India's Missle Revolution
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India's Missle Revolution
Though India, perhaps is the first country in the world where missiles were used in war (by Tipu Sultan against the British), India woke up to its potential much later. China, in order to ascertain its No. 1 position in Asia, created a strategic black hole for India—Pakistan. It utilized the pathological Pak-hatred against India to its full advantage. China helped Pakistan in its missile and nuclear programs. Pakistan bartered its nuclear know-how for North Korea's long range Nodong missile technology. Pakistan began to develop sophisticated missiles. India, on the other hand, was reeling under heavy sanctions. Besides the traditional friend Soviet Union was interested in selling weapons, not technologies. But to meet the immediate threat perceptions and defend its territory, India had to build missiles. Two decades ago, the then defense minister, R Venkataraman sanctioned 388 crores for India's Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP) under which five missiles-Agni, Prithvi, Trishul, Nag and Akash were to be developed. The program was designed keeping in mind the Pakistan factor. The project was launched by Dr.V.S.Arunachalam, scientific advisor to the defense minister on July 27, 1983.
As India detonated its nuclear devices in May, 1998 and declared itself a nuclear-weapons country, the domino effects in the fields of diplomacy and technology began to take place.
A new polarization was going to take shape. The contemporary BJP-led NDA govt. surprised the world by supporting the controversial US National Missile Defense initiative. Post 9/11, though the USA counted upon Pakistan as a frontline ally in its war against terror, the USA was suspicious about Pakistan's double dealing. Later, the NDA govt. signed Nest Steps in Strategic Partnership (NSSP) with America which became the first stepping stone of a robust Indo-US relationship. The American govt. hinted at de-hyphenation of the India-Pakistan theme and showed a policy shift in favor of India by permitting Israel to sell the most powerful AWACS (Airborne Early Warning and Control system) in the world- the Phalcon. The US offered PAC 3 (Patriot Advanced Capability 3) anti-ballistic missile system to India. It also offered the F16, F18 and above all the F35 Joint Strike Fighter. It also engaged with India in extensive military exercises. Thereafter, the UPA govt.came to power and signed a ten-year defense agreement with the USA. Later the Nuclear Deal signed between the USA and India promised to end India's nuclear isolation. The USA promised to help India become "a major global power" Thus the USA stopped objecting to India's military ambitions and even allowed the Indo-Israel defense relationship to flourish. Israel became the second largest arms supplier to India, the first being Russia. India gained immensely from Israeli expertise in electronic warfare systems like radars, sensors, night-vision equipments, etc. In the field of missiles and UAVs the two countries began to collaborate extensively. India imported from Israel Green Pine early warning and fire control radar systems. They could track any hostile missile within a range of 500Km.
But several factors contributed to the Indo-Us bonhomie. First, India became one of the fastest growing economies of the world. The Goldman Sachs report predicted a rosy future for India secondly China's spectacular rise became a great concern for the USA. China's rapid military modernization coupled with its space aspirations and spectacular economic growth, forced the USA in the balance of power game. India with its vast military, huge manpower and economic prowess could become the counter weight to China. Furthermore, the western press began to hail India as a science supper power. The country in the field of software made huge strides. India succeeded in making its own supercomputer. The indigenous cryogenic engine was only a matter of time. In the field of space, India was striding ahead. In the field of defense, India's success in Nishant UAV, pilotless target aircraft Lakshya and Akash anti-missile system caught the US attention.
India's self-confidence level was high. The NDA govt. turned the Indo-Russian relationship from a buyer-seller to a join development and production partnership. The Brahmos supersonic cruise missile agreement was the result of India's self-confidence. The joint development and production of the 7000Km Sukhoi 30MKI aircraft was also undertaken.
India's Pak-fixation was replaced by its determination to challenge China. China's listening post in the Burmese Coco islands, its engagement in building the Pakistani Gwadar port, its meddling in Nepal and Sri Lanka, its strategic alliance with Bangladesh, its intense military engagement with Pakistan, its rapid military modernization, its repeated incursion into Arunachal, its claim over Arunachal, etc forced the Indian policy makers in search of an strategic antidote. Besides, the Indian Ocean being a theater of power struggle for several powers and a possible transit of several terrorist organizations, the policy makers were worried.
The strategists conceived of Agni 2, 3 and 4 to deter China from any misadventure. Again China's A-Sat (Anti-Satellite) test January last year pushed the strategists even further in search of a dedicated aerospace command. They envisaged the necessity of a space- based anti-missile system.
India's missile development was certainly the result of the untiring efforts of the DRDO. But the aforesaid factors also contributed to the present state of affairs of the missile technology. The Indian missiles and the command and control systems are certainly the byproduct of myriad factors shaping the Indian defense history.
India's Missiles
The IGMDP had five parts—Agni, Prithvi, Trishul, Nag and Akash. Agni was a technology demonstrator. The moment the technology demonstration of Agni with three flights was completed it was taken out of IGMDP. The Agni I, II and III were separately sanctioned. Agni I is Pak-specific and has a 700Km range. It's a single stage solid fuel ballistic missile. Agni II covers 2000Km and Agni III is a China specific ballistic milssile with a range of 3500Km. Both Agni 2 and 3 are two stage and all solid fuel missiles.
Agni III is not only a missile but a system for the future with which various configurations can be developed. It weighs 48.3 tons and 16.7mts long. It has a diameter of two meters and can carry nuclear warheads weighing 1.5tons over a distance of 3500Km. Agni III, like Agni II is rail mobile. The missile uses fire and forget principle. The scientists are now developing Agni IV with a range of 5500Km. Agni IV covers all the major cities of China except Beijing. Agni IV will bring all the major cities of China within its range. It will be a III stage missile with the same weight as Agni III. All the three stages will be powered by solid propellants. The missile, unlike Agni II and III, will be road mobile. All the Agni versions can carry nuclear warheads.
The Prithvi missile is a Pak-specific 350 Km shorter range N-Capable ballistic missile. It has a naval version too, called Dhanush. A modified Prithvi was used for anti-ballistic missile test also. The army has accepted the Prithvi missile.
Nag is a third generation anti-tank missile by summer 2008, Nag related work will be completed .Then the IGMDP will be over.
Trishul is a 9 Km range missile which was meant to replace the 1970s vintage Soviet made Osa short range SAM.The army used the Osa to protect its strike columns from attack helicopters and aircraft. the IAF to protect its air fields and vital installations and the navy to protect its warships at sea from aircraft and anti ship missiles. Though the DRDO is optimistic about its induction, its inordinate delay and initial failures forced India to look for the Israeli Barak. Though it was successfully tested in 2006-07, the future of Trishul is still uncertain.
Akash is a medium range surface to air missile (SAM). Akash is a state of the art multi-target handling surface to air missile system. Only three or four countries such as the US, Russia and France have developed this type of system. Akash uses solid fuel. No country except Russia uses solid fuel in tactical missiles, not even the US. Here the system can be called to be superior to the US Patriot system. With the development of Akash the Indian scientists mastered two unique technologies-multifunction phased array system integration and integration of ram-rocket propulsion, aerodynamics, structure and control. The system also has an application called weapon locating.
Astra is an air to air short range missile developed indigenously by DRDO. It is an efficient weapon released from a vital aircraft and has a striking range of 10-25 Km. India is the sole non-NATO country, except Russia to possess such a sophisticated system.
Sagarika or K-15 is a light, miniaturized and canisterised 700 Km range SLBM.It is 6.5m long and weighs about 7tons. It can carry nuclear warhead up to 600kg. It is a single stage missile powered by solid propellants. It has advanced avionics, propulsion, control and guidance and inertial navigation systems. With the launch of this missile from a submerged pontoon India has joined the select club of countries which includes Russia, the US, France, China and the UK with submarine launch capabilities.
The Indo-Russian Brahmos is the sole supersonic cruise missile in the world. With a range of 300 Km running at Mach 2.8, it can carry conventional warhead of 225 Kg. It is a versatile missile which can be deployed in warships, submarines, aircraft and land-based launchers. It can be used to target high value sea and land targets like warships, bunkers, air bases and railheads. India fired a hypersonic interceptor missile that intercepted and destroyed an incoming target missile in a direct hit over the Bay of Bengal on Dec. 6,2007. The interception took place at an altitude of 15Km, in what is called the "endo atmosphere" The "hit to kill" success catapulted India into the elite club comprising Russia, the US and Israel, all of whom have missiles that can block incoming ballistic missiles.
In November 2006, India demonstrated its, air defense capabilities against incoming missile when it shot down an "enemy" missile in the exo-atmosphere, that is 50Km above the earth. A modified Prithvi missile was used for the purpose using terminal guidance system.
Besides, India has bought 9Km range Barak anti-missile system for the navy. Each system has the capability to fire a minimum of eight interception missiles. This is a point defense system which is the first stage in acquiring a comprehensive theater missile defense system.
In the field of rocket launchers too India occupies a great position. On Feb.29, the Indian army has inducted Pinaka which can be fitted with nuclear warheads. It is a state of the art weapon for destroying or neutralizing enemy camp concentration areas, communication centers, air terminal complexes and gun or rocket locations.Besides the Russian Smerch mobile multiple rocket launcher, which carpet bombs targets 90 Km away is also with the Indian army. The army needs this for destroying targets spread over a wide area.
The Future of India's Missile Development Program
Post Pokhran II, India was fixated with nuclear bombs or warheads. But gradually the policy-makers realized that the delivery systems were even more important than the nuclear warheads because, nuclear bombs will hardly be used in the future wars. But the missiles will and can be used in all the wars. So the policy makers tended towards making an effective command and control system because it is necessary not for nuclear war only but also for conventional warfare to detect and destroy enemy missiles and weapon systems. India, till date has made an astonishing advancement in the field of command and control system. In some ways or the other, it has stridden ahead even of Russia, the US and China. If such a pace continues, India will outperform China in all the missile related technologies and radar systems.
The future holds enormous promises India plans to test launch the Agni 4 missile with a range of 5500 Km. This will cover all the major cities of China within its range. The missile will be much more sophisticated and it will be road mobile to avoid vulnerability. This will be a 3 stage missile with all solid fuel. Furthermore an SLBM of a similar type missile will be developed to integrate it with the indigenous Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV), a euphemism for nuclear submarine. This type of SLBM will be the most reliable deterrence mainly against China. Furthermore, several new technologies can be used with such a vehicle.
The submarine version of the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile is to be tested soon. The submarine version must be much more lethal in nature than it's all the versions. The development of an airforce version of the Brahmos which will be integrated with the 7000Km. Sukhoi 30 MKI is also underway. Furthermore, the Indo-Russion Brahmos Aerospace Private Ltd. Plans to field a hypersonic Brahmos running at Mach 8 by 2010. It will be 1000Km. range. Such a cruise missile must be an asset for the Indian military.
India's indigenous ballistic missile defense system has got a boost with the successful endo and exo-atmospheric tests. Such tests have assumed an unexpected significance in view of the recent anti satellite tests conducted by China and the US. Even the scientists are confident of detecting and destroying not only incoming missiles but also wayward satellites. The former President and missile technologist APJ Abdul Kalam has asserted that India can destroy any foreign object at an altitude of 200 Km.
India, after the US, successfully conducted a hypersonic test. The hypersonic technology can take India on the highest plane of missile technology.
The UPA govt. last year cleared a gigantic Rs. 10,000 crore project with Israel to develop an advanced medium range surface to air (MR-SAM) missile system capable of detecting and destroying hostile aircraft, missiles and spy drones at a range of 70Km. In reality the MR-SAM project is an extension of the ongoing DRDO-IAI project launched in Jan.2006 to develop a supersonic 60Km. Barak NG (Next Generation) missile defense for the navy.
India wants to develop a dedicated aerospace command. But till date, India does not have a dedicated military satellite network. India plans to use the Russian GLONASS (Global Navigational Satellite System) for the purpose. Besides, India is developing its own GPS version- the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite system. ISRO will launch seven satellites to build the system. Besides, the Indo- Israeli space cooperation has reached an unexpected high. With the successful launch of the Israeli spy sat, Tecsar, the bonhomie seems to fructify several projects in the future. India is interested in buying the Israeli radar imaging satellite design. The synthetic aperture radar systems which can look through day and night, rain and cloud are also on the Indian wish list.
The DRDO scientists have succeeded in making light composite materials for making missiles. They will make the missiles lighter and will help the missiles to carry much more warheads. The scientists plan to develop smart, light and miniaturized precision guided missile which will be more accurate and can be carried in aircrafts. Hypersonic vehicles, miniaturized missile systems, nano-technology, very large systems integration and homing guidance have been identified by Research Center Imarat(RCI) as the thrust areas for development of futuristic missiles.
The strategists think the future wars will be network centric, not platform centric. IT will play a major role in future warfare. Hence they have suggested building a network of UAVs, satellites, radars, sensors and so on.
Weapon system like JDAMs (Joint Direct Attack Munitions) and UCAVs will necessitate newer types of missiles. Besides, Indian expertise in software will yield sophisticated missiles. Multiple warhead missiles can be made in the future too.
The offset provision and the participation of the private companies in the defense sector in greater number is going to herald a revolution in the Indian defense history.
If the policy planners and strategists follow their course with unwavering resolve, the country, in the field of missile, will be a pioneer. There is no doubt about it. Besides if a direct and fruitful Indo-US joint venture in this field fructifies, India will certainly be a missile superpower.
. Moreover, presence of such nuke tipped missiles with China is a speculation, there is no conclusive proof that they possess them. So, lets not get into hypothetical debate about probably non-existent missiles.
