Context
Recently, Agni-4, a surface-to-surface Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM), indigenously developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was successfully test-fired from the Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur, Odisha.
About Agni-4 Missile
It is operated by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) as part of India’s strategic missile arsenal and is designed to deliver strategic payloads while supporting the country’s credible deterrence capability.
Key Features
Agni-4 combines advanced propulsion, mobility and guidance technologies to deliver accurate and reliable strategic strike capability.
- Range: Capable of engaging targets up to 4,000 km.
- Propulsion: Powered by a two-stage solid-fuel rocket motor.
- Launch Platform: Deployed from a road-mobile launcher, providing greater operational flexibility.
- Payload Capacity: Can carry a payload of up to 1,000 kg.
- Navigation System: Equipped with a Ring Laser Gyro-based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) supported by a Micro Navigation System (MINGS) for precise target guidance.
- Accuracy: Has a Circular Error Probability (CEP) of less than 100 metres. CEP is a standard measure of weapon accuracy, indicating how close a missile is expected to strike its intended target.
Q1. What is Agni-4?
Ans: Agni-4 is an indigenously developed surface-to-surface Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) developed by DRDO for delivering strategic payloads as part of India’s strategic deterrence capability.
Q2. Which organisations developed and operate Agni-4?
Ans: Agni-4 was developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is operated by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC).
Q3. What is the strike range of Agni-4?
Ans: Agni-4 can engage targets at a distance of up to 4,000 kilometres, placing it in the Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM) category.
Q4. Which navigation technologies are used in Agni-4?
Ans: Agni-4 uses a Ring Laser Gyro-based Inertial Navigation System (RINS) supported by a Micro Navigation System (MINGS) to achieve high targeting accuracy.
Q5. What is Circular Error Probability (CEP)?
Ans: Circular Error Probability (CEP) is a measure of a weapon system’s accuracy. It indicates how close a missile is expected to strike its intended target. Agni-4 has a CEP of less than 100 metres.
Q6. Why is Agni-4 important for India’s strategic capability?
Ans: Agni-4 strengthens India’s credible deterrence by enabling the accurate delivery of strategic payloads through an indigenously developed missile equipped with advanced guidance and navigation systems.
