Black Project: Indian navy's secret underwater program

sayareakd

Mod
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
Messages
17,734
Likes
18,951
Country flag
India entered the exclusive club of countries possessing Inter Continental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) after it test-fired the Agni-V missile.

Last year, India breached the walls of another club after it successfully test fired submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).The SLBM was one of the most secretive project ever carried out by Indian defence establishment.
The highly-classified, 'Black Project' brought India in the league of nations like, China, Russia, America and France.
As per the plans, the SLBM will be deployed on INS Arihant, India's first and only nuclear powered submarine launched last week.
The SLBM missile known as K-15 Sagarika has a range of 700 km. INS Arihant can carry 12 K-15 Arihant missiles.
Indian defence establishment is in the process of developing two other variants of the SLBM- the K-4 and the K-5 with ranges of 3,540 km and 3,000km, respectively.
In 2008, Rear Admiral (retired) Raja Menon was quoted by India Today as saying, "One submarine carries at least 12 [K-15] missiles with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles, which could mean as many as 96 warheads."
K-15 SLBM
K-15 is a part of India's SLBM's K-family. The 'black project' pertains to the development and production of these K-family missiles.
The 'K' in the K-family stands for the name of APJ Abdul Kalam- The father of India's missile program.
The K-family missiles are faster, lighter and stealthier than any missile presently deployed in the world. There are five variants of the K-family of the SLBMs. These are K-15, K-4 Mark I, K-4 Mark II, Air Launched and K-5.
The K-15 Sagarika started developing in 1900s. Sagarika has a length of 10 metres (33 ft), diameter of 0.74 metres (2 ft 5 in), weighs 17 tonnes and can carry a payload of up to 1,000 kilograms (2,205 lb) over 700 kilometres (435 mi). It was developed at the DRDO's missile complex in Hyderabad.
The black project included the development of the underwater missile launcher, known as project 420. The project 420 was completed and handed over to Indian Navy in 2001.
The missile went under a series of missile tests- conducted from underneath the se, throughout 2000s.
The first test was conducted on November 12, 2008; the second on March 11, 2012. The missile underwent 12th and final undersea trial in January 27, 2013.
The K-Family

The K-15 is said to be ready and is already undergoing production. The longer versions, K-4 and K-5, may take few more years.
The K-4 Mark I has a range of 3,500 km the missile is undergoing tests and is expected to be inducted by 2017.
The K-4 Mark II has a range of 5,000 km is currently under development.
The air launched missile has a range of 200 km. It is being developed under the Hypersonic missile project called "Air Launched article". It is being designed to fit Sukhoi 30 MKI.
The K-5 will have a range of 5,000 km and its status is under development.
Strategic Importance for India
The SLBM will provide India with second attack capability. In case, a nuclear attack from enemy destroys our nuclear attack facility, INS Arihant can respond from inside of the sea as it lay silently underneath the water for months without getting detected by the enemy.
India with a clear "no-first use" nuclear doctrine needs such survivable second-strike capability to achieve credible strategic deterrence.

Black Project: Indian navy’s secret underwater program | idrw.org
 

sayareakd

Mod
Joined
Feb 17, 2009
Messages
17,734
Likes
18,951
Country flag
Air launched K series is interesting.

If we have our own transport aircraft even K15 can be modified for this role.
 

angeldude13

Lestat De Lioncourt
Senior Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2010
Messages
2,499
Likes
3,999
Country flag
AAIK k-15 aka shaurya or sagarika is not mirved :gangnam:

also i think idrw is not a good source :p
 

kseeker

Retired
New Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2013
Messages
2,515
Likes
2,126
Air launched K-Series missile - is that missile designated as BVRAAM ?
 

Yusuf

GUARDIAN
Super Mod
Joined
Mar 24, 2009
Messages
24,324
Likes
11,757
Country flag
12 k15 with 96 warhead means 8 MIRV per missile. It is difficult to fit in 3 and he is talking about 8.
He has got it mixed up. You don't MIRV a 700kms missile. MIRV will be on the ICBM range missile K5
 

arnabmit

Homo Communis Indus
Senior Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
6,242
Likes
7,522
Country flag
Parallel development of 2 missiles each of 5000km range seems unlikely.

Dont think K4 MkII and K5 are different missiles. Or maybe K5 is K4 MkII with MIRV.

The K-4 Mark II has a range of 5,000 km is currently under development.

The K-5 will have a range of 5,000 km and its status is under development.
 

arnabmit

Homo Communis Indus
Senior Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
6,242
Likes
7,522
Country flag
K-4 and Agni-V tests all set to Rock the world next Month | idrw.org

SOURCE: IDRW NEWS NETWORK

As per media reports, India is all set to test fire two Strategically important missile systems from its arsenal . Second launch of Agni-V is scheduled for next month, after it was first test fired in April last year and created massive buzz in political and military circles all over the world.

Agni-V launch propelled India into "Elite nuclear club", Club where countries not only possess Nuclear weapons but also such long range missiles systems to deliver nukes to their intended target deep in enemy territory. Second test will be validating reliability and repeatability of the previous test for stabilizing the performance of sub-systems.

DRDO is already working to development of Canister version of Agni-V, which will be tested by late 2014; Canister variant of the missile will enable higher flexibility in launching and speedy firing from any location on a road. DRDO has planned total 3 tests, before user trials of the missile starts and enters production by late 2015.

Another Game changer missile officially making its debut will be 3,500 km range K-4 submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM); K-4 launch is also scheduled to have its first publicly acknowledged test launch from a submerged pontoon off the Visakhapatnam coast also in September. next month's test of K-4 most likely will be final development trial or one of any developmental trials of the missile, since it has been long rumoured that first test firing of K-4 might have taken place way back in 2010 itself.

K-4 will be game changer for India in many ways, not only it will complete India's third leg of the nuclear deterrent (air and ground-launched weapons being the other two) and will also be ideal invulnerable second strike weapon stated in the nuclear doctrine. K-4 even with reduced payload will be able to hit from Bay of Bengal into deeper Chinese cities while staying far away from coast waters of china.
 

Latest Replies

Global Defence

New threads

Articles

Top