After Agni-V, B05, and K-4, India shifts focus on Next Big Thing

Two Major development of last few days has been that India’s Longest Landbased nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles ” Agni-V” has started the process of operationalizing nuclear-tipped missile into Strategic Forces Command (SFC) which will soon begin a second pre-induction trial of Agni-V soon.

India also has now confirmed that 700km “B05 submarine-launched strategic missile to has been fully operationalized and another long-range submarine-launched nuclear missile K-4 (3500km) to has cleared developmental trials and is now closer to induction.DRDO has now started working on K-5 SLBM with a reported range of 5000km.

K-5 is a nuclear capable submarine-launched ballistic missile reportedly being developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian strategic forces’ underwater platforms.It will arm the future variants of Arihant class submarines of the Indian Navy.

The K family of missiles is a series of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) developed by India to boost its second-strike capabilities and thus the nuclear deterrence. Information about this family of missiles has mostly been kept classified. “The classified ‘K’ missile family” is known as the “Black Project” has better and lighter rocket casings, advanced guidance technologies for greater accuracy and a capability to fly depressed trajectories to stay away from missile defence systems for longer,which DRDO officials are covertly working on. It is reported that “the top secret indigenous “K” missiles are faster, lighter and stealthier.
Missiles in the series
• K-15 or Sagarika K-15 missile has 750-1000 km ranged
• K-4 Missile has a 3500-5000 km range
• K-5 Missile be K-5 with a reported range of over 5000-6000 km with MIRV Warheads.

K-5 SLBM will have a range of in excess of 6000 km with 2-tonne payload which can carry four multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) warheads of 500kgs each.

While the Actual range of K-5 will remain classified but with MIRV warheads, the missile will be able to hit targets as far as 8000-10000 km. Indian Government seems to be non-committal to confirm if the development of Agni-VI with MIRV is under development but many Defence analysts think that India might be under tremendous pressure to cap its land-based ICBM program in lieu for support from other countries for its NSG entry, this might force India to divert its focus on SLBM development.

The family of K-Series of Submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) developed by India has been developed under countries Black Project while maintaining a high level of secrecy. K-15 SLBM has 750-1000 km ranged the first missile from K-Series, which was followed up by the development of K-4 SLBM which has a 3500-5000 km range and now next missile to be developed will be K-5 with a reported range of over 6000 km with MIRV Warheads.

SSBN S4 Class Submarine will be armed with K-15, K-4 and K-5 SLBM will be in  India’s Second line of SSBN codenamed S5, almost twice as big as the Arihant-class. These will be able to carry up to 12 K5 intercontinental ballistic missiles with MIRV warheads.

Arihant and Arighat both have been cleared to operate only K-15 SBLM with a range of 700 km and soon K-4 SLBM will become operational with a range of 3500km soon. As per experts once K4 becomes operational in both the submarines, both Arihant and Arighat would be deployed for active patrol with nuclear warheads in next two years in rotational bases.

India at present is constructing Three Arihant Class Nuclear ballistic missile Submarine and lead INS Arihant Submarine already has been inducted into Indian Navy and work on Second Submarine is nearing completion and work are already underway on the third submarine.

India also plans to construct bigger and better Nuclear ballistic missile Submarines post completion of work on Arihant Class Submarines new larger which will be designated as S5 and will be as big as Ohio class nuclear-powered submarines currently used by the United States Navy.India is also planning to develop Six indigenous Nuclear attack Class Submarines to patrol vast Indian ocean.