| Syllabus: GS-II, Subject: Science and Technology, Topic: Defence, Issue: Agni V Ballistic missile |
Context: India announced that it had successfully tested a new Agni-V missile called Mission Divyastra.
Agni V missile: Intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- Range: Over 5000 kilometres
- Mobility: Land-based and road-mobile allowing for launch from various locations on land.
- Fuel: Solid-fuelled
- Warhead: Designed to carry nuclear weapons.
- MIRV Technology: Can carry multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs).
MIRV Technology:
- Capability that allows multiple warheads to be loaded on a single missile delivery system and programmed to hit different targets.
- Complicated technology: The warheads have to be
- Miniaturised,
- equipped with independent guidance and navigation controls
- released sequentially from the delivery system.
● Advantages
- Inflicting multiple damages with a single strike.
- Ability to penetrate missile defence systems.
Capability to cause crippling damage in a response strike, especially for countries with no-first use policy like India.
