After Agni-V, Pakistan to launch long-range missile

Just days after India successfully test fired its first Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM), Agni-V,  Pakistan has informed India that it plans to conduct a long-range missile test very soon. Pakistan told India that they plan to conduct a ’long-range missile test in the Indian Ocean’ anytime over the next five days. It has asked the Indian civil aviation authorities to issue a NOTAM (notice to airmen) to warn commercial airlines and pilots to steer clear of the area, reported Deccan Chronicle. [caption id=“attachment_286421” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The move by Pakistan comes just five days after India test fired Agni-V to join the elite club of ICBM nations. AP”]  [/caption] The move by Pakistan comes just five days after India test fired Agni-V and joined an elite club of ICBM nations. Only the permanent members of the UN Security Council - China, Russia, France, the United States and the United Kingdom - have such long distance missiles. Agni-V, the ICBM test fired by India five days ago, is capable of carrying nuclear warheads and has been touted as being crucial for India’s defence against China. The missile can carry a pay-load of 1 tonne, is 17 m long, 2 m wide and weighs 50 tonnes. After the missile is inducted into India’s strategic forces by 2014-2015, India will acquire a strong deterrent capacity against China. The missile has a range of 5,000 kilometres, a marked improvement over India’s current missiles which can hit potential enemy targets over a distance of just 3,500 kilometres.