Upgraded Agni-II test-fire fails

Balasore : Test-fire of an upgraded version of Agni-II nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile off Orissa coast on Friday was reported to be unsuccessful.

The weapon system deviated from its trajectory after lift off and fell into the Bay of Bengal, defence sources said.

The test-fire was conducted from the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Wheeler Island off Orissa coast.

The missile dropped off to the Bay of Bengal within 30 seconds of lift off at 10 am.

Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) sources were tightlipped regarding the cause of the failure and said a detailed analysis would be necessary.

Inclement weather, marked by intermittent rains and chilly winds, was reported from the lift off site at the time of test-fire.

The upgraded version would have an improved navigation system with a range of 2500-3000 km.