Context

Strategic Forces Command (SFC), along with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), conducted the successful flight-test of New Generation Agni Prime Ballistic Missile from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.

Agni Prime Missile

• About: The solid-fuelled Agni Prime missile is a surface-to-surface missile. It is a nuclear-capable new-generation advanced variant of the Agni class of missiles. 
  • Agni Prime missileis is a two-stage canisterised missile with a maximum range of 1,000 to 2,000 km.
  • Having such a range puts it in the class of medium-range ballistic missiles.

• Advancement in Agni Prime Missile Technology: The ‘Agni Prime missile’ is lighter than all the earlier Agni series of missiles. 
  • It weighs at least 50 per cent less than the Agni 3 missile and has new guidance and propulsion systems.
  • The Prime variant of the Agni missile benefits from advanced sensors, navigation and guidance systems which significantly enhance the precision of the missile and its impact. 
• Canisterised Missile Benefits: Since the missile is canisterised, it can be transported by road and rail and stored for longer periods, significantly reducing the time required for preparation and launch. 
  • Damage Protection: Storing a missile in a canister or launch tube protects it from the elements- dust, debris, and also possible damage during any mode of transport and handling. 
  • Less Maintenance Requirement: It also requires less maintenance. They can also be easily integrated into various platforms for launch- from land, air or sea.
• Earlier Tests: The first test of the ‘Agni Prime missile’ was conducted in 2021. India earlier successfully carried out the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile. 
• Use of composite materials: The material is produced by merging two or more materials with different properties, to eventually create a material with certain specific, unique properties.
  • In the case of rockets and missiles, the composites used must be able to withstand the stresses and loads of high-speed flight, withstanding the high temperatures. 
  • Composites are used because they are often lighter and much stronger than some metal alloys. Having lesser overall weight also enhances the payload capacity and range of the missile.

What is a Ballistic Missile and Why is it Named So? 

• A Ballistic missile follows a ballistic flight path which comprises three phases of flight: 
  • First phase or the Boost Phase: The solid-fuel rocket engine propels the missile upward, requiring it to swiftly attain velocity and altitude as it penetrates through the dense layers of Earth’s atmosphere.
  • Second and unpowered phase of flight: It happens in the upper reaches of the earth’s atmosphere or in space, where the missile travels along its pre-determined path, but without the power of its engines.
    • It is known as the coast phase or mid-course phase and during this time, it travels along a horizontal path. 
    • During the coasting, the missile is either in space or the upper atmosphere, where it faces minimal resistance or drag. 
  • Third and final phase or the terminal phase: The missile descends and gets back into the earth’s atmosphere and flies towards its target, while being guided by its on-board systems.