India Missiles and Guided Munitions

[Gessler]

Something big was tested off the east coast today...

View attachment 80446

View attachment 80447

The issued NOTAM was for a distance of just over 3500 kms, so most probably an Agni-derived boost stage. No statement yet on what the upper stage was.

Here we go - it was a MIRVed Agni!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2053069194749706652

"Advanced Agni missile with MIRV (Multiple Independently Targeted Re-Entry Vehicle) system was successfully tested from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha on 08th May 2026. The missile was flight tested with Multiple payloads, targeted to different targets spatially distributed over a large geographical area in Indian Ocean Region."

Edited & color-corrected version of the pic found on another forum:

This is the first (known) night-launch of the MIRVed Agni. Note that they do not specifically refer to it as Agni-V anymore. I speculated previously that the MIRVed platform represents the notional 'Agni-V Mk.2'.

Seems the "Advanced Agni" is pretty much that. Also worth noting is that it seems this test was conducted on a lofted trajectory (hence the ~3500 km NOTAM instead of the platform's original +5000 km reach), though I have to wonder if that's not a result of the increase in payload.

 

[Afif]

Here we go - it was a MIRVed Agni!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2053069194749706652

"Advanced Agni missile with MIRV (Multiple Independently Targeted Re-Entry Vehicle) system was successfully tested from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha on 08th May 2026. The missile was flight tested with Multiple payloads, targeted to different targets spatially distributed over a large geographical area in Indian Ocean Region."

View attachment 80453

Edited & color-corrected version of the pic found on another forum:

View attachment 80454

This is the first (known) night-launch of the MIRVed Agni. Note that they do not specifically refer to it as Agni-V anymore. I speculated previously that the MIRVed platform represents the notional 'Agni-V Mk.2'.

Seems the "Advanced Agni" is pretty much that. Also worth noting is that it seems this test was conducted on a lofted trajectory (hence the ~3500 km NOTAM instead of the platform's original +5000 km reach), though I have to wonder if that's not a result of the increase in payload.

I wonder how much Chinese HQ19 Exo-atmospheric and HQ29 mid-course interceptors affect India's current deterrence posture.

 

[Gessler]

I wonder how much Chinese HQ19 Exo-atmospheric and HQ29 mid-course interceptors affect India's current deterrence posture.

As of now, I'm afraid there isn't really much of a credible deterrence posture against China to begin with. Let alone taking the ABMs into account.

The reason for that is that I feel true credibility only comes with a survivable second-strike capability. While it appears the K-4 SLBM might finally be operational on at least 2 SSBNs, the problem with its ~3500 km range is that the submarines have to confine themselves to a relatively small portion of the northern Bay of Bengal in order to hold Beijing within reach. This can present a lot of problems if one has to deal with the possibility of Chinese SSN presence in the Bay.

A way around this could be to load up a sub and send it off on a months-long deterrence patrol somewhere in the Philippine Sea or the Pacific. But I doubt IN would be willing to do that especially when we don't have any SSNs to accompany/support/delouse it. SSKs are no good for this job.

And then there's the issue that the current SSBNs can only carry 4-8 missiles, each with a lone unitary warhead. Overall, the situation is far from ideal.

The only way to fix this is through the S-5 class SSBNs and their K-5/K-6 MIRVed SLBMs with intercontinental ranges. It's only then that an ability to hold Beijing under threat from pretty much any part of the Bay of Bengal (or even the Arabian Sea) will be attained. Each one of those boats will be able to carry at least 48 warheads (assuming 4-MIRV config) as opposed to just 4-8 warheads on each Arihant-class. The sea-capable nuclear arsenal will see a seven-fold increase once all four S-5s are commissioned.

Plus, arrival of SSNs under Project-77 will enable much more expansive deployment patterns. But that will all start happening only in the next decade.

===

As of the ABMs, it's anyone's guess how good the Chinese ones are. I doubt they'll do much to change what needs to be done to punch through (more warheads, better penetration aids, maybe more novel RVs like some of the HGVs we're testing). The Chinese aren't deploying anything the US hasn't already done, and if the deterrence equation didn't change drastically there, I don't think it'd change much here either.

 

[Gessler]

Here we go - it was a MIRVed Agni!

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2053069194749706652

"Advanced Agni missile with MIRV (Multiple Independently Targeted Re-Entry Vehicle) system was successfully tested from Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha on 08th May 2026. The missile was flight tested with Multiple payloads, targeted to different targets spatially distributed over a large geographical area in Indian Ocean Region."

View attachment 80453

Edited & color-corrected version of the pic found on another forum:

View attachment 80454

This is the first (known) night-launch of the MIRVed Agni. Note that they do not specifically refer to it as Agni-V anymore. I speculated previously that the MIRVed platform represents the notional 'Agni-V Mk.2'.

Seems the "Advanced Agni" is pretty much that. Also worth noting is that it seems this test was conducted on a lofted trajectory (hence the ~3500 km NOTAM instead of the platform's original +5000 km reach), though I have to wonder if that's not a result of the increase in payload.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2053082585480437921

The Agni-V Mk2 (Divyastra) is an advanced, MIRV capable iteration of the Agni-V. Major improvements include replacement of maraging steel first stage casing with one manufactured using carbon composite filament winding, It is India's largest composite casing for now.

That, combined with the use of electro-mechanical actuators, rather than electro-hydraulic ones, for the flex nozzle control for all stages, have lead to weight savings as compared to the baseline Agni-V, which weighed around 50 tons.

====

The PBV may be separate from the 3rd stage, as per some knowledgeable watchers.

 

[Nilgiri]

 

[Nilgiri]

Suryastra tested: Private firm fires long-range rocket with pinpoint accuracy

Nibe Limited tested two Suryastra long-range rocket variants at Chandipur for the Indian Army. The accurate strikes underline the growing role of private firms in India’s indigenous defence build-up.

www.indiatoday.in

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2056955005723402381

 

[Nilgiri]

Goes into bedrock details of IGMDP, Abdul Kalam and the initial program leads and how that has all grown to today and the next development steps....

India has tested hypersonic glide weapons, scramjet engines and MIRV-capable missiles: technologies considered the future of warfare. But how significant are these breakthroughs really? Can hypersonic missiles truly evade modern air defences? And why does Dr Sudhir Mishra call scramjets the “holy grail” of missile technology?

In this episode of The Sandeep Unnithan Show, former MD & CEO, BrahMos, Dr Sudhir Mishra breaks down India’s next generation weapons, future warfare, UAVs, missile defence and the lessons of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.

 

[Afif]

Goes into bedrock details of IGMDP, Abdul Kalam and the initial program leads and how that has all grown to today and the next development steps....

India has tested hypersonic glide weapons, scramjet engines and MIRV-capable missiles: technologies considered the future of warfare. But how significant are these breakthroughs really? Can hypersonic missiles truly evade modern air defences? And why does Dr Sudhir Mishra call scramjets the “holy grail” of missile technology?

In this episode of The Sandeep Unnithan Show, former MD & CEO, BrahMos, Dr Sudhir Mishra breaks down India’s next generation weapons, future warfare, UAVs, missile defence and the lessons of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.

At 15:55 he said US and China hasn't reached level of technology in scramjet that India has reached.

Are all the researches and tests regarding HCM development publicly disclosed and published in USA and (specially) China to reach this conclusion? I doubt it.

 

[Nilgiri]

At 15:55 he said US and China hasn't reached level of technology in scramjet that India has reached.

Are all the researches and tests regarding HCM development publicly disclosed and published in USA and (specially) China to reach this conclusion? I doubt it.

He was referring to the duration of the test being 20 minutes long.

The others tests are in the several minutes range.

So he taking pride in that, whats the big deal?

 

[JOYDEEPGHOSH]

Changing the Economics of Air Warfare: India's Game-Changing 'TARA' Glide Bomb Kit​

Changing the Economics of Air Warfare: India's Game-Changing 'TARA' Glide Bomb Kit

Modern air combat is undergoing a quiet, brutal evolution. For decades, the recipe for destroying a heavily fortified enemy target followed ...

rbt-defense.blogspot.com

 

[Nilgiri]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2061804186476654896

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/2061860913360331117

 

[Nilgiri]

https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/fourth-sudarshan-s-400-squadron-arrives-in-india-from-russia20260603192143/

 

[Nilgiri]

Some major tests were accomplished with BMD

India joins elite club with successful ballistic missile defence, anti-ship missile trials

DRDO has stepped up on the ballistic missile defence as Pakistan is acquiring missiles with multiple warheads | India News

www.hindustantimes.com

 

[Gessler]

Some major tests were accomplished with BMD

India joins elite club with successful ballistic missile defence, anti-ship missile trials

DRDO has stepped up on the ballistic missile defence as Pakistan is acquiring missiles with multiple warheads | India News

www.hindustantimes.com

They tested 3 different missiles over a 48-hour period!

NASM-MR, a longer-ranged member of the new NASM family. Unlike the short 55 km-ranged NASM-SR which is entirely rocket-powered, the NASM-MR has an air-breathing turbofan (believed to be a scaled-down version of the STFE Manik developed for Nirbhay/LRLACM):

Specs:

Display model mounted alongside Rampage on a Navy MiG-29K:

The other missiles were the two BMD Phase-II interceptors, AD-1 and AD-2:

AD-2, our very own SM3-class ascent/midcourse interceptor:

And the AD-1 dedicated for lower (within atmosphere) level interceptions, described as exceeding the capabilities of the Aster-30 Block-1/1NT platform:

The AD-1 was actually tested earlier, but the design seems to evolved/changed. The booster rocket is now thinner, same diameter as the kill-vehicle:

Comparison with earlier test, graphic thanks to member "Choice_of_inevitability" on a different forum:

I think we're looking at a significant advancement being made in the chemical composition/specific impulse of the solid fuel being used, making a thinner/lighter boost stage enough to achieve the required kinematics.

 

[Afif]

They tested 3 different missiles over a 48-hour period!

NASM-MR, a longer-ranged member of the new NASM family. Unlike the short 55 km-ranged NASM-SR which is entirely rocket-powered, the NASM-MR has an air-breathing turbofan (believed to be a scaled-down version of the STFE Manik developed for Nirbhay/LRLACM):

View attachment 80980

Specs:

View attachment 80981

Display model mounted alongside Rampage on a Navy MiG-29K:

View attachment 80982

The other missiles were the two BMD Phase-II interceptors, AD-1 and AD-2:

AD-2, our very own SM3-class ascent/midcourse interceptor:

View attachment 80983

And the AD-1 dedicated for lower (within atmosphere) level interceptions, described as exceeding the capabilities of the Aster-30 Block-1/1NT platform:

View attachment 80984

The AD-1 was actually tested earlier, but the design seems to evolved/changed. The booster rocket is now thinner, same diameter as the kill-vehicle:

View attachment 80986

Comparison with earlier test, graphic thanks to member "Choice_of_inevitability" on a different forum:

View attachment 80985

I think we're looking at a significant advancement being made in the chemical composition/specific impulse of the solid fuel being used, making a thinner/lighter boost stage enough to achieve the required kinematics.

Do we know what target round was used to mimic MRBM characteristics?

Also, I wonder how much deployment of these interceptors would upset the balance of power and render Pak strategic nuclear delivery systems (Shaheen-3/Ababeel) and overall capacity ineffective?