India on August 20 announced that it had successfully test-fired Agni-V, its intermediate-range ballistic missile, from a test range in Odisha on its eastern Bay of Bengal coast. The Agni-V, meaning fire in Sanskrit, is 17.5 metres long, weighs 50,000kg, and can carry more than 1,000kg of nuclear or conventional payload. Capable of travelling more than 5,000km at hypersonic speeds of nearly 30,000km per hour, it is among the fastest ballistic missiles in the world.
Col. Dustin Harmon stated, 'Minuteman III remains the bedrock of our nation's strategic deterrent, and the unwavering dedication of the Airmen who ensure its readiness is a testament to its inherent lethality.'
