Agni-5 missile: What is MIRV technology? | India News

India on Monday tested the first flight test of indigenously developed Agni-5 missile with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology

MIRV stands for Multiple Independently targetable Re-entry Vehicles. This technology allows a single missile to carry multiple warheads including nuclear warheads, each capable of being aimed at a different target.

Here are some critical aspects of MIRV technology:
Functionality: In a MIRV-equipped missile, the warheads are housed in the missile’s bus (post-boost vehicle). Once outside the Earth’s atmosphere, the bus maneuvers and releases the warheads to descend towards their independent targets.

Strategic Advantage: MIRV technology enables a single missile to destroy several targets simultaneously, complicating the enemy’s missile defense strategy. It significantly increases the firepower and deterrent value of a missile system.

Challenges and Considerations: Deploying MIRV technology involves complex challenges, including miniaturization of warheads, development of advanced guidance systems, and ensuring the reliability of individual re-entry vehicles.

Agni-5 and MIRV technology

While Agni-5 itself is a major leap forward in India’s missile capability, the integration of MIRV technology would further multiply its strategic value.

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However, the development and deployment of MIRV technology are sensitive and closely guarded subjects, given their significant implications for international security and strategic balance. If successfully deployed, MIRV technology on Agni-5 would represent a sophisticated advancement in India’s ballistic missile program, contributing to the country’s deterrence posture in the region.

MIRVs have been developed by major nuclear powers like the United States, Russia, China, UK, and France for their intercontinental and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, significantly impacting global strategic balances.