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India on Thursday successfully test-fired its surface-to-surface 2000 km range ballistic missile Agni-II. The missile was successfully flight tested for the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) at 8.46 a.m. from Wheeler’s Island in the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Odisha . The two-stage solid propellant Agni-II launched as a part of regular strategic Forces Command (SFC) exercise, as they reached the pre-designated target point in Bay of Bengal within accuracy of few meters. Two ships located near the target point tracked the terminal phase of the vehicle and witnessed the final event. The radars and electro-optical tracking stations have tracked and monitored the vehicle and all the relevant parameters. All the systems, propulsion, control, actuators, onboard computers, missile interface units and the navigation, guidance systems functioned fully to the perfection and ensured the vehicle reached the target within few meters of accuracy. The SFC carried out the launch operations and DRDO scientists monitored and guided all activities. The Project Director Laxminarayana and the Mission Director Avinash Chander, DS & CC R&D (MSS), who guided and reviewed the activities, led the teams. Dr. V. K. Saraswat, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister A.K.Antony, Secretary Department of Defence (Research and Development)and Director General (R&D) DRDO, were present during the launch and cleared the launch of the vehicle after thorough review. Antony congratulated the Armed Forces, DRDO scientists and the defence industry for the successful launch of the Agni-II. Dr. V.G. Sekaran, Director ASL, Dr. S.K. Chaudhary, Director RCI, Shri MVKV Prasad, Director ITR, Dr. Satish Kumar, Dr. DN Reddy, Chairman RAC were present during the launch of Agni-II.

India test-fires Agni-II off Odisha coast