Paper: GS – III, Subject: Science and Technology, Topic: Defence Technology, Issue: Rail-Based Agni-Prime Missile.
Context:
India’s successful rail-based launch of the Agni-Prime missile marks a major leap in strategic capabilities.
- As a modern successor to Agni-I, it features improved range, propulsion, and navigation, while the rail deployment boosts nuclear deterrence and second-strike readiness, placing India among a select group with this technology.
Key Takeaways:
About India test-fires Agni-Prime missile from rail-based mobile launcher:
What it is?
- Agni-Prime (Agni-P): A next-generation, nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile.
- Part of India’s Agni missile series, designed to strengthen strategic deterrence under the Strategic Forces Command (SFC).
- The Next-Generation Upgrade to Agni-I India’s Agni missile series, developed since the late 1980s, began with the Agni-I medium range ballistic missile (700–1,000 km range) tested in 1989.
- While Agni-I remains in service, defence planners sought upgrades, leading to the development of Agni-P (Agni-Prime). Agni-P combines Agni-I’s range with advanced propulsion and navigation technologies from Agni-IV and Agni-V. It is the sixth missile in the Agni series. Weighing 11,000 kg, it is a two-stage, solid-fuel missile with an operational range of 1,000–2,000 km, capable of carrying high explosive, thermobaric, or nuclear warheads. A nuclear-capable version tested in 2021 drew praise from the then Defence Minister, who said it would further bolster India’s Credible Deterrence capabilities.
- Developed by: Designed and developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in collaboration with SFC.
Aim:
- To provide flexible, survivable, and rapid-response capability in India’s nuclear doctrine.
- To diversify launch platforms beyond road-based systems, ensuring resilience against first strikes.
Advantages of Rail-Based Missile Launchers:
- Rail-based missile platforms offer distinct advantages over road or sea systems.
- While road-based launchers are constrained by road width and quality, India’s 70,000-km railway network enables nationwide mobility without major preparation.
- The numerous railway tunnels provide natural hiding spots, allowing launchers to evade enemy satellite surveillance and remain concealed until deployment.
- Compared to submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), rail-based platforms are also cheaper to build and maintain, making them a more efficient and scalable option for strengthening strategic deterrence.
Countries with Rail-Based Missile Technology:
India’s recent test places it among a select group of nations with rail-based missile launch capability.
- The idea dates back to the Cold War, when both the US and USSR explored rail-mobile ICBMs.
- The US studied rail launchers for its Minuteman ICBMs in the 1950s and again planned Peacekeeper deployment in the 1980s, but abandoned both due to cost and the Soviet collapse.
- The Soviet Union successfully deployed the RT-23 Molodets rail-based ICBM system, later dismantled under the START Treaty.
- Russia later considered reviving the concept with the Barguzin system but shelved it in favour of hypersonic missile development.
- In 2016, China reportedly tested a rail-mobile version of its DF-41 ICBM. North Korea has also tested rail-based short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs), demonstrating their mobility and survivability.
- Experts note that rail-based missiles are a cheap, reliable option for enhancing nuclear force survivability, with Russia pioneering it, the US considering it, and North Korea actively pursuing it.
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