Indian ICBM,SLBM and their Warheads

[laltaputu]

A Deliverable nuclear warhead section consists of the

Warhead+Electronics+Guidance+Propulsion for initial maneuverability+Decoys.
All of this make up the total warhead section weight which will be carried by the missile.

Indian nuclear warhead weight

Based on 1974 test design:-

12kt Fission=500kg-700kg (Carriers-AGNI I,AGNI 2,PRITHVI-1,2)

200kt Boosted Fission=800kg-1000kg (Carriers-AGNI I,AGNI 2,PRITHVI-1,2)


Based on 1998 test design:-

20kt Fission=250kg-450kg (Carriers-AGNI III,AGNI V,SAURYA)

20kt Boosted Fission=100kg-300kg (Carriers-AGNI III,AGNI V,SAURYA)

50kt Boosted Fission=300kg-500kg (Carriers-AGNI III,AGNI V,SAURYA)

150kt Boosted Fission=450kg-650kg (Carriers-AGNI III,AGNI V,SAURYA)

200kt Thermo Nuclear=300kg-500kg (Carriers-AGNI III,AGNI V,SAURYA)




The AGNI III missile is more or less like a interim solution like the AGNI I-TD.

The AGNI III missile is build with a throw weight of 2500 kg from ground up to make future missiles based on AGNI III missile MIRV capable.

Now if we compare AGNI III missile with other missile of it's weight class and India's technological capabilities we can determine AGNI III missile's range and capabilities.

AGNI III missile will be the base design for future AGNI's and will have inputs to the K-series missile,so we will compare AGNI III missile with both Land based missile and SLBM.

Comparing AGNI III with UGM-133 Trident II,RSM-56 Bulava,M51 SLBM,RS-24 Yars,LGM-30G Minuteman-III.

AGNI III AGNI-V Trident II Bulava M51 Yars Minuteman-III

Weight: 48,000 kg 50,000 kg 58,500 kg 36,800 kg 52,000 kg 47,200 kg 35,300 kg

Height: 17 m 17.5 m 13.41 m 12.1 m 12.0 m 23 m 18.2 m

Diameter: 2.0 m 2.0 m 2.11 m 2.1 m 2.3 m 2.0 m 1.7 m

Stage: 2 3 3 3 3 3 3

Range: 3,500 km 5,000 km 11,300 km 10,000 km 10,000 km 11,000 km 13,000 km


So we can see that in it's weight class AGNI III and AGNI-V has More Weight But Less Range.

This happened due to 3 reasons:-

1.Indian AGNI series and other missiles use Maraging Steel instead of composites used on other missiles which make them more weighty.

Although recent use of composite stages has increased the range of AGNI 2 to 3,500 km from 2,500 km as recently seen in AGNI 4

2.All other missiles use 1,600 kg payload to make them MIRV capable but since India doesn't

have such miniaturization technology it had to use a bigger throw weight of 2,500 kg to

make the missiles MIRV capable.

3.The ranges of Indian missiles are de rated by Indian Government

AGNI III should have a range of 5,500 km with full load of 2,500 kg.

AGNI V should have a range of 7,500 km with full load of 2,500 kg.

Although Indian missiles use Maraging Steel and high payload of 2,500 kg this ranges of AGNI III and AGNI V is achievable if we see in context of other missiles which are latest 4rt Generation missiles of Respective Countries.

Indian SLBM K-15,K-4 are interim solution to create a full fledged SLBM which will be deployed in our SSBNs.

Modern SSBNs use a VLS of Diameter of 2.2 m-2.4 m and length 12.0 m- 13.0 m.which is compatible to their SLBM diameter and length.If we also assume that our Arihant class SSBN have same VLS Diameter of 2.4m then we should expect a Indian SLBM of Diameter of 2.0 m-2.3 m and length of 12.0 m.

If we use missile of more that 12.0 m- 13.0 m length then our SSBN will have a hump like DELTA-4 SSBN but since Arihant class SSBN doesn't have a hump we can assume that our SLBM which will be deployed will have alength of 12.0 m- 13.0 m.

Now if we see the K-15 and K-4 missiles

K-15 K-4 K-6

Weight 10,000 kg 20,000 kg 38,000 kg

Height 10 m 10 m 12 m

Diameter 0.74 m 1.3 m 2 m

Stage 2 2 3

Payload 1,000 kg 1,000 kg 1,000 kg

Range 750 km 3,500km 8,000km


So we can see that K-15 and K-4 missiles are the same missiles with different diameter so they are test missiles not actual SLBM to be deployed.

First deployable SLBM is K-6 with Length 12 m,Diameter 2 m,Payload 1,000 kg and Range of 8,000 km.

Which will later be improved to a SLBM with Length 12 m,Diameter 2.0 m-2.3 m,Payload 2,500kg with MIRV and Range of 10,000 km which will be the Ultimate BRAHMASTRA.

 

[sayareakd]

thanks i dont know about all the data you posted but some of it is correct. :thumb:

 

[sayareakd]

what is range of A4 ?? and what is Bo5 missile thanks.

 

[H.A.]

thanks i dont know about all the data you posted but some of it is correct. :thumb:

If there is a data which is not correct, could you please point out.

 

[sayareakd]

If there is a data which is not correct, could you please point out.

let the enemy feel the heat............................

 

[sayareakd]

Now if we see the K-15 and K-4 missiles

K-15 K-4 K-6

Weight 10,000 kg 20,000 kg 38,000 kg

Height 10 m 10 m 12 m

Diameter 0.74 m 1.3 m 2 m

Stage 2 2 3

Payload 1,000 kg 1,000 kg 1,000 kg

Range 750 km 3,500km 8,000km


So we can see that K-15 and K-4 missiles are the same missiles with different diameter so they are test missiles not actual SLBM to be deployed.

First deployable SLBM is K-6 with Length 12 m,Diameter 2 m,Payload 1,000 kg and Range of 8,000 km.

Which will later be improved to a SLBM with Length 12 m,Diameter 2.0 m-2.3 m,Payload 2,500kg with MIRV and Range of 10,000 km which will be the Ultimate BRAHMASTRA.

K 6 .................................................................................:thumb:

 

[H.A.]

K 6 .................................................................................:thumb:

Is this an MIRV....does India have an MIRV

 

[sayareakd]

Is this an MIRV....does India have an MIRV

yes it was completed in 2003.

 

[shuvo@y2k10]

yes it was completed in 2003.

any source to back your claim?

 

[laltaputu]

what is range of A4 ?? and what is Bo5 missile thanks.

India's first SLBM program has different project names to hid it from the public and media.Each time the media and the public got the sniff of the project the DRDO guys simply change the program name so that govt can deny their existence.The project names are
PJ-08--SAGARIKA--K-15--B-05
The name B-05 is given in 2010 and the production started in 2011.
B-05 probably due to as in 2005 the missile for first conceptualized or launched.

 

[Mad Indian]

B-05 probably due to as in 2005 the missile for first conceptualized or launched.

Is it true that K15 is renamed again as B05... parden my ignorance but do provide the answer...

 

[laltaputu]

what is range of A4 ?? and what is Bo5 missile thanks.

AGNI 4 is an updated version of AGNI 2 with removal of control wings(reduced drag) from 1st stage and the second stage of AGNI 2 replaced with a composite upper stage.
The stage separation grill of AGNI 2 is not needed in the composite stage so it is removed which makes AGNI 4 1 m shorter tan AGNI 2
Yet with light upper stage,reduces drag and only 1,000 kg increase in weight the range of the missile is increased from 2,500 km of AGNI 2 to 3,500 km of AGNI 4.
Since AGNI 4 uses new warhead design so it should not need a 1,500 kg payload which will further increase its range.

 

[laltaputu]

Is it true that K15 is renamed again as B05... parden my ignorance but do provide the answer...

It is true that K15 is renamed again as B05.

A SLBM testing has Different stages
1.Pop-up test
2.Flight test
3.RV maneuverability test
4.Full range Flight test

All this tests are done on K15 missile and it's production started on 2011 for ARIHANT

In 2010 the first test probably the pop up test was done for the K-4 missile of 3,500 km range test missile.

 

[sayareakd]

K5 is missing link, lets see what if finally become.

 

[Mad Indian]

Sir from your posts are you trying to say that the range of agnis are being played down?
If so what is the strategy behind that, is it not better to claim that Agnis' range is near 8000km for deterance's sake?

 

[sayareakd]

Sir from your posts are you trying to say that the range of agnis are being played down?
If so what is the strategy behind that, is it not better to claim that Agnis' range is near 8000km for deterance's sake?

lets not make more enemy then what we already have, our requirement is about 5000-6000 km if you to attack whole of China from deep inside India. BTW when we can reach moon, then any spot in earth is not much of problem.

 

[spikey360]

Sir from your posts are you trying to say that the range of agnis are being played down?
If so what is the strategy behind that, is it not better to claim that Agnis' range is near 8000km for deterance's sake?

On a lighter note, conventional wisdom suggests it is always better to play down your offensive capabilities so that when the enemy indeed receives the blow, it falls like a thunderbolt, out of the blue!

 

[Mad Indian]

On a lighter note, conventional wisdom suggests it is always better to play down your offensive capabilities so that when the enemy indeed receives the blow, it falls like a thunderbolt, out of the blue!

though i agree to certain extent sir, i have a few objections. We should play down our strengths when we want a war but over hype our capabilities if we want to avoid one, atleast till we are ready to wage one, to keep the enemy confused and guessing. Atleast thats what Sun Tzu's Art of War says. So since we cant risk any war now we should keep our deterance to the max against anythin that is malignant towards us(even if it involves bluff). So if the govt is thinking about deterance i think its better for us if it kept the deterance high. Anyway thats just me
feel free to disagree

 

[Tridev123]

Does India have land based silos for launching ICBM's.
The same facility could be used to launch small polar reconnaissance satellites for military purposes. Because during war the big satellite launch facilities like Sri Harikota will be among the first to be destroyed by the enemy. They are big and highly visible.

Any land based silo while vulnerable because it is a fixed immovable target also has its inherent advantages. Most silos in the US and Russia have been designed to withstand even an nuclear attack.

And full credit to the thinking of the Russians. They have tried to reduce the vulnerability of fixed silos by giving them an anti aircraft /anti missile shield. Systems like the S400 and S500 which can intercept even ICBM warheads protect the silo and its missiles.
Cannot provide 100% protection but probably may give Missile Launch Commanders enough warning time to successfully fire the ICBM's stored underground.

The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle built by ISRO can be fired from a underground silo designed to launch ICBM's.

We would need small satellites having varied payloads to perform a multitude of tasks during a war.

Countries like China with a proven anti satellite capability will first seek to destroy the space assets of an adversary in the initial stages of the war.

 

[ezsasa]

Does India have land based silos for launching ICBM's.
The same facility could be used to launch small polar reconnaissance satellites for military purposes. Because during war the big satellite launch facilities like Sri Harikota will be among the first to be destroyed by the enemy. They are big and highly visible.

Any land based silo while vulnerable because it is a fixed immovable target also has its inherent advantages. Most silos in the US and Russia have been designed to withstand even an nuclear attack.

And full credit to the thinking of the Russians. They have tried to reduce the vulnerability of fixed silos by giving them an anti aircraft /anti missile shield. Systems like the S400 and S500 which can intercept even ICBM warheads protect the silo and its missiles.
Cannot provide 100% protection but probably may give Missile Launch Commanders enough warning time to successfully fire the ICBM's stored underground.

The Small Satellite Launch Vehicle built by ISRO can be fired from a underground silo designed to launch ICBM's.

We would need small satellites having varied payloads to perform a multitude of tasks during a war.

Countries like China with a proven anti satellite capability will first seek to destroy the space assets of an adversary in the initial stages of the war.

DRDO DSLV VEDA