'Mission Divyastra': All About India's Agni-5 Missile Capable of Carrying Multiple Warheads – News18

India successfully conducted the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X on Monday to praise the Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) scientists for the remarkable achievement that takes India among the selected few nations that have the capability.

Here’s All You Need to Know About the Mission:

• The Agni-5 has a range of 5000 km and is developed while keeping in mind the long-term security needs of the country. The missile can bring almost the entire Asia including the northernmost part of China and several regions in Europe under its striking range.
• Infact, the Agni-5 is an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) that goes into space before re-entering the atmosphere.
• This test flight is unique for having the Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology, which ensures that the warhead can split into multiple re-entry vehicles to deliver a precise and targeted attack.
• The MIRV system is equipped with indigenous Avionics systems and high-accuracy sensor packages, which ensure that the re-entry vehicles reach the target points within the desired accuracy. The capability is an enunciator of India’s growing technological prowess and allows nations to engage in multiple targets and have the first-mover advantage during times of war.
• According to an NDTV report, a NOTAM alert was issued last week ahead of the flight test. NOTAM, basically a notice to airmen, refers to alerts issued to designate an area as a no-fly zone. The alert issued last week was for the Bay of Bengal area and it was seen as a clear indication that India is planning a missile test that may occur anytime between March 11 and 16.
• In yet another feather to the cap of Agni-5, the director of the project is a woman and the project also has significant contribution of the women force.
• The MIRV technology was originally developed in the 1960s and was used by the US, UK, Russia, France and China at that time.
• It was US who developed the technology for the first time, followed by Soviet Union and it requires a combination of large missiles, small warheads, accurate guidance, and a complex mechanism for releasing warheads sequentially during flight, the NDTV report stated.