The debut test-flight of India’s longest range ballistic missile, the 3,000-km range Agni-3, in July last year ended in failure because of a defective heat shield, DRDO chief M Natarajan said today. Versions of what went wrong have been put forth by numerous agencies since the test seven months ago, though this is the first time the man in charge has come forth with an official view. “We have identified the problem. It was because of a defective heat shield. It is a problem that is easily resolvable. Now we have realised the need for a flexible heat shield,” Natarajan said this morning. He said that the sudden mixture of cold atmospheric air with hot gases in the missile, created a mixture that pushed the missile off its pre-determined course, and bringing it down into the sea hundreds of kilometres short of its intended impact site—the missile wasn’t being fired at ceiling range. The missile is likely to be tested again “very soon” he said. He said that a second test of the anti-ballistic missile—which had its first successful test in November last year—would take place before June, and the Agni-3 would probably be tested shortly thereafter. In a letter to DRDO staff last month, Natarajan wrote, “Though we had a setback in Agni-3 first flight test, we have been successful in seeing through the effectiveness of interceptor missile and its associated technologies.” Affirming that the Trishul short-range surface to air missile programme’s future was uncertain, the letter said, “In 2007, our laboratories will have to continue their efforts on technology transfer and production of products such as MBT Arjun, Akash, Nag and possibly, Trishul.”
