New Delhi– India is accelerating the development of an advanced bunker-buster warhead designed for a new variant of its Agni missile system, aiming to destroy high-value enemy targets fortified deep underground—targets that conventional weapons cannot effectively neutralize.
According to media reports, the effort has gained momentum in the wake of recent successful U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, which were deeply embedded within mountains and protected by reinforced concrete. Unlike the U.S. bombs, which were delivered via B-2 stealth bombers, India is opting for a missile-based delivery system that offers lower costs and greater operational flexibility.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is reportedly working on a modified version of the Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile. While the existing Agni-5 has a range exceeding 5,000 kilometers and typically carries nuclear payloads, the new version will be conventionally armed and capable of carrying a significantly heavier 7,500-kilogram bunker-buster warhead.
Engineered to penetrate up to 80 to 100 meters beneath layers of reinforced concrete before detonation, the new warhead is intended to strike hardened targets such as underground command centers, missile silos, and critical military infrastructure.
Two new Agni-5 variants are currently under development. One is tailored for airburst warheads to strike surface targets like runways and armored formations, while the other is focused on deep-penetration capabilities akin to the U.S. GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator.
Due to the increased payload weight, the operational range of these modified missiles is expected to be around 2,500 kilometers—shorter than the original Agni-5’s 5,000-kilometer reach, but adequate for their tactical applications.
These missiles are projected to travel at hypersonic speeds ranging from Mach 8 to Mach 20, enabling rapid response and enhanced strike capability against fortified enemy installations. (Source: IANS)
