Is Agni-5's bunker-buster version better than US, Chinese weapons?
What's the story
India is gearing up to upgrade its Agni-5 intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) into a hypersonic, deep-strike (bunker-buster) weapon. It will be able to penetrate 100 meters underground with its 7,500kg warhead. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on the project, which would give India a strategic edge over US and China. It will have certain advantages over the US's GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) and China's DF-15B missile, such as penetration depth and mobility.
Comparison
Agni-5 v/s GBU-57 v/s DF-15B
The GBU-57 is a large conventional bomb that can penetrate 60 meters of reinforced concrete with its 13,600kg weight and some 2,700kg of explosives. Meanwhile, China's DF-15C is a short-range ballistic missile with an unknown penetration capacity but is expected to be around 20 meters.
Strategic edge
Speed, range, and mobility
The GBU-57 has an impact velocity of Mach 1 when dropped from 50,000 feet, and its range is limited by the range of the bomber aircraft. In contrast, DF-15C can reach speeds of Mach 6-8 with a range of 700km. The Agni-5, with speeds between Mach 8-20 and a range of up to 2,500km, provides certain advantages, such as reduced reaction time for opponents.
Advantages
Summary of the 3 missiles' capabilities
While the GBU-57 has proven capabilities, the Agni-5 bunker-buster is still in development but is expected to offer significant advantages in penetration depth and speed. The DF-15C, on the other hand, is a short-range ballistic missile with bunker-busting capabilities but its range, speed, and penetration capacities are much lower than both GBU-57 and Agni-5. India's missile offers strategic capabilities with its versatility in speed, mobility, and deep-strike precision.