OneIndia Exclusive: Super-charged Agni-5 farewell awaits DRDO Chief

By Anantha Krishnan M

https://twitter.com/writetake

Bengaluru, Jan 17: A fitting tribute for his four-decades-plus selfless work awaits India’s top missile brain and outgoing Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Chief Dr Avinash Chander.

Top sources have confirmed to OneIndia on Saturday that the much-talked about canisterized version (cold launch) of the surface-to-surface Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Agni-5 will now in all likelihood be held on January 31 from Wheeler Island, off the Odisha coast.

On the same day, Dr Avinash will step down as the DRDO chief following the Modi government’s bolt-from-the-blue decision to terminate his contract, citing his age and ‘inability’ to change the system.

Top scientists from DRDO’s eight labs have begun the preparations for the critical trial of the 5000-km missile, with the launch campaign teams having started to move to Odisha. 

If all plans go as per the script and the missile zeroes in on its target, then it would be an emotion-charged reply by Dr Chander’s shishyas to the ‘Yes Ministers’ in the government.

For Dr Chander too, it will pave the way for a head-held-high exit from the top office, which he otherwise was eligible to occupy till May 2016.

A section of the media had earlier reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to witness the 3rd launch of A5, with no official confirmation coming from the PMO or the Ministry of Defence. 

In short, India will probably witness for the first time the launch of a nuclear-capable missile, tipped with emotion, anger and gratitude.

* Third launch of Agni 5, first from a canister

* Dr Avinash – the main architect of A5 

* Exemplary leadership 

* Father of Indian nav systems

* No media interaction, focused on work

Read the full report, here:  http://bit.ly/1B1zOa9

Russia's 'secret' missile test fires-up Indian scientists

By Anantha Krishnan M
Express News Serivce

Bangalore: Missile minds in India are an excited lot after monitoring the developments of Russia's 'secret' test of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on May 23. While information on the test and its results are in short supply, sources with India's Missile Complex in Hyderabad seems to have made merry of what ever tit-bit features that have trickled in from Russia's Plesetsk range. Topping the eye-catching item numbers are: the missile's lesser radar cross section (RCS) features, multiple warhead capabilities and the use of a new fuel, that possibly makes the propulsion phase faster. The excitement of Indian scientists can be justified from the fact that many of the new features tested on the Russian missile are the the ones being planned for future versions of Agni series.

Russian news agencies have reported over the week that the testing of the yet-to-be-named weapon is Russia's answer to NATO's missile defence shield (European). The timing of the test with many first-time-embedded features came only days after NATO declared that their missile defence shield attained operational status. “We too have a very active Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) programme running, including a counter measure for BMD. It is one of our key activities and we are seeing reports from Russia with interest,” Avinash Chander, Chief Controller (Missiles and Strategic Systems), Defence Reserach and Development Organisation (DRDO), told Express.

He said some of the features that is reported to have tested are areas DRDO have already set its sight on. “The idea is to reduce the time during the cruise phase. How to reduce RCS and IR (infrared) signatures? What are the active counter measures in terms of the capabilities to mauouvere? These are all common interest areas for missile scientists world over,” Avinash said. To a specific question on the new features of Agni-V future versions, he said: “We are now preparing the canister-launch-system for Agni-V.”

The Russian missile hit the designated target after cruising 6,000 km, carrying dummy warheads. On the new fuel the missile reportedly used, sources in the Missile Complex said: “This could provide higher acceleration and enable high thrust-weight ratio. In Agni-V, we used a solid booster with HTPB (Hydroxyl-Terminated Polybutadiene) propellant during the rocket's active stage of trajectory.”
On the Russian missile's capability to launch separate warheads with independent flightpath – thereby ducking incoming threats, sources said that India too would have similar features in days ahead. “Agni-VI is a definite possibility, though we haven't designed the vehicle yet. With many developed nations moving towards mastering new maneuvering skills for their missiles, we are confident of meeting our targets too. The idea of multiple independently-targeted re-entry vehicles (MIRV) and manoeuvring re-entry vehicles (MaRV) are on our active radar,” sources said.

Copyright@The New Indian Express

CLUB-CLASS: India now eyes ICBM Agni-6, even as A-5 readies to spit fire | Work on MIRV, MarV possibilities begin

By Anantha Krishnan M

Express News Service

Bangalore: India’s big bang missile Agni-5 is moving towards the strike-zone carrying new technologies as a stepping stone for futuristic killer-missions. But, silently yet another story is being scripted for Agni-6, India’s club-class Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM). Range: In excess of 6,000 km!

Notwithstanding what happens with the A-5 launch, sources tell that the missile scientists are already looking at newer possibilities in making future strike meaningful and menacing. “There are many more areas in long range missiles where future work can happen. Multiple independently-targeted re-entry vehicles (MIRV), manoeuvring re-entry vehicles (MaRV) considerably lighter weights using all composite structure with high energy propellant, the intelligent counter measures against BMD (ballistic missile defences), reducing radar cross-sections are some of them,” sources said.

But, military experts point out that the Defence Reserach and Development Organisation (DRDO) will have to travel some distance before achieving the MIRV\MaRV capabilities. “Good to hear we are on track but it is a very complex

technology. It’s worth the wait and see when A-5 will be finally inducted into the Services, with what features and in what numbers. Range and accuracy are first two primary factors one should watch for,” a warhead specialist with Indian Army told Express.

Avinash Chander, Chief Controller, R&D (Missiles and Strategic Systems), DRDO, told Express over the phone from New Delhi that his team has definitely taken stock of the road ahead. “Future systems may carry different types of payloads such as high energy weapons.  All these technology developments are within the horizon. Further systems whenever planned, will have some of these (read as MIRV\MarV) features,” Avinash said. However, he refused to comment on Agni-6.

To a query on the factors that have influenced during A-5 development, Avinash, the brain behind the missile, said that India needs a platform which has the range to cover its emerging area of influence. “It also needs high mobility, safety and accuracy. A-5 provides a state-of-the-art weapon, an amalgam of multiple front-end technologies and capabilities. Along with A-4, it represents the new generation of Agni series. It also provides a strategic depth enabling its positioning deep within our country where it has much higher survivability,” he said adding: “It also enables launch from anywhere with very short reaction time which makes it extremely difficult to deny its usage by any hostile intervention by the enemy.”

When asked about the possible launch date of A-5, Avinash said: “We are on course. These are all highly technology-intense missions. The launch campaign will officially begin in the middle of the month. These are first-time developments and there will be some uncertainties.”

V G Sekaran, Director, Advanced System Laboratories (ASL), says that the confidence of going for a project like A-5 came from DRDO’s matured work-cluture. “Today we are not shying away from taking risks and our enthusiasm comes with age, experience, fearlessness and the freedom to explore. Agni-5 will be a new chapter as we enter a different class of missile field,” Sekaran said.

|Copyright@The New Indian Express|