BHUBANESWAR: In a major milestone to augment India’s Naval prowess, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) on Friday conducted the last developmental trial of intermediate range Submarine launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) K-4 making the weapon ready for its series of production and induction in the Armed Forces.
The indigenously developed missile with a dummy payload was fired from a pontoon (replica of a submarine) submerged in the Bay of Bengal, nearly 45 nautical miles off Visakhapatnam coast. Capable of delivering nuclear warhead 3,500 km away, the missile was tested for a reduced range to validate new technologies incorporated in the system.
Starting from successfully clearing the launch tube from a depth of around 50 metre and breaking the water surface to stage separation and maintaining the ballistic trajectory as expected, the missile achieved all mission parameters before zeroing on the pre-designated target with high accuracy.
“The mission was of greater significance as the weapon was tested in its deliverable configuration with the active participation of Navy personnel. The missile was flight-tested at a depressed trajectory. The trial was stupendous. The missile is now ready for induction and serial production,” a Ministry of Defence (MoD) official told ‘The Express’.
This was second test of the missile in the last five days. On Sunday, the underwater missile was test fired in operational configuration for its full range of over 3,500 km achieving close to zero circular error probability.
“The consecutive successes reflect the maturity of the country’s capability in designing and developing strategic contemporary systems leading to their production for strengthening its deterrence and defence capabilities,” the official added.
K-4 can perform three-dimensional manoeuvres to defeat ballistic missile defence systems. It is 12 metre long with a diameter of 1.3 metre and weighs around 17 tonne. It can carry a warhead weighing up to two tonne and is powered solid rocket propellant.
Since India is focusing more on long range underwater ballistic missiles to strengthen its second strike capabilities, K-4 will add teeth to its arsenal which is now boasted of Agni series of missiles besides some tactical weapon systems with advanced technology and all three versions of supersonic cruise missile BrahMos.