Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs)

[anoop_mig25]

as india is still developing MIRV technology . is pakistan having this technology or they had developed it?

 

[Neil]

is pakistan having this technology or they had developed it?

dude....pakistan never develops anything....they either buy or they steal.....:emot15:

on pakistan having this tech is not yet confirmed but as per my info they dont have this tech....

 

[sayareakd]

you may add that they have conducted barter trade with north korea, missile for nuke tech may be nuke bomb too.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

you may add that they have conducted barter trade with north korea, missile for nuke tech may be nuke bomb too.

North Korea does not have MIRV. China has DF-31A with 3 warheads, all recent tests by China to make an SLBM version have failed.

 

[sayareakd]

LF those MIRVs need anti heat cons to protect the warhead from earth atmosphere layers, but it wont be bad idea to use some of the Prithvi warhead with independent heat shield for these (in the center)

and if this can be disbursed at the mid course then it will add more worries for the chines mid course interceptor.

 

[nrj]

After the successful implementation of MIRV in Agni, can we expect the MIRVed variants of Nirbhay? I don't think Shourya can go for MIRV but considering its ability to be fired from submerged platforms & speed; IN can look for MIRVed missile other than Agni. However, the cost of the same will shoot up like anything....

 

[sayareakd]

After the successful implementation of MIRV in Agni, can we expect the MIRVed variants of Nirbhay? I don't think Shourya can go for MIRV but considering its ability to be fired from submerged platforms & speed; IN can look for MIRVed missile other than Agni. However, the cost of the same will shoot up like anything....

MIRV is re entry vehicle, now Nrj, how will Nirhbay deliver re entry vehicle when it will never left atmosphere, it may deliver mutations such as the one posted in my previous post with prithvi warhead. :happy_2:

 

[nrj]

MIRV is re entry vehicle, now Nrj, how will Nirhbay deliver re entry vehicle when it will never left atmosphere, it may deliver mutations such as the one posted in my previous post with prithvi warhead. :happy_2:

Well, not exactly re-entry but multiple warheads. I am dreaming about something like Jericho missile in IronMan-I movie....:happy_2: :happy_2:

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Russia_tests_two_intercontinental_missiles_999.html

Russia tests two intercontinental missiles

Russia conducted Friday a successful test of two submarine-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles, a defence ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by the Interfax news agency.

The two Sineva (NATO identification: SS-N-23) missiles were launched by the nuclear submarine Tula from the Barents Sea towards the Kura test range on the Kamchatka peninsula in the Russian Far East
.

"The warheads hit their targets at the expected time," said the spokesman.

Sineva missiles are capable of carrying up to 10 nuclear warheads, according to the website GlobalSecurity.org, and were put into service by the Russian military in 2007.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacewar.com/reports/Loc...ing_System_For_Active_Missile_Decoys_999.html

LockMart Demonstrates New Launching System For Active Missile Decoys

Lockheed Martin's new Extensible Launching System (ExLS) successfully conducted the first vertical launch of Nulka offboard countermeasure test rounds at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

The flight test culminated three years of development and integration efforts to validate the ExLS architecture. It also demonstrated the new launcher in a fully tactical configuration.

ExLS is installed in an existing Vertical Launching System (VLS) cell, providing a common solution for integrating missiles with the MK 41 and MK 57 VLS. The Lockheed Martin team used a single solution, which reduced integration costs by more than 50 percent.

"ExLS is the latest example of our innovation and commitment to providing more affordable solutions for our customers," said Dan Schultz, vice president of Lockheed Martin's Ship and Aviation Systems.

"The testing support we received from Naval Sea Systems Command and the Naval Surface Warfare Center throughout this process was instrumental in our ultimate success. ExLS' snap-in design enables our customers to maximize the investment in their Vertical Launching Systems and realize significant integration savings."

ExLS enables the rapid deployment of completely assembled weapons and munitions, such as the Nulka, to augment traditional VLS missions and eliminate the need for separate topside launchers.

Lockheed Martin leveraged its nearly 30 years of experience with the combat proven MK 41 VLS and understanding of the MK 53 decoy launching systems to provide ExLS with the new capabilities and load-out flexibility needed by ships equipped with Vertical Launching Systems.

The ExLS test was conducted with testing support from the Naval Surface Warfare Centers at Dahlgren, Va. and Crane, Ind., as well as Nulka developer BAE Systems Australia.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

Russia successfully test fires long-range missile: ministry

Russia successfully test fires long-range missile: ministry

Russia on Thursday successfully tested its new nuclear-capable Bulava intercontinental missile, the defence ministry said, its first successful firing for months after a series of embarrassing failures.

The missile was fired from the Dmitry Donskoi submarine in the White Sea in North European Russia and hit its target in the Kura firing area on the Kamchatka peninsula on the Pacific Ocean some 6,000 kilometres (3,730 miles) away, it said.

"The parameters of the trajectory worked out as planned and the warheads successfully landed at the Kura firing area," said a defence ministry statement quoted by Russian news agencies.

The last firing of the Bulava in December ended in one of the military's worst embarrassments in recent years when the missile disintegrated early in its flight, producing a spectacular plume of light visible over Norway.

Russian news agencies said the firing was the 13th test of the Bulava. Of the last 12 test firings, only five have been deemed to be fully or partially successful.

The Bulava, which can be equipped with up to 10 individually targeted nuclear warheads, has a maximum range of 8,000 kilometres (5,000 miles).

"This weapon will guarantee the security of Russia in the next 30-40 years," Russian defence expert Igor Korchenko, who advises the defence ministry, told the RIA Novosti news agency.

Its incorporation into the armed forces is part of a wide-ranging military reform aimed at updating the armed forces' Soviet-era structures and equipment to bring them in line with the demands of modern warfare.

December's failed launch of the Bulava caused spectacular images in the sky above the Norwegian city of Tromso, prompting initial speculations they were caused by a meteor, the northern lights or even a UFO.

According to Russian news reports, the defence ministry has ploughed a large proportion of its procurement budget into ensuring the missile becomes the key element of its rocket forces.

A high-ranking source in the Russian chief of staff told the Interfax news agency that the missile could now be taken into the armed forces as early as the middle of 2011.

"Two more tests are planned by the end of the year and if they are successful then the question can be posed about a completion of the testing," said the source, who was not named.

The missile is designed for use with Russia's new Borei class of nuclear submarines like the Yury Dolgoruky and Alexander Nevsky. Analysts have said the vessels risk being worthless unless the Bulava works.

The successful launch of the Bulava is a major boost for the armed forces and came on the same day India announced it intended to buy up to 300 advanced stealth fighter jets from Russia.

Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov had earlier this week given a withering assessment of the Russian defence industry, saying the country was looking to buy abroad rather than buying Russian models that failed to meet the required standards.

Russia last month announced plans to triple its defence spending to 19 trillion rubles (613 billion dollars, 454 billion euros) over the next decade as part of its military modernisation drive.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/ke...ies/PDF files/Indian nuclear forces, 2008.pdf

Indian nuclear forces

Soon after the 2008 Agni III flight test,India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) announced plans to build the Agni IV, with a range greater than 5,000 kilometers (3,110 miles), capable of targeting Beijing. The new missile (sometimes referred to as Agni III+) will have a third stage and be built with composite materials instead of steel; its first flight-test is scheduled for 2009 or 2010. Defense officials say that after 2015 and before 2020, India's nuclear missile force will consist primarily of Agni III and Agni IV missiles, all carrying enhanced warheads to theoretically overwhelm ballistic missile defenses.7 Some industry officials have said that both weapons will have multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), but given the difficulties India has faced with the Agni I and Agni II—and the technological and financial challenges experienced by other nuclear weapon states developing MIRV technology—we remain skeptical of India's ability to MIRV its missiles anytime soon. Perhaps more importantly,MIRVed missiles would seriously challenge the credibility of India's minimum deterrent doctrine.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Russia_succeeds_in_test_firing_of_missiles_999.html

Russia succeeds in test firing of missiles

The Russian military
has successfully test launched a long-range ballistic missile fired from a nuclear submarine.

The move marks a significant boot to the nation's weapons program, afflicted by a spate of failed launches for years.

In a statement the defense ministry said the Bryansk nuclear submarine of the navy's northern fleet fired a Sineva-type missile from the Barents Sea. Another nuclear submarine, the Georgii Pobedonosets of the Pacific fleet, launched an RSM-50 from the Sea of Okhotsk.

Both missiles have a range of about 5,000 miles.

The military said it had also launched a Bulava missile off the country's northwest coast from its Dmitry Donskoi nuclear submarine.

"The rocket's trajectory was within the normal parameters," a navy official was quoted saying in Russia media. "The rocket successfully hit the Kura testing ground."

Just five of 12 previous launches of the 37-ton and 39-foot-long missile had succeeded.

What's more the last launch of the Bulava last December resulted in one of the most embarrassing operations with the missile disintegrating early in its flight, producing spectacular plumes of smoke that had residents as far away as Norway talking of unidentified objects cited in the skies.

Designed to dodge missile defenses, the Bulava can be equipped with as many as 10 nuclear warheads. It has a maximum range of about 5,000 miles and is the sea-based version of the Russian Topol-M surface-to-surface missile.

Military experts argue that the Bulava is at the heart of the Kremlin's bid to update Soviet-era structures and equipment, bringing the armed forces in line with modern warfare demands. It is said to become the chief weapon in the country's strategic missile force.

Russian media said the tests come as the country prepares to launch a new series of submarines called the Yuri Dolgorukiy. Several other such submarines are also set to be produced.

Military analysts have warned, however, that the submarines would prove useless if the Bulava wouldn't function perfectly.

Earlier this year, Russia's military chief of staff, Gen
. Nikolai Makarov said that fundamental changes would be required to the missile program if more ill-fated launches continue to take place.

AHN News reported that the missile's production was at stake if the Bulava launch failed. Despite the failures, military engineers insist the missile concept is fine, attributing past flops to manufacturing flaws resulting from the post-Soviet industrial degradation.

In recent weeks, and in anticipating of the launch, military officials said the sea-launched intercontinental ballistic missile
Bulava would be ready by mid 2011, the Intefax news agency reported.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Bulava_Missile_Program_Faces_Decision_Time_999.html

Bulava Missile Program Faces Decision Time

The decision to put Russia's Bulava submarine-launched ballistic missile into service will be made by the country's leadership and only after the test program is complete, a government source said on Friday.

"After the three test launches planned for 2010, another series of tests will follow in the first half of 2011. A decision on the fate of the missile will only be made after that," the source said.

"The final decision on putting the missile into service will be made by the country's leadership, based on a report by the defense minister," the source added.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov, who oversees the country's defense industry, said another six successful test launches were needed for the missile to be put into operation, including one launch from a new submarine.

A Bulava missile was successfully test fired earlier on Friday from a submarine in the White Sea, reportedly hitting a target on the Kura test range in Russia's Far East Kamchatka region some 6,000 kilometers to the east.

It is the second successful firing in a month, coming after a series of embarrassing failures. Only 5 of the previous 12 launches were officially declared successful, although some military experts say that many of those were also flawed.

Previous failures were officially blamed on manufacturing faults.

The Russian military expects the Bulava, along with Topol-M land-based ballistic missiles, to become the core of Russia's nuclear triad.

The Bulava (SS-NX-30) SLBM carries up to 10 MIRV warheads and has a range of over 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles). The three-stage ballistic missile is designed for deployment on Borey-class nuclear submarines.

The missile will enter service when it is 100 percent reliable, Deputy Defense Minister Vladimir Popovkin said on Tuesday.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://vpk.name/news/47694_V_Rossii...hkontinentalnaya_ballisticheskaya_raketa.html

TRANSLATED

Russia developing new ICBM

Work is under way for a year now to build a new liquid heavy intercontinental ballistic missile, designed to replace "Voyevoda" ICBMs (NATO: "Satan").

The new missile will be able to break through any existing and future missile defense system - at least until the 50s of this century, said the CEO of the corporation Rosobschemash, a former deputy minister of rocket-space industry of the USSR (Minobschemash) Artur Usenko. He was Deputy Chairman of the State commitee to test ICBM RS-20 Voyevoda (according to the classification of U.S. and NATO - "Satan" ass well as the RT-23 UTTH combat rail missile complex "Molodets" - "Scalpel").

"In 2009 we were given the task to develop a new heavy ICBM silo-based liquid to replace the "Voyevoda". Since then, work is underway to create it. The solution of this problem may take 10-15 years, but with appropriate funding, as well as modern electronic base it can be completed in just 8 years "- said Usenko.

New ICBM like the "Voyevoda" (NATO: Satan) will have multiple warheads of 10 warheads with individual guidance for each. For it will not be a problem to overcome any existing or future missile defense systems, at least until the mid 50-ies of the century. This fully applies to both global missile defense system the U.S. and European missile defense system of NATO "- said the general director of the Corporation Rosobschemash.

The new START does not prohibit the modernization and replacement of strategic offensive arms, including - the development of new types. However, after the entry into force of the Treaty will impose certain quantitative restrictions on reentry vehicles and warheads of the strategic nuclear forces of Russia and the United States

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/12/20/37280236.html

New warheads for Russian missiles

In the period before 2016, all of this country's active intercontinental missiles will get new warheads. The announcement is from the chief designer of the Bulava missile Yuri Solomonov.

The number of missiles will comply with the latest Russian-American strategic arms reduction treaty, signed at a summit in Prague on April 8th. The latest START deal commits Russia and the US to reducing the nuclear warheads on each side by one third, and the strategic delivery vehicles, by more than one half.

 

[anoop_mig25]

http://spsaviation.net/story_issue.asp?Article=370


India Developing MIRVs
By Air Marshal (Retd) V.K. Bhatia

NEWS
India's Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is reportedly validating technologies that will help India deploy multiple independently targeted reentry vehicles (MIRV) warheads on its missiles. The DRDO has confirmed it has made significant progress over the past few years in developing an indigenous technology for the single-rocket-multiple-warhead system, and DRDO expects this ultimate war machine will be ready in another three to four years. Scientists of the organisation claim the guidance system will have a high degree of accuracy to offset even a small circular error of probability or a negligible deviation from the intended target.

VIEWS
If true, India would indeed join the elite club of the first five 'Nuclear Haves' countries—the US, Russia, China, UK and France—which also possess MIRV warheads in their respective nuclear arsenals. It would also greatly enhance the country's nuclear deterrence capability. But what exactly is an MIRV? The multiple independently targeted re-entry vehicle is a type of payload fitted on long-range guided missiles. An MIRV payload allows a single missile to carry several nuclear warheads and attack a number of targets in quick succession in the enemy territory. The concept was initially conceived in the early 1960s by the US to enhance the limited capacity of its nuclear submarines carrying ballistic missiles. It triggered a major escalation of arms race between the US and Russia (then USSR), the two major adversaries of the Cold War period. The Soviets retaliated by developing a similar technology but placing the warheads on larger rockets. This enabled them to put more/heavier warheads into one missile with much higher individual and collective weapon yields. Subsequently, the remaining 'nuclear weapon countries' also followed suit by developing indigenous capabilities of their own.

Today, all Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs) and some Inter Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) of the US are fitted with MIRV warheads. Russia uses MIRVs on its ICBMs and SLBMs as well, whereas France and UK operate only SLBMs with MIRV warheads. China has developed MIRV technology for use on its ICBMs. It may also be extending this capability to its SLBMs.

An MIRV payload separates from an ICBM/SLBM as the missile reaches the top, or apex, of the ballistic arc. The individual warheads can then be directed to a number of different targets as the warheads fall toward earth. The use of MIRV makes it much more difficult to defend against a ballistic missile attack. Even if some warheads malfunction or are intercepted by anti-ballistic missile defences, the increased number of warheads provided by the MIRV payload greatly increases the chances of destroying the intended targets. In the same vein, several MIRVs may be aimed at a single, heavily defended target, in an attempt to ensure its destruction.

when they are going to test MIRVed missiles . i donot any think there is something to suggest that DRDO is going to test such missiles/new missiles such as those with code name k-4/k-15 in future

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/US_to_start_Russia_arms_inspections_official_999.html

US to start Russia arms inspections

A US team may arrive in Russia next month to inspect the country's latest range of nuclear missiles under a new disarmament treaty signed by the two sides this year, the foreign ministry said Thursday.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov exchanged documents formally bringing the new START treaty into force in Munich on February 5.

Besides slashing existing nuclear warhead and missile ceilings, the treaty allows the two sides to inspect each other's nuclear facilities -- seen as a vital confidence-building measure.

Full on-site inspections are allowed within 60 days of the treaty going into effect, and a top Russian diplomat said Thursday they could potentially begin in April.

"The first inspection check may occur two months after the new START treaty's signature," Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying by Interfax.

"The inspection may not occur before the first two months" are up, he added.

Ryabkov's comments came moments after one of Russia's top nuclear weapons designers said he expected the first US team to arrive this week.

Yury Solomonov, who heads the Moscow Institute of Thermal Technology that is developing the Bulava submarine ballistic missile, said the first inspectors would check on Russia's latest Yars intercontinental ballistic missile.

He said the US side had already inspected Russia's earlier Topol-M missiles under terms of the old START treaty that expired at the end of 2009.

"So it is only natural that the US side would want to see the new missiles, which have not been shown before," Solomonov was quoted as saying by Interfax.

He added that the first US team would stay in Russia until March 22.

The new START reduces previous warhead ceilings by 30 percent and limits each side to 700 deployed long-range missiles and heavy bombers.

The original 1991 pact expired at the end of 2009.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://en.rian.ru/russia/20070530/66322059.html

Russian officials tout Iskander, MIRV as "21st century weapons"

KOSTROMA/KAPUSTIN YAR (Astrakhan Region), May 30 (RIA Novosti) - The commander of the Russian Ground Forces, Alexei Maslov, said Wednesday Russia has "a 21st century weapon," following two successful missile tests Tuesday.

Earlier commenting on the tests - of a strategic RS-24 MIRV intercontinental missile launched from the north and a new version of the Iskander (SS-26), an advanced theater-level surface-to-surface missile in the south - Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov said, "Russians need not worry about defense: they can look confidently to the future."

"We now have new [missile] systems at the strategic as well as theater level," Ivanov had said, adding that "these systems can beat any operational and future missile defenses," in a veiled reference to U.S. plans to place part of its missile shield in Central Europe, notably Poland and Czech Republic.

Russian President Vladimir Putin denounced the U.S. plans at a Tuesday meeting with Jose Socrates, the premier of Portugal poised to take over as EU presidency on July 1.

"We believe that attempts to turn Europe into a powder keg and to deploy new kinds of weapons are harmful and dangerous," Putin said.

The RS-24 is a MIRVed version of the operational Topol-M (SS-25), carrying up to 10 independently targetable warheads.

The R-500 is a new cruise missile adapted for the Iskander launcher previously used only with tactical ballistic missiles. With a range of up to 280 km (170 miles), a radar-evading trajectory and a hit error of no more than three meters, it can be effectively used against small targets, including separate missile launchers.

 

[LETHALFORCE]

http://indian-defense-news.blogspot.com/2011/03/india-mirv-technology.html

India & MIRV Technology

All these discussions have one basic premise and that is: one missile would deliver one nuclear warhead. India's nuclear triad: a delivery system for nuclear missile from an aerial platform, ship/land based platform or a submarine also essentially caters for one nuclear warhead per one missile launch. However, all this could change and the debate on 'quantifying' nuclear deterrence would have to take an additional parameter into consideration in near future and that is India's MIRV (multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles) capabilities. India's Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) is proposing to develop a new strategic weapon technology called MIRV.

MIRV technology is not a new technology. Rather it is a technology of the 1960s and was first developed by the US, followed by USSR. MIRV is a set of nuclear weapons carried on a single missile (intercontinental or submarine launched ballistic missile). This technology allows striking several targets in a single launch. During the launch the main rocket of this system pushes the set of warheads up in the atmosphere. Each warhead strikes a target separately. The launch of such missile constitutes firing a missile having multiple stages. During its ballistic path every stage gets separated at a predetermined time after the launch. Along with every stage one or more warheads get fired. A four stage missile could fire eight to ten warheads on the targets. For a standard launch normally 60 seconds after the launch the first stage separates and other two or three stages separate roughly with an interval of 60 seconds each.

The post boost vehicle which separates from the missile prepares for re-entry into the earth's atmosphere. During all these maneuvers, warheads get fired after a gap of few seconds at pre-identified targets. The exact technology of firing sequence and how it actually happens has, for obvious reasons, always been kept a secret by states possessing this technology.

For better understanding, parallels could be drawn from the multiple satellite launches undertaken by few states with a single launch vehicle. There have been cases where around eight to ten satellites have been launched in one go. The major difference is that these satellites are positioned in different orbits in space while in case of MIRV the warheads re-enter the earth's atmosphere and fire on the target. The system is designed in such a fashion that the damage caused by several small warheads could be much more than that caused by a single warhead.

There are reports that now India's premier defence research organization DRDO is validating technologies towards testing MIRV. According to DRDO officials, the platform for re-entry vehicles would be dissimilar from their earlier successful designs used in Agni series of missiles. It appears that they are testing a more modern technology.

Another challenge for the Indian scientists would be to design and develop a guiding system with a high degree of accuracy. Some are of the opinion that MIRV technology need not be viewed only with a nuclear backdrop and even conventional warheads could be placed onboard of such missile. It also needs to be noted that India is yet to prove its ICBM capabilities and is expected to test 5,000-km-range Agni-V missile shortly.

MIRV testing has received a significant amount of criticism too. This technology is known for reducing the impact of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks agreement (SALT). SALT talks about limiting the number of missiles but with MIRV the issue of number of missiles becomes irrelevant since a single missile can carry many warheads and cause significant destruction. Also, this technology reduces the importance of a missile defence shield. This is because such systems are capable of addressing only one missile threat at a time.

Possession of MIRV technology is expected to boost India's defence preparedness. DRDO's willingness to invest in this technology clearly indicates that India's missile programme has matured considerably. Coming years would see greater Indian investment in micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS), nano-sensors, nano-materials and advanced information technology tools.

Such investments would be essential for creating reliable and robust but highly accurate systems like MIRV. This technology would certainly boost India's nuclear deterrence capabilities. It also needs to be appreciated that the technologies developed for MIRV would find direct or indirect applicability in various other fields of defence too.


THE PROOF of INDIAN CAPABILITY:

First, India's progress in launch vehicle technology is evident in the following areas: First, the launch capacity of India's launch vehicles has increased. India began to develop launch vehicles in 1963 and made substantial progress in launch vehicle technology in the 1980s. Its launch vehicle technology matured in the 1990s. Later, India improved its PSLV launcher to enhance its launch capacity. Today, it is developing a more powerful launch vehicle, GSLV-MK3, which can deliver a payload of 4 tons to the geostationary transfer orbit and a payload of 10 tons to the low earth orbit. It will develop a cryogenic upper stage for its GSLV launcher and accelerate its research on air-breathing engines and reusable launch vehicles. Reusable launch vehicles, which can help reduce the costs of space transportation, will further increase India's launch capacity.

Second, India is a player in the international commercial launch market. It became the world's fifth commercial launch service provider when it put an Italian satellite into space with its PSLV launcher in April 2007. Its GSLV-MK1 launcher, on which it takes only $15,000-$16,000 to send 1 kg of payload to the geostationary transfer orbit, is competitive in the international market. The ISRO said India would take 10 percent of the international commercial launch market in the next five years due to its stable performance, multi-satellite launch capacity and low launch costs.

Third, India has gained an initial command of some basic technologies of the multiple independently targeted reentry vehicle (MIRV). India put a cluster of 10 satellites into orbit on a PLSV launcher in April, becoming the fifth country to be able to launch more than one satellite on a single launch vehicle after the United States, Russia, the European Space Agency and China.

Multi-satellite launch technology and MIRV technology share some similarities, and a mastery of the former can pave the way for the latter. India is expected to gain a complete command of MIRV technology in 15 to 20 years. This technology will enable it to use a single launched missile to strike several targets.

Fourth, India has forged ahead with its research on intercontinental missiles. India now possesses short- and medium-range ballistic missiles and is developing long-range and intercontinental ballistic missiles. Indian defense experts said it would not be difficult to convert PSLV launchers to intercontinental ballistic missiles. India has test-fired its Surya missile, whose range is close to an intercontinental missile. Its Ministry of Defense also has disclosed that the country is speeding up research on intercontinental missiles. All these moves provide evidence to India's improving intercontinental missile technology.


VK Saraswat, DRDO's Chief Controller of Missiles and Strategic Systems, told Business Standard in May 2008 that DRDO is working on a 5,000kme range Agni-5 missile, with multiple warheads (MIRVs) that can maneuver and send out decoys to confuse enemy anti-missile defenses.

In October 2008, ASL Director Avinash Chander told Business Standard:

"We have made major progress on the MIRVs in the last two years."

MIRV technology is very similar to the multiple satellite launch technology that ISRO has mastered and repeatedly demonstrated using its PSLV launcher. However, warhead separation requires a higher degree of accuracy than satellite separation. MIRV is effective only when accuracy of the individual warheads is high, allowing relatively small warheads to be targeted at widely dispersed targets.

MIRVed missiles deployed on nuclear submarines represent a potent second strike capability in support of a no first use nuclear doctrine like the one embraced by India.