Why is it in the News?

India on Monday announced the successful testing of an Agni missile capable of carrying multiple warheads meant to hit multiple targets simultaneously.

What are Agni-5 Missiles?

• Agni is a long-range missile developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, DRDO.
• The family of Agni missiles has been in the arsenal of the Indian armed forces since the early 1990s.
• This latest variant of the missile is equipped with what is known as MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle) technology, first developed at least five decades ago but in possession of only a handful of countries.

Salient Features of Agni-5:

• Powered by a three-stage solid-fuel engine, Agni-5 boasts a range exceeding 5,000km.
• The Agni series encompasses medium to Intercontinental variants, spanning Agni-1 to Agni-5, with ranges varying from 700 km to over 5,000 km.
• DRDO’s successful June 2021 test of Agni P, a canisterized missile, demonstrated a range capability ranging between 1,000 and 2,000 km.
• With its ability to be launched from both road and rail platforms, Agni-5 ensures ease of deployment and swift launch capabilities.

What is MIRV Technology?

• The MIRV have revolutionized the concept of ballistic missile payloads by enabling a single missile to carry multiple warheads, each capable of targeting enemies at different locations.
• The technology was first introduced in the US with the successful test of the Minuteman III in 1968, which brought the technology into actual use in the 1970.
• The Soviet Union developed their own MIRV-enabled ICBM and SLBM technology by the end of the 1970s.
• The strategic shift started by MIRV has enabled many nations to greater target damage and reduce the effectiveness of enemy missile systems, altering the landscape of global nuclear deterrence.
• The warheads on MIRVs can be launched at different speeds and in different directions.
  • Some MIRVed missiles can hit targets as far as 1,500 km apart.
• The technology requires a delicate combination of large missiles, small warheads, precise guidance, and a complex mechanism for releasing warheads sequentially during flight.

How does MIRV Work?

• The MIRV-equipped missile follows a trajectory into space similar to other ballistic missiles.
  • After the boost phase, the missile’s upper stage, known as ‘bus’, reaches suborbital spaceflight, and aligns itself based on designated targets.
• The ‘bus’ sequentially deploys multiple warheads along with decoys and countermeasures.
  • Each warhead can be assigned a different target or trajectory.
• After the deployment, the warheads re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and proceed to their respective targets.

What are the Challenges?

• The MIRV technology enhances first-strike proficiency and complicates the calculus of mutual assured destruction.
• With the ability to deploy multiple warheads from a single missile, nations can achieve a broader spread of targets, making the defense system less effective and more costly.
• Although MIRVs were not initially made to defeat ballistic missile defenses, they are much more difficult to defend against than traditional missiles.
• Possession of MIRV technology not only exhibits a country’s nuclear prowess but plays a crucial role in shaping international security and nuclear deterrence strategies.