India successfully develops SLBM for 'INS Arihant'

[Skull and Bones]

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It's a treat to watching SLBM launch.

[Dillinger]

From a pontoon 10-20 metres below the sea surface

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) plans another test-firing of the K-15 missile from a pontoon off the coast of Visakhapatnam.

Developed under the Sagarika project, the K-15 has been test-fired several times from submerged pontoons off Visakhapatnam.

The pontoon, simulating the conditions of a submarine, will be positioned about 10 to 20 metres below the sea surface. A gas-charged booster will erupt into life, driving the two-stage missile to the surface. The missile's first stage will then ignite and it will climb 20 km in the air before cutting a parabolic path and travelling over a range of 700 km.

The missile, which is under production, can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads. It will form part of the lethal arsenal of the country's first nuclear-powered submarine, Arihant, which is undergoing sea trials. India is building two more such submarines.

The DRDO is developing a K-4 underwater-launched missile, which will have a range of 3,000 km. Developmental tests of the missile's gas-booster have taken place from a pontoon.

The sixth launch of the interceptor missile, developed by the DRDO, is scheduled for the first fortnight of February. A modified Prithvi missile, taking off from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur on the Orissa coast, will act as an “enemy” missile.

The interceptor, to be fired from the Wheeler Island, off Damra on the State's coast, will ambush the “enemy” missile in endo-atmosphere at an altitude of 15 km.

Sources in the DRDO called it “a tricky mission” because the attacker would have a manoeuvrable trajectory and try to dodge the interceptor from homing in on it. Of the five earlier missions, four were successful.



The Hindu : Cities / Chennai : DRDO plans another K-15 missile launch

The above are the contents of a news report on the topic from early 2011. Notice the bold part in red, the gas booster in this case which was specifically made to handle the K-4 (its weight and dimensions) and is critical for the operation of the K-4 has already been tested- the relevant technology required for the development of such a missile has existed for quite some time now. Although if one were to speculate- the K-4 seems to be based more on the A-4/A-2P article rather than the baseline A-3 article. The K-4 is said to weigh in at 20 tonnes and measure 10 m. in length- its weight mimics that of the A-4 (Weight: 17,000 kg, Length: 20 m.) rather than that of the A-3 (Weight: 48,000 kg, Length: 17 m, Diameter: 2.0 m.). Either way its good to see that our missile technology is maturing at such a fast pace, specially the miniaturization of the articles and the severe reductions in weight due to extensive composite usage and miniaturization and advancements in component systems such as in the case of the A-4 and the first two stages of the A-5.

[Yogi]

wats the 700km range misslie on sub????atleast it should be between 2000km and 1500km.

Although K-15 range is only 700 km but its with full warhead capacity n it can be easily increased to 1900 km also with less warhead

[kṣamā]

For the people saying "Innocent Beauty", I advice them watching a K-15 launch from the business end. Ppl on the firing side are free to believe "Dangerous things are Beautiful" !!

[Sergi]

Operational range 700 km @ 1,000 kg and 1,900 km @ 180 kg
For 700 KM it can apply 8 MIRV but I am not sure for 1900KM.

How do you reach to these ^^^ figures ???
As far as I know missile range can be increased by reducing the payload to a certain level. Above that level evenif you decrease the load range will not be increased.
Arihant can carry 8 K-15 or 4 K-4. Say K-15 with 200kg load having 1500km range. It's fu@king awesome. But I doubt that. Max range of K-4 with minimum payload should be around 1100/1200 km. I don't think it will be more than double. Please correct me if I am wrong

[Peaceful Civlian]

Congrats fro this development. Bets of luck for this project

[shree835]

If the news is true, this development certainly should be given high priority. By testing such a controversial weapon India has missed an opportunity to better its political standing in the world. This is a very wreckless action by the Indian Government.

Don Worry Chicha...We will take care of it...In this world we don have good relationships with CHINA and PAKISTAN...except that country whole world is our friend.

[Matrixx]

2-3 years back...you can find lots of video on youtube where Pakistani cailming that their missile are way ahead of India...even Indian media also said that......but today I can say proudly that India is miles ahead than Pakistan in missile technology

[Splurgenxs]

wats the 700km range misslie on sub????atleast it should be between 2000km and 1500km.

the range is always down played at least 1/3 or 2/3 of additional range is held back for strategic feasibility purposes. , u don't want the enemy skimming around the max range to avoid coming within the radius.

[Archie]

K-4 will be 3500km.

K-5
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.
.
etc

Will keep increasing.

Who knows, they could have down played the range too..





This is pretty much expected... Not much of a surprise.

India is also building a whole line of nuke subs..




Arihant is just a tech demo.

Actually K15 has a range of 700 Km with 1000 Kg Warhead, but the biggest warhead in Indian arsenal is a 600 Kg , 150 Kt Thermonuclear device , also with a standard 180 Kg , 15 Kt warhead , the K15 Missile can hit upto 1900 Km

[rai_kamal]

I hate DRDO for two things, one for delaying the projects and second for keeping any project secret..
But always thumps up for their hard working,.. Hope they bring k-4 as early as possible..
And I had a question about the weight of "Aridaman" ?? IS it only 6000 ton or they will increase with more powerful reactor ??

[prototype]

If the news is true, this development certainly should be given high priority. By testing such a controversial weapon India has missed an opportunity to better its political standing in the world. This is a very wreckless action by the Indian Government.

What else can you say now.... rather than re-testing some of your old missiles.

[FNFAL]

If the news is true, this development certainly should be given high priority. By testing such a controversial weapon India has missed an opportunity to better its political standing in the world. This is a very wreckless action by the Indian Government.

Yes its a wreck-less action as it wont wreck the trust the world community has in India.
I guess you were looking for reckless..but as the agni5 launch showed us all, the world community views as a stable ,progressive democracy and this news too wont ruffle any feathers.

[tvsram1992]

If the news is true, this development certainly should be given high priority. By testing such a controversial weapon India has missed an opportunity to better its political standing in the world. This is a very wreckless action by the Indian Government.

You are wrong , testing 3000km makes our western masters happy as it will be primarily viewed as killer .

[Papa]

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DRDO has never released a photo nor the parameters for K4, I am really interested in knowing that.

We have already tested K 4 in 2010. Here are the full details

The secret 'K' missile family : The Big Story - India Today