India’s Agni-5 missile to gain 7,500 kg warhead for deep underground strikes

The new variant would be designed to strike enemy facilities buried beneath layers of concrete, capable of penetrating 80-100 metres underground.

India has begun developing a new class of high-powered missiles with bunker-buster capabilities to strike heavily fortified underground targets.

The Agni-5 missiles have a range of over 5,000 kms and carries conventional weapons.

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on a modified version of the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile, designed to penetrate reinforced subterranean facilities, India Today reported.

This development follows the recent use of Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bombs, which are bunker-buster weapons, by the United States against Iranian nuclear sites.

While the existing Agni-5 missile has a range of over 5,000 km and carries conventional warheads, the upgraded variant will reportedly be capable of delivering a 7,500 kg bunker-buster warhead.

The new missile is intended to target enemy installations buried beneath layers of concrete, with the ability to penetrate 80 to 100 metres underground.

India's intent to match US capabilities

The United States on June 22 launched surprise strikes on a key underground uranium enrichment site at Fordow, along with nuclear facilities in Isfahan and Natanz. The US used the B-2 bombers to drop a dozen bunker-buster bombs on Fordow and Natanz nuclear sites.

India is eyeing to match the capabilities of the US and is planning to go even further. While the US is relying on large and expensive bomber aircraft, India is planning to design its bunker buster to be delivered using missiles.

While the US bunker buster bombs are large and require costly bomber aircraft, India is planning to develop the missile with greater flexibility, cost-efficiency, and rapid response capability.

Two variants under development

The report further said that two new variants of the Agni-5 missiles are under development.

The first variant would offer an airburst warhead for above-ground targets, while the latter would be a deep-penetrating missile designed to burrow into hardened subterranean infrastructure.

It added that the warhead would weigh around eight tonnes, while the range of the weapon would be reduced to 2,500 kms. Moreover, the missiles are expected to be hypersonic weapons, expected to reach the speeds between Mach 8 and March 20.

The new Agni-5 variant would be crucial for India's armament for targeting command-and-control centres, missile silos, and critical military infrastructure.