Indian Army Test Fires Nuclear Capable Agni-III Missile

India has test fired another nuclear capable missile just two days after firing a similar missile. On Friday, India fired the Agni-III ballistic missile off the Odisha coast where it had earlier this week launched the long-range Agni-IV missile. The launch procedure was carried out by strategic forces command of the Indian army with logistic support from Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). With a strike range of 3000 km, the indigenously developed surface-to-air missile can carry a warhead of 1.5 tonne protected by a carbon all composite heat shield. The trajectory of the trial was monitored for data analysis through telemetry stations, electro-optic systems and sophisticated radars located along the coast, and by naval ships anchored near the impact point, according to the DRDO. "It was the fifth test in the Agni-III series carried out to establish the 'repeatability' of the state-of-the-art missile's performance," a DRDO scientist was quoted as saying. The missile is equipped with hybrid navigation, guidance and control systems along with advanced on-board computers and is powered by a two-stage solid propellant system.