K-4 Missile

warrior monk

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
650
Likes
1,114
Again a confirmation of sorts

K-4 Missile Test A Roaring Success
BALASORE: Even as the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has not yet made public its recent test of nuclear capable submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM) K-4, the elite agency, known for developing some best weapons with minimum failures, has validated a few new technologies pushing the country one step ahead in indigenous technology.

A source on Tuesday told ‘The Express’ that the mission conducted secretly on March 7 from a submerged pontoon (replica of a submarine) in the Bay of Bengal off the Visakhapatnam coast was a ‘roaring’ success. Some critical parameters set by the mission team were successfully met during the test.




The K-4 missile was fired at a depressed trajectory. Starting from successfully clearing the launch tube and breaking the water surface to stage separation and maintaining the ballistic trajectory, the missile achieved all parameters before zeroing in on the pre-designated target with high accuracy. The trial was stupendous and a copy book success,” the source claimed.
As far as submarine launched weapon system is concerned, the success of K-4 missile, in terms of technology, is a significant achievement for the country which has surprised the enemy nations by developing some powerful yet potent missiles with limited budget and period.

Although the missile is yet to get its actual name, it was being developed under a secret project, code named K-4. The name is learnt to have been derived from Missile Man of India and former President APJ Abdul Kalam.

The 10-metre tall two-stage missile having a launch weight of 20 tonne can strike a target 3,500 km away. It is capable of carrying more than 2,000 kgs of warhead, both conventional and nuclear. According to sources, apart from several other new technologies, a top-end rocket technology involved in the weapon system is an innovation and initial boost velocity is a plus in this system.

However, the silence of DRDO over the test has left many defence experts surprised.

An eminent national security expert and professor at New Delhi-based Centre for Policy Research (CPR) Bharat Karnad said the logic behind such rationing of publicity escapes him.

“Sure, a failed launch is best kept under wraps. But the success of what is a decisive nuclear warhead delivery system from submerged platform is something that needs to be crowed about a bit, just so everybody knows,” he said in an e-mail reply.

Sources said while the K-4 missile has to undergo two/three more developmental trials before being inducted in the armed forces, its shorter version 750-km range K-15 (renamed as B-05) is ready for induction. Meanwhile, the DRDO is also learnt to have been developing K-5 missile which will have a strike range of more than 5,000 km capable of hitting targets deep inside China.

http://www.newindianexpress.com/sta...Roaring-Success/2016/03/16/article3329130.ece
 

warrior monk

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
650
Likes
1,114
As I had predicted all K series missiles will be henceforth fired in STOF or depressed trajectory .
 

warrior monk

Regular Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2014
Messages
650
Likes
1,114
Because.... ..?
In January 2007 china conducted an ASAT test with HTK (Hit to kill) or kinetic energy kill vehicle as part of 863 program at an apogee off 860 kms and mass 750 kgs the vehicle was traveling at 8000 m /sec in one velocity vector and I am not even adding the opposite satellite velocity vector to it . China has the capability to shoot down exo atmospheric control vehicle is better than India considerably .
So our SLBM should have maneuvering post boost control vehicle with MIRV and MARV RVs in apogee suppressed flight profile in both symmetric and asymmetric mode and technology is being tested now. It can also be intercepted but it is tough.
Again I reiterate K-4 is currently India's most advanced missile not Agni-5 or Astra BVRAAM or something else.
 

shuvo@y2k10

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2010
Messages
2,653
Likes
6,709
Country flag
i get a feeling that K-4 can be and will be modified into our own desi anti ship ballistic missile keeping chinese and american aircraft carriers in mind. it will be a very potent system and could give us absolute sea denial capability in the indian ocean.
 

Illusive

Senior Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Messages
3,674
Likes
7,314
Country flag
In January 2007 china conducted an ASAT test with HTK (Hit to kill) or kinetic energy kill vehicle as part of 863 program at an apogee off 860 kms and mass 750 kgs the vehicle was traveling at 8000 m /sec in one velocity vector and I am not even adding the opposite satellite velocity vector to it . China has the capability to shoot down exo atmospheric control vehicle is better than India considerably .
So our SLBM should have maneuvering post boost control vehicle with MIRV and MARV RVs in apogee suppressed flight profile in both symmetric and asymmetric mode and technology is being tested now. It can also be intercepted but it is tough.
Again I reiterate K-4 is currently India's most advanced missile not Agni-5 or Astra BVRAAM or something else.
Wouldn't firing missile at depressed trajectory lower the range?
 

sasum

Atheist but not Communists.
Senior Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2016
Messages
1,435
Likes
761
i get a feeling that K-4 can be and will be modified into our own desi anti ship ballistic missile keeping chinese and american aircraft carriers in mind. it will be a very potent system and could give us absolute sea denial capability in the indian ocean.
K-4 is meant for 2nd strike capability, in case india is hit by nuclear bomb and loses capacity to marshall its land-based resources to launch counter-attack. This missile is a ballistic missile and can not hit a moving target, like ship. Moreover K-4 is too potent & expensive to use it to sink a ship.
 

bengalraider

DFI Technocrat
Ambassador
Joined
Oct 10, 2009
Messages
3,779
Likes
2,666
Country flag

bengalraider

DFI Technocrat
Ambassador
Joined
Oct 10, 2009
Messages
3,779
Likes
2,666
Country flag
Also K4 actually has a much higher range of 7500km with a reduced 1ton payload. We already have a 1ton warhead for the agni series, can be easily modified for use with the K4 as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kay

sasum

Atheist but not Communists.
Senior Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2016
Messages
1,435
Likes
761
Also K4 actually has a much higher range of 7500km with a reduced 1ton payload. We already have a 1ton warhead for the agni series, can be easily modified for use with the K4 as well.
Is there some confusion? K-15 has 750 km range. Proposed K-5 will have 5000 km range.
 

sasum

Atheist but not Communists.
Senior Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2016
Messages
1,435
Likes
761
K-4 is meant for 2nd strike capability, in case india is hit by nuclear bomb and loses capacity to marshall its land-based resources to launch counter-attack. This missile is a ballistic missile and can not hit a moving target, like ship. Moreover K-4 is too potent & expensive to use it to sink a ship.
I may add it is the maneuverable MARV atop a ballistic missile that can home in on a moving target. We have a long way to go before realising this capability.
 

Superdefender

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2016
Messages
1,207
Likes
1,085
Is there some confusion? K-15 has 750 km range. Proposed K-5 will have 5000 km range.
K-4 (3,500km) can carry 2tn warhead. He is saying if it takes only 1tn, range will increase to 7,000 km. By that logic, reduced payload (1.5tn) K-5 can sure hit 10,000km!! @Gessler even says K-5 has 6,000km range, not 5,000km. I don't know how he got that.
 

aditya g

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Messages
1,962
Likes
4,651
Country flag
I didn't get a point what you said.
2 tons as warhead weight is not believable. Even our first gen IGMDP missiles quoted 1 ton as warhead weight.

This means that 2 tons is either not true, or it includes the weight of additional propellant or rocket motor. Which means the actual range will be higher than what is officially quoted. Or in other words if the warhead weight is actually 1 ton without any addl fuel etc than the range has to be higher.
 

Superdefender

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 15, 2016
Messages
1,207
Likes
1,085
2 tons as warhead weight is not believable. Even our first gen IGMDP missiles quoted 1 ton as warhead weight.

This means that 2 tons is either not true, or it includes the weight of additional propellant or rocket motor. Which means the actual range will be higher than what is officially quoted. Or in other words if the warhead weight is actually 1 ton without any addl fuel etc than the range has to be higher.
Agni-VI is slated to have 3tn warhead. So why can K-4 not carry 2tn?
 

aditya g

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2014
Messages
1,962
Likes
4,651
Country flag
Agni-VI is slated to have 3tn warhead. So why can K-4 not carry 2tn?
You did not get me. Our warheads are not that heavy - 1 ton warhead is the max though ideally even this would have come down due to tech advancement over the years.

If Agni-VI carries a 3ton warhead, of which only 1 ton is the physics package, what is the explanation for the balance weight? It must be fuel for additional range which potentially fires a High Altitude Motor.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Kay

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top