Is India developing a 12,000 kms range missile - Surya?
In the last four decades, India has made significant progress in the missile development. From the humble beginning in 1983, when the program to develop surface-to-surface missile Prithvi was launched, India now has a wide variety of missiles capable of thwarting any aggression by the enemy.
If we talk of ballistic missiles, the name of Agni series of missiles immediately comes our mind. Agni series has five missiles with varying strike capabilities and ranges. Agni 1 is a single stage solid fuel missile with a range of 1250 kms while Agni 2, an improvement of Agni 1, is a two-stage missile capable of striking targets 2000 kms away. Agni 3, a two-stage ballistic missile, is believed to have a range of 3,500 kms while Agni 4 can hit targets 4,000 kms away. All the missiles in the Agni series are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
Debate over Agni 5's range:
On 19 April 2012, India made its entry into the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) club after the successful test launch of its indigenous Agni V missile. Time and again International defence experts, especially the Chinese, have claimed that India has been understating the range of its intercontinental ballistic missile Agni-5. India initially did not divulge the exact range that the missile can strike but later DRDO hinted that it has the capability to reach 5,000 kms. Chinese experts say that the missile actually has the potential to reach targets 8,000 kilometres away and that the Indian government had deliberately downplayed the missile's capability in order to avoid causing concern to other countries.
ICBM Surya: A mere speculation or reality?
Well, there is no confirmation from DRDO as of now but many are speculating that India is working on a long-range ICBM capable of striking targets 12,000 kms away. Some say that it could be called Agni-6 while others say it might be named Surya. It is likely to be a three-stage missile with first stage being borrowed from ISRO's PSLV. If this is true, then it is sure to send shivers down enemy's spine.
A leading defence website states that Surya Missile will be a road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile, which is in the development phase. Speculations are that Surya Missile will be a four-stage intercontinental ballistic missile capable of carrying three-tonne warhead, which is thrice the weight of the one-tonne warheads that Agni missiles are capable of carrying.
Surya is also likely to be capable of carrying multiple warhead capable of striking a different target. This technology is called MIRV or Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Warheads.
Agni-VI will be a four-stage intercontinental ballistic missile. Agni-6 will carry a massive three-tonne warhead, thrice the weight of the one-tonne warhead that Agni missiles have carried so far. This will allow each Agni-6 missile to launch several nuclear warheads -Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Warheads (MIRVs) - with each warhead striking a different target. Each warhead - called Maneuverable Reentry Vehicle (MARV) - performs evasive maneuvers while hurtling down towards its target, confusing enemy air defence missiles that are trying to destroy them mid-air. And these maneuverable warheads will give Agni VI an extended range exact figure of which is currently classified. It will be taller than its predecessor Agni V, and is expected to be flight tested by 2017. Agni-VI missile is likely to carry up to 10 MIRV warheads and will have a strike range of 8,000 km to 12,000 km.
Guidance system of Agni 6 will include inertial navigation system with Ring laser gyroscope, optionally augmented by IRNSS. Terminal guidance with possible radar scene correlation (this is a kind of terrain contour mapping this improves the accuracy of missiles).
Guidance system of Agni 6 will include inertial navigation system with Ring laser gyroscope, optionally augmented by IRNSS. Terminal guidance with possible radar scene correlation (this is a kind of terrain contour mapping this improves the accuracy of missiles).
Agni 5 an easy way to Agni- 6
Agni-V is an intermediate range ballistic missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).it is the predecessor of Agni-6. In future, Agni-V is expected to feature Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRVs) with each missile being capable of carrying 2–10 separate nuclear warheads. Each warhead can be assigned to a different target, separated by hundreds of kilometers. Agni 5 can be easily upgrade to an ICBM with minor changes. Have a look how it is possible.
A major factor towards greater range would be the weight reduction in the 50-tonne Agni-5, as older, heavier sub-systems are replaced by lighter, more reliable ones, including many made with lightweight composite materials. A major development in this regard is the replacement of hydraulic actuators in the Agni-5’s giant first stage with the state-of-the-art, electro-mechanical actuators that already equip Stage-2 and Stage-3.
Moving from hydraulic to electro-mechanical actuators not only saves weight due to lightweight components, but also eliminates problems like oil storage and leakage, and the need for an accumulator. In addition, electro-mechanical actuators are more reliable and easy to maintain.
Currently, the Agni-5 has a metallic first stage, made of “maraging steel”, while the second and third stages are entirely built from lightweight composites, which were first tested in the Agni-4 on 15 Nov 2011. Stage-1 components like high-temperature rocket motor nozzles are already being made of composites. Gradually, the Agni-5 could become an all-composite missile that is significantly lighter than at present.
According to DRDO Scientists “No major development is needed to upgrade an Agni-5 into an ICBM. All that is needed is to improve materials to make the missile lighter, with better propulsion”. That would make the Agni-5, with an estimated current cost of Rs 100 crore per piece, the world’s most cost-effective ICBM. It could cost just one-third the price of an American ICBM, as estimated by the respected Federation of American Scientists.
Agni-V is an intermediate range ballistic missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).it is the predecessor of Agni-6. In future, Agni-V is expected to feature Multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRVs) with each missile being capable of carrying 2–10 separate nuclear warheads. Each warhead can be assigned to a different target, separated by hundreds of kilometers. Agni 5 can be easily upgrade to an ICBM with minor changes. Have a look how it is possible.
A major factor towards greater range would be the weight reduction in the 50-tonne Agni-5, as older, heavier sub-systems are replaced by lighter, more reliable ones, including many made with lightweight composite materials. A major development in this regard is the replacement of hydraulic actuators in the Agni-5’s giant first stage with the state-of-the-art, electro-mechanical actuators that already equip Stage-2 and Stage-3.
Moving from hydraulic to electro-mechanical actuators not only saves weight due to lightweight components, but also eliminates problems like oil storage and leakage, and the need for an accumulator. In addition, electro-mechanical actuators are more reliable and easy to maintain.
Currently, the Agni-5 has a metallic first stage, made of “maraging steel”, while the second and third stages are entirely built from lightweight composites, which were first tested in the Agni-4 on 15 Nov 2011. Stage-1 components like high-temperature rocket motor nozzles are already being made of composites. Gradually, the Agni-5 could become an all-composite missile that is significantly lighter than at present.
According to DRDO Scientists “No major development is needed to upgrade an Agni-5 into an ICBM. All that is needed is to improve materials to make the missile lighter, with better propulsion”. That would make the Agni-5, with an estimated current cost of Rs 100 crore per piece, the world’s most cost-effective ICBM. It could cost just one-third the price of an American ICBM, as estimated by the respected Federation of American Scientists.
Agni - 4 Agni - 5 Agni - 6
Technological Challenges in Agni-6
Multiple Warhead Technology
DRDO is at an advanced stage of integrating warhead technologies, but one notable challenge is building a booster rocket that can propel a three-tonne payload to targets more than 6,000 kilometres away. The payload weight is comparably more than what a GSLV can launch. The missile should also be able to deploy decoys and chaffs to evade air defense systems
Weapons Delivery
Analyzing a ballistic trajectory is a simple physics problem, but there is big difference betweem analysis and implementation. Recording the necessary data, rapidly analyzing it, combined with ever changing variables, to determine the precise moment to release a warhead so that it hits a specific target 6-7 thousand kilometers away, is not a simple task. Therefore, dispersing nuclear warheads is another major technological challenge.
Miniaturization
Miniaturization of nuclear and thermonuclear weapons as has been obtained to fit the nose cone spatial shape of Agni-VI missile.
Support Structures
The building blocks from boosters to radars, seekers and sophisticated mission control centers are currently available. DRDO had been able to develop key Radio Frequency seeker technologies for missiles, it has since indigenously perfected this technology, and digital processing during the missile's boost, mid-course and terminal phase is based on DRDO’s own software.
Mobility
India’s ballistic missiles are compact and road mobile, even the Agni-6 with its heavy payload will be road mobile. DRDO will do this by building the first stage with composites, fitting the Agni-6 with India's first composite 40-tonne rocket motor. This is a technical challenge but India has good capability in lightweight composites. The road mobile Agni-6 would also have stringent limits on its length. It must be carried on a standard size trailer that can move from one part of the country to another, turn on roads, cross bridges and climb heights. As the payload weight increases, will require more advanced technologies to keep the missile's length constant.
Weight & Dimension
Harnessing maximum performance from smaller rockets also becomes especially important in submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) version, which cannot be any longer than 13 metres so as to fit into the cramped confines of a submarine. This holds true to even the K-4 "Sagarika" SLBM for the country's Arihant-Class, Chakra-Class Nuclear-Propelled ballistic missile attack submarines (SSBNs).
Miniaturization
Miniaturization of nuclear and thermonuclear weapons as has been obtained to fit the nose cone spatial shape of Agni-VI missile.
Support Structures
The building blocks from boosters to radars, seekers and sophisticated mission control centers are currently available. DRDO had been able to develop key Radio Frequency seeker technologies for missiles, it has since indigenously perfected this technology, and digital processing during the missile's boost, mid-course and terminal phase is based on DRDO’s own software.
Mobility
India’s ballistic missiles are compact and road mobile, even the Agni-6 with its heavy payload will be road mobile. DRDO will do this by building the first stage with composites, fitting the Agni-6 with India's first composite 40-tonne rocket motor. This is a technical challenge but India has good capability in lightweight composites. The road mobile Agni-6 would also have stringent limits on its length. It must be carried on a standard size trailer that can move from one part of the country to another, turn on roads, cross bridges and climb heights. As the payload weight increases, will require more advanced technologies to keep the missile's length constant.
Weight & Dimension
Harnessing maximum performance from smaller rockets also becomes especially important in submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) version, which cannot be any longer than 13 metres so as to fit into the cramped confines of a submarine. This holds true to even the K-4 "Sagarika" SLBM for the country's Arihant-Class, Chakra-Class Nuclear-Propelled ballistic missile attack submarines (SSBNs).
Agni 6 Stages
Specifications of Agni – 6Weight – 55000 – 70000 kg
Length – 20 – 40m
Diameter – 2m
Warhead – Nuclear / Thermo Nuclear
Warhead – 3 tons
Engine – 4 Stage solid fuel
Range – 8000 – 12000 Km
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