Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




MISSILE NEWS
India follows Pakistan with missile test
by Staff Writers
New Delhi (AFP) Sept 19, 2012


India test-fired its second-longest-range missile on Wednesday, a defence official said, two days after Pakistan announced its own missile test.

The two-stage Agni-IV blasted off from the eastern state of Orissa in the third test for the missile, which was first launched in 2010 in a flight marred by technical problems. Its second test last November was declared a success.

"The Agni-IV was tested for its full range of 4,000 kilometres (2,480 miles) and it was a success," Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) spokesman Ravi Gupta told AFP on Wednesday.

Pakistan, which has fought three wars with arch-rival India since their 1947 independence, test-fired a nuclear-capable cruise missile on Monday with "stealth features".

DRDO spokesman Gupta insisted India's test was not "country-specific".

"None of our missiles are country-specific. We are a peaceful nation which has never attacked any country in thousands of years," the DRDO spokesman added.

India unveiled its 5,000-kilometre range Agni-V in April, which was seen as a massive boost to its regional power aspirations and one that narrows -- albeit slightly -- the huge gap with China's missile systems.

The Agni-V left India knocking at the door of a select club of nations with inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), which have a minimum range of 5,500 kilometres.

Currently only the five permanent members of the UN Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- possess a declared ICBM capability.

China and India fought a brief but bloody war in 1962 over a border dispute that remains unresolved despite several rounds of talks between Asia's two most militarily-powerful nations.

Agni, which means "fire" in Sanskrit, is the name given to a series of rockets the DRDO developed as part of its ambitious integrated guided missile development project launched in 1983.

While the shorter-range Agnis I and II were mainly developed with traditional rival Pakistan in mind, later versions with longer range reflect the shift in India's focus towards China.

.


Related Links
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








MISSILE NEWS
Pakistan test-fires nuclear-capable cruise missile
Islamabad (AFP) Sept 17, 2012
Pakistan on Monday test-fired a nuclear-capable cruise missile with "stealth features", the military said, the country's first such exercise in more than three months. The military described the Hatf-VII Babur missile as a "low-flying, terrain-hugging missile, which can strike targets both at land and sea with pin point accuracy" and has a range of 700 kilometres (440 miles). Pakistan's ... read more


MISSILE NEWS
Russia to start research base on the Moon

Remains of astronaut legend Neil Armstrong buried at sea

Memorial service honors 'man on the moon' Armstrong

Chandrayaan II may be delayed, says ISRO Chief

MISSILE NEWS
Mars rover to launch first rock study

NASA Mars Rover Opportunity Reveals Geological Mystery

Opportunity Begins Examining Clay Minerals

Squyres Warns Congress of Threats to Mars Program

MISSILE NEWS
Brazil unveils tax incentives to boost tech innovation

New Technology Being Stymied by Copyright Law

Boeing Establishes Configuration of Commercial Crew Transportation

Mankind's messenger at the final frontier

MISSILE NEWS
Tiangong Orbit Change Signals Likely Date for Shenzhou 10

China Focus: Timeline for China's space research revealed

China eyes next lunar landing as US scales back

China unveils ambitious space projects

MISSILE NEWS
Crew Members Prepare for Departure

ISS Crew Lands Safely in Kazakhstan

ISS Crew Enjoys Light Duty Day

Europe's ATV-3 Spacecraft to Readjust Space Station's Orbit

MISSILE NEWS
Failure Review Oversight Board Establishes Proton Return to Flight Schedule

HISPASAT chooses Arianespace to launch its Amazonas 4A and AG1 satellites

Arianespace signs multi-launch services agreement with SKY Perfect JSAT of Japan

Vandenberg's Fifth Atlas V lifts off

MISSILE NEWS
Meteors Might Add Methane to Exoplanet Atmospheres

Two 'hot Jupiters' found in star cluster: NASA

Planets Can Form in the Galactic Center

Birth of a planet

MISSILE NEWS
e2v chosen to supply high performance imaging sensors for Japan's X-ray Free-Electron Laser

Less wear, longer life for memory storage device

Solving bubble troubles: new surface can prevent liquid explosions or even frost

International team of physicists makes discovery about temperature in convection




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement