missile: Defence Scientist
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, May 17, IRNA
India-Missile
India would test-fire its 3,000 kms longest range Surface to Surface missile Agni III by the year end and has started induction of the short and intermediate range Agni I and Agni II versions in the newly raised strategic command, country's top defence scientist Dr M. Natrajan today told Press Trust of India.
"Development of Agni III missile is on schedule and it would fly by the year end," Natrajan said in a presentation made at the Defence Research and Development Organization Technology Day awards function here in the presence of the country's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
His remarks assume significance as DRDO has put off tests of the wholly solid Agni III Missiles twice. Former Defence Minister George Fernandes had announced that the missile, which can give India the capability of developing intercontinental range ballistic missile, would be test fired in 2003 year end.
The missile was later scheduled to be tested in mid-2004, but the trials were put off with defence scientists saying some snags had been noticed in propulsion systems and that these were being rectified.
The country's scientific adviser on defence also announced "nine successful test firings have been undertaken of the Surface to Air Akash missile and fourth generation fire and forget Nag anti-tank missiles," he said declaring that Nag was now ready for user trials.
However, DRDO officials did not throw light on the recent claims by country's top Missile scientist Dr Prahlada of the organization developing a hypersonic missile development capability.
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::IRNA No.053 17/05/2005 17:06 --End
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