New Delhi: 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. On Monday, India successfully test-fired an improved version of the missile which can hit targets in Pakistan and China with pin-point accuracy. Though, our scientists claim that Agni V has a range upto 6,000 kilometers, foreign researchers say that India has downplayed its capabilities to avoid causing concern to other countries and the missile' actual range is up to 8,000 kilometers. Here is a comparison between Agni V and other missiles of the world:Russia
Russia's R-36M (SS-18 Satan) missile is the world's longest range Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. It has a strike range of 16,000 kilometers. With a weight of 8.8 tonnes the R-36M is also the heaviest ICBM in the world.US
The LGM-30 Minuteman ICBM was first deployed in 1970. It has an estimated operational range of between 12,000 km to 15,000 kilometers.China
According to an article published in Pakistan Defence, China admitted that India's Agni-V is comparable to its DF-26 ICBM which is also nicknamed Guam Killer. The IRBM, with reported range of 3,500 km, has the ability to reach a major US base in Guam in the western Pacific.
DF-26, a two-stage solid fuel rocket IRBM, measures 14 meters long with a diameter of 1.4 metre and a launch weight of 20 tonnes. It can carry a nuclear or conventional warhead that weighs 1,200-1,800 kilograms and has an estimated maximum range of more than 5,000 km.
China believes Agni V, with reported range of 5,000 kilometers, is the only other missile in the world which can hit targets over 8000 kilometers with a lighter payload, making it much better missile system than DF-26.
DongFeng 5A is China's longest range ICBM and is capable of striking targets within the range of 13,000 kilometers.France
The M51, which was inducted into service aboard the French Navy's Triomphant class submarines in 2010, has an operational range between 8,000 kilometers to 10,000 kilometers. An improved version with new nuclear warheads was commissioned in 2015. The three-stage missile weighs 50 tonnes and can carry six independently targetable re-entry vehicles with a yield of 100kt-150 kilo tonnes each.Israel
Produced by Israel Aerospace Industries, Jericho III is believed to be a three-stage solid propellant rocket with a payload capacity upto 1,300 kgs. According to reports, the missile can hit targets within a range of 4,800 to 6,500 kilometers (2,982 to 4,038 miles). The missile can be equipped with a single 750 kg nuclear warhead or two or three low yield MIRV warheads. Pakistan
Though, Pakistan claims that India won't be able to defend itself from its lethal missile attack, the country doesn't have a missile in its arsenal that matches Agni V.
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