Agni-5 is a formidable missile but Hypersonic missiles are the way of the future

India has surprised everyone with its capability by successfully testing the Agni-5 missile amid rising tensions between New Delhi and Beijing
Agni-5 was successfully launched on October 27, 2021 ,which met all the objectives for the test of the “long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile and it reaffirms the country’s indigenous missile capabilities and further strengthens the countrys credible deterrence
The latest test comes at a time when the relations between India and China are at a nadir, and after reports that China had tested a new hypersonic missile in August
Actually, the Indian Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Agni-5 is a cause of concern for China due to its firepower
The Agni 5 project was aimed at enhancing India’s nuclear deterrence against China which has missiles like Dongfeng-41 having ranges between 12,000-15,000 km It is capable of hitting its target at a speed of 29,401 kmph
The indigenously-developed surface-to-surface missile, Agni-5, is capable of striking a target more than 5,000 km. It is about 17-metre long, 2-metre wide and has launch weight of around 50 tonnes and can carry a warhead of around 1,500 kg making it one of the most potent missiles in the country.
Though officially an ICBM needs a missile to have a range of at least 5,500 km, the Agni 5 is India’s closest contender for an ICBM, as it can reach countries across other continents, including parts of Africa and Europe.
Hypersonic weapons are often defined as fast, low-flying, and highly manoeuvrable weapons that are too fast and agile for standard missile defence systems. A hypersonic missile travels at speeds of Mach 5 or higher, The term “hypersonic” describes any speed faster than five times that of sound, which is roughly 760 miles (1,220 kilometers) per hour at sea level, meaning these weapons can travel at least 3,800 miles per hour. Hypersonic weapons, unlike ballistic missiles, do not follow a fixed, arched trajectory and can move on their route to their target.
There are two main types of hypersonic weapons —hypersonic cruise missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles ,Hypersonic cruise missiles,which operate similarly to existing subsonic cruise missiles  are powered by scramjet engine and, are limited to below 100,000 feet (30,000m),

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