'K' Missile family
Underwater launch of a K Series Missile
TypeSLBM
Place of originIndia
Service history
In serviceIn production (K-15)[1]
2017 (K-4)[2]
K-4 ready for induction after completing trials.[3][4]
Used byIndian Navy
Production history
DesignerDefence Research and Development Organisation
ManufacturerBharat Dynamics Limited
ProducedK-15 In production
Specifications
Mass6[5]-7[6] tonnes (K-15)
17 tonnes (K-4)
Length10 m (K-15, K-4)
12 m (K-6)
Width0.74 m (K-15)
1.3 m (K-4)
Maximum firing range4,000 km (K-4 SLBM)[2]
WarheadK-15:1 tonne,
K-4:1-2.5 tonnes,
K-5:2.5 tonne
Operational
range
3,500 km
Maximum depthover 50 m (tested)
Maximum speed Mach 7.5 (Shaurya, which is land-based version[7] of sagarika K-15 missile)[1]
Launch
platform
Arihant-class submarine, S5-class submarine

The K family of missiles (K for 'Kalam'),[lower-alpha 1] is a family of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) developed by India to boost its second strike abilities and thus augment its nuclear deterrence. Information about this family of missiles has mostly been kept classified. It is reported that 'K missiles' are faster, lighter and stealthier than their Agni missile counterparts.[2][8] High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) developed a new formulation of composite propellant that is more efficient and provide greater thrust compare to Agni missile series. The objective behind the development is to make K missile family faster and lighter without compromising on operational range.[9]

NameTypeRange (km)
K-15 SLBMSRBM750–1,500 (operational)[10][11]
K-4 SLBMMRBM3,500 (in production)[12]
K-5 (SLBM)ICBM5,000–6,000 (in development)[13]
K-6 (SLBM)ICBM8,000–12,000 (in development)[14][15]

Missiles in the series

K-15 or Sagarika missile

Sagarika SLBM

The Sagarika/K-15 missile (Sanskrit: सागरिका, IAST:Sāgarikā, meaning Oceanic) is the SLBM version of the land-based Shaurya missile.[1][7] With a shorter range than K-4 missiles it is to be integrated with Arihant class submarine concurrently developed for the use of Indian Navy.

Sagarika/K-15 was developed at the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) missile complex in Hyderabad. The complex consists of the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), the Advanced Systems Laboratory (ASL) and the Research Centre, Imarat (RCI). DRDL designed and developed the missile, while the ASL provided the motors and propulsion systems. The RCI’s contribution was in avionics, including control and guidance systems and inertial navigation systems.[6]

Medium range K-15 ballistic missile has a range between 700 km[11] to 1,500 km[16][17] with varying payload. This will also get help from Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) to ensure guaranteed national access to precision navigation.[18] These will enable high accuracy required for precision strike. The last development test of the missile occurred on 28 January 2013, from an underwater launch platform off the coast of Visakhapatnam.[19][20]

K-4 Missile

This missile was developed after facing significant difficulties in compacting a similarly capable Agni-III to equip the INS Arihant.

K-4 is an intermediate-range submarine-launched ballistic missile developed by DRDO. It is 10 meters long, weighs 20 tonnes, and can carry a 2 tonne payload up to a range of 3,500 km.[2] INS Arihant, first of the Arihant-class submarines, will be able to carry 4 K-4 missiles. The K-4 missile was successfully tested on 24 March 2014 from an underwater pontoon submerged 30 m deep.[21] India successfully test fired the 3,500 km strike range nuclear-capable K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile off the coast of Andhra Pradesh on 19 January 2020.[22][23][24] On 24 January 2020, the final trials were carried out by DRDO in which the missile achieved the near zero circular error probability and hit the target 3,500 km away. This was carried from INS Arihant and clears all validation test.

K-4 has completed all the trials and been cleared for production by the government. It will be used to arm the Arihant-class submarine and future S5-class submarine. It will greatly enhance India's nuclear doctrine as K-15 has range of 750 km and it will have the range of 3,500 km.[25]

K-5 Missile

K-5 missile is reportedly being developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian strategic forces’ underwater platforms.[26][27] It will arm the future variants of Arihant-class submarines of the Indian Navy. Reportedly, DRDO is in the process of developing a submarine-launched solid fuel missile with a maximum range of 5,000-6,000 kilometres.[15] In October 2020, Hindustan Times reported that the missile was then in development and expected to be tested by 2022.[13]

K-6 Missile

K-6 missile is SLBM which is reportedly under development by Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Advanced Naval Systems Laboratory in Hyderabad. It is a three-stage solid fuel multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) capable missile with a length of 12 m, width of 2 m, payload of 2-3 tonne warhead, and a range of 6,000 to 8,000 km. It will arm the S5-class submarine of ballistic missile submarines of the Indian Navy.[14][15]

Significance

These 'K' missiles are intrinsically important for India's nuclear deterrence arsenal because they provide India with a much needed ideal and invulnerable second-strike capability stated in India's Nuclear Doctrine and thus shift the balance of power in India's favour in the Asian region.[2]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ named in honour of Indian rocket scientist and former president of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (1931-2015)

References

  1. 1 2 3 "India To Begin Production of Nuke Missile". Defencenews. 27 September 2011. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "The Secret 'K' missile family". Indiatoday. 20 November 2010.
  3. ↑ "Sub-launched K4 ready for induction". New Indian Express. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 25 January 2013.
  4. ↑ "India plans 5000 km range ballistic missile". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  5. ↑ "News / National: India successfully test-fires underwater missile". The Hindu. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  6. 1 2 "Sagarika missile test-fired successfully". The Hindu. 27 February 2008. Archived from the original on 29 February 2008.
  7. 1 2 T.S. Subramanian (November 2008). "Shourya test-fired successfully". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008.
  8. ↑ "India activates 'secret' undersea missile". The New Indian Express. 11 August 2013. Retrieved 26 March 2014.
  9. ↑ Unnithan, Sandeep (31 December 2021). "The 'K' factor in the recent missile tests". India Today. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  10. ↑ "K-15 submarine-launched ballistic missiles". The Diplomat. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Front Page: Sagarika missile test-fired successfully". The Hindu. 27 February 2008. Archived from the original on 29 February 2008. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  12. ↑ Peri, Dinakar (19 January 2020). "India successfully test-fires 3500nbse;km range submarine-launched ballistic missile K-4". The Hindu. New Delhi. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  13. 1 2 Gupta, Shishir (7 October 2020). "4 missile tests, 1 deployed near LAC in 40 days as India shows intent". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  14. 1 2 Jha, Saurav (30 March 2016). "India's Undersea Deterrent". The Diplomat. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  15. 1 2 3 "From India Today magazine: A peek into Indias top secret and costliest defence project, nuclear submarines". Retrieved 12 December 2017.
  16. ↑ FP Staff (23 February 2011). "5 things you need to know about K-15, India's underwater ballistic missile". Firstpost. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  17. ↑ PTI Jan 27, 2013, 06.20PM IST. "India test-fires ballistic missile from underwater platform". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 31 January 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  18. ↑ "Shourya Missile" (PDF).
  19. ↑ "India test fires ballistic missile from underwater platform". Business Standard. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  20. ↑ "India test fires ballistic missile from underwater platform". Thestatesman.net. 15 January 2010. Retrieved 28 January 2013.
  21. ↑ "Success on debut for undersea launch of missile". The Hindu. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  22. ↑ "India test-fires nuclear-capable K-4 ballistic missile off Andhra Pradesh coast". WION News. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  23. ↑ "India successfully test-fires nuclear-capable K-4 ballistic missile off Andhra Pradesh coast". Asian News International. 19 January 2020. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  24. ↑ Peri, Dinakar (19 January 2020). "India successfully test-fires 3,500-km range submarine-launched ballistic missile K-4". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  25. ↑ "India successfully test-fires 3500 kmkm range submarine-launched ballistic missile K-4". The Hindu. New Delhi. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  26. ↑ Firstpost (28 January 2013). "India test fires first ever ballistic missile from underwater". Firstpost. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
  27. ↑ "Agni-VI with 10000 km range to be ready by 2014". IBNLive. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 17 July 2012.

Further reading

  • Cohen, Bharat Karnad ; foreword by Stephen P. (2008). India's nuclear policy. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Security International. ISBN 978-0275999469.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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