Indian Missile News And Discussion

[Arun_S]

[url="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-successfully-testfires-underwater-missile/article4350553.ece?homepage=true&css=print"]http://www.thehindu....=true&css=print[/url]

India successfully test-fires underwater missile - Y. Mallikarjun, T. S. Subramanian



India's underwater K-15 (code named B05) missile piercing the waters of the Bay of Bengal after it was launched from a submerged pontoon off the Visakhapatnam coast, on Sunday. Photo: DRDO India on Sunday successfully test-fired the underwater ballistic missile, K-15 (code-named B05), off the Visakhapatnam coast, marking en end to a series of developmental trials.



In its twelfth flight trial, the 10-metre tall Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) lifted off from a pontoon, rose to an altitude of 20 km and reached a distance of about 700 km as it splashed down in the waters of the Bay of Bengal near the pre-designated target point.



According to scientific advisor to the Defence Minister V.K. Saraswat, the missile was tested for its full range of 700 km and the mission met all its objectives. He said the impact accuracy of the medium range strategic missile was in single digit.



With the completion of developmental trials, the process of integrating K-15 missile with INS Arihant, the indigenously-built nuclear submarine, will begin soon. As many as 12 nuclear-tipped missiles, each weighing six tonnes will be integrated with Arihant, which will be powered by an 80 MWt (thermal) reactor that uses enriched uranium as fuel and light water as coolant and moderator.



India is only the fifth country to have such a missile -- the other four are the United States, Russia, France and China.



Meanwhile the reactor has been integrated with the submarine and it was expected to go critical in May/ June 2013. Once that was done, the harbour trials will begin.



Besides Arihant, three other nuclear-powered submarines were being constructed -- one at Visakhapatnam and two at Vadodara. India is also developing K-4 missile with a range of 3,000 km.

The photos and launch video clearly indicate it is the K15 Sagarika a variant of Shourya.



Some news report inadvertently spill out the true range of this missile (not the oft quoted 700km reports) as 1500 km.



Pallav Bagla NDTV mentions seeing teh missile trajectory whereby it goes up and down and up again. Its the classical porpoise maneuver that this hypersonic Cruise Missile is capable of doing.



My observations:

1. This missile test was done for the classic hypersonic CM where missile stayed in atmosphere all the way. Range was 700Km.

2. One can clearly see the booster separation just few seconds after liftoff.

3. See the small boats near launch point, compare it with missile length of ~ 10 meters.



As I have shown earlier the missile can also fly ballistic and resume CM on re-entry with minimal re-entry load, and that range is well in excess of 700km (pure CM ) range, expected to be at least 1900 km.



See page 14 and 15 of this PPT that I shared with some friends couple of years ago.



[url="http://www.slideshare.net/ramana_56/bgrv-and-indian-missiles-arun-vishwakarma-rev-1-c-9600008"]BGRV and Indian missiles - Arun vishwakarma, rev 1 c[/url]

[Arun_S]

[url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-test-fires-ballistic-missile-from-underwater-platform/articleshow/18208492.cms"]India test-fires ballistic missile from underwater platform -ToI[/url]

PTI

Jan 27, 2013, 06.20 PM IST

• NEW DELHI: Moving a step closer to completing its nuclear triad, India today successfully test-fired a ballistic missile, with a [size="4"][color="#0000FF"]strike range of around 1500 kilometres[/color][/size], from an underwater platform in Bay of Bengal.

"The medium range K-5 [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/ballistic-missile"]ballistic missile[/url] was test-fired successfully today from an underwater pontoon and all parameters of the test firing were met," DRDO chief VK Saraswat told PTI from the undisclosed test area.



Nuclear triad is the ability to fire nuclear-tipped missiles from land, air and sea.



Saraswat said that the development phase of the [url="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/K-5-missile"]K-5 missile[/url], which is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), was over and it was now ready for deployment on various platforms including the indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant which is under development.



K-5 is part of the family of underwater missiles being developed by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) for the Indian strategic forces' underwater platforms.



This missile will help India to achieve the capability of launching nuclear warheads from underwater facilities. This is the first missile in the underwater category to have been developed by India. So far, India had the capability of delivering nuclear weapons from land and aerial platforms only.



India has a no-first-use policy for nuclear weapons and the development of an SLBM boosts its retaliatory strike capability, experts said.



India is also developing two more underwater missiles including K-15 and Brahmos with strike ranges of 750 kilometres and 290 kilometres respectively.



India has for some time possessed the Agni series of ballistic missiles as well as fighter-bomber aircraft to constitute the land and air-based legs of the nuclear triad.



India had on April 19, last year made a giant stride when it test-fired nuclear-capable Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that has brought China within its reach with a strike range of over 5,000 km. This missile also gives India the capability to hit targets in eastern Europe, east Africa and the Australian coast.



K-5 ballistic missile, which is also known as BO5, has been developed by DRDO's Hyderabad-based Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL).



Officials said more than 10 trials of the missile have been performed earlier. Today's was the last development trial of K-5. Only a select few nations including the US, France, Russia and China have this type of missile capability.



"This is a significant development and capability enhancement. The launch of the SLBM is a complex technological development. And now since the missile is ready for induction, this is a major punctuation in India's indigenous missile development programme," said security expert Commodore (retd) Uday Bhaskar.



Another security expert Commander (retd) Sunil Chauhan said the development has helped India achieve a significant milestone for country's strategic forces. This success will give countervailing capability, he said.



Defence analyst Deba R Mohanty said by achieving the nuclear triad, India will certainly be on the upward trajectory of becoming a global military power in the real sense.

[Arun_S]

[url="http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/india-has-submarine-ballistic-missile-capability-says-chief-of-india-s-defence-body/241172?vod-related"]http://www.ndtv.com/...172?vod-related[/url]



When asked VK Sarsawat categorically calls it a "BALLISTIC" missile (not cruise missile). Meaning the missile will usually be launched in ballistic mode with hypersonic glide/cruise on re-entry. That is how this small and light weight missile has a range (> 1500 km) far in excess of its class of pure ballistic missiles.



I take some solace and gratification of being the first to predict this mixed mode of trajectory (flight) and range that far in excess of pure ballistic flight; all based on public source material.

[Ravi]

Sir Can K-15 missile achieve 1500km range without leaving the atmosphere i.e, 40km altitude. or what is the altitude when the missile has to achieve 1500km range???

[Arun_S]

[quote name='Raviprakash' date='28 January 2013 - 11:58 AM' timestamp='1359354047' post='116409']

Sir Can K-15 missile achieve 1500km range without leaving the atmosphere i.e, 40km altitude. or what is the altitude when the missile has to achieve 1500km range???

[/quote]



It is answered in the PPT I referred on last post of previous page. Look at page 14.



[url="http://www.slideshare.net/ramana_56/bgrv-and-indian-missiles-arun-vishwakarma-rev-1-c-9600008"]BGRV and Indian missiles - Arun vishwakarma, rev 1 c[/url]

[Ravi]

[quote name='Arun_S' date='28 January 2013 - 01:59 PM' timestamp='1359361260' post='116410']

It is answered in the PPT I referred on last post of previous page. Look at page 14.



[url="http://www.slideshare.net/ramana_56/bgrv-and-indian-missiles-arun-vishwakarma-rev-1-c-9600008"]BGRV and Indian missiles - Arun vishwakarma, rev 1 c[/url]

[/quote]



1. According to the slide 14 in the above link its mentioned that 40km to achieve 700km but report in [url="http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-successfully-testfires-underwater-missile/article4350553.ece"]Hindu[/url] claims it achieved 700 km in just 20 km altitude...



2. I am no expert in this matter but i am just a arm chair jingo... i am may be over ambitious and jealous in asking this question...Considering the fact that both the stages of K-15 missile are maraging steel...if they are replaced by composites then what would be the changes in fuel mass ratio of both the stages and in-turn its effect on payload as well stipulated range....???

[Arun_S]

Range is only marginally affected by cruise altitude. 20 Km cruise is perhaps the lower limit (below that drag will reduce range significantly). 20-40 km altitude is the operating range.



As for more range by using different material, I think the missile works optimally with current confign and the performance is already UBER, why bother? for larger range & payload the K4 kicks in. I love K15 with its current 1800 - 2100 km range.

[Ravi]

[quote name='Arun_S' date='28 January 2013 - 11:38 PM' timestamp='1359396059' post='116412']

Range is only marginally affected by cruise altitude. 20 Km cruise is perhaps the lower limit (below that drag will reduce range significantly). 20-40 km altitude is the operating range.



As for more range by using different material, I think the missile works optimally with current confign and the performance is already UBER, why bother? for larger range & payload the K4 kicks in. I love K15 with its current 1800 - 2100 km range.

[/quote]



i know the performance of this Missile is already exceeding expectations but if tomorrow some one wants to better its range...because science gets better as days pass and scientists has no satisfaction of what he achieves...so plz tell me the effects of composites on both stages.

[Arun_S]

For endo-atmospheric flying hypersonic gliding craft, the dead weight of expended stage is the carrier of kinetic energy, energy that is required/consumed to overcome drag while maintaining cruise altitude. Reducing mass fraction with lighter casing will result in higher burnout velocity, that takes it to higher mach number and higher thermal regime. Lower Mach number allows this missile to continue to use material that can sustain the lower temperature, (I.e. lesser Max-Q pressure, and Max-Q temperature) beyond which one will require greater thermal protection (nose and glide-body) like a long range ballistic missile). I guess it is at a sweet spot for mass fraction for this type of trajectory.



BTW making a rocket stage with Maraging steel casing is more difficult than using composite, as maraging steel is extremely hard to work. IOW composites is not the zenith of ultimate engineering, maraging steel is equal if not more difficult.



As an aside a friend asked why the booster stage of K-15 so tiny that takes it to a only 5 km altitude. It is counter to conventional space rocket / ballistic missile design principals to use staging with progressively smaller stages to obtain higher effective mass fraction. I was similarly puzzled 4 years ago. The significant of this choice is shown on page 14 of the PPT, and also in the Shourya article I wrote on Indian Defense Review 4 years ago ( [url="http://www.indiandefencereview.com/news/indias-multifunction-missile-for-credible-deterrent/"]India's Multifunction Missile for Credible Deterrent: IDR[/url] ). IOW stealth. Any expended stage wobbles after separation and that makes it most visible to a long range radar that is scanning the search space. When the single stage craft rises above the radar horizon at an inclined attitude, it presents a very small RCS for the rest of the flight.

[Arun_S]

IMHO after Sagarika/Shourya the next higher range endo-atmosheric hypersonic cruise missile will use an all composite case, one that will be powered for a much longer duration; being powered by SCRAMJET engine. Such missile will still fly much of the distance un-powered, using the charged up kinetic energy to sustain level flight (or even porpoise) trajectory.

[shyam1]

Thanks sir. Is there a chance that Shaurya with conventional payload fired at a nuclear enemy (PRC,TSP) will mistake it for a nuclear warhead and pop one back? I doubt TSP has that detection capability but what about PRC?

[Arun_S]

Unlike US & Russia during cold-war, neither TSP nor PRC have missiles in hot configuration ready for launch on approach of a inbound missile. No country yet has any tech to know if incoming is nuclear or chemical warhead. When India launches Shourya, the onus is on receiver to figure out if it wants to gradually escalate or jump to MAD. Fortunately most nations will have people on the other end that are not crazy. Indian strategists/commanders are intimately familiar with this and other issues. Indian commander will not start a war that it unsure of winning. So when Shourya carries a punch to where it hurts, it will be part of tool kit for commander to choose most appropriately.

[shyam1]

But if you don't mind me asking, can you point to any incident where we have used a nuc. capable missile with conventional warhead without causing escalation?



I can't see a commander taking the decision to use a conventional warhead on K15 just because a miscalculation by enemy can mean death of thousands or more - if not I'm sure top brass of leadership will impose the cap. Strategic planners think in worst case scenario always but they are ready to take calculated risks - however I think in this case the risk/consequences is unacceptably high.

[ramana]

When its single vehicle it would be nuts for the challenger to launch on warning without waiting to see if its nuke or not.



BTW, most targets in TSP can be takenout by conventional weapons due to the high accuracy. The bad ones will need nukes and they are only a few left. Eg Sargodha air base due to its large airfield and defences would require many aircraft sorties. On the other hand IAF Prithvis and the new Shourya can disable it for some time. IAF may choose to not attack their nukes to signal non-escalation.

[Arun_S]

Shyam1: First kindly tell me which radar in TSP can detect Shourya at a range greater than even 10 Km?

[shyam1]

fully agree as I alluded to in my first post- TSP is not the issue here. What about PRC detection capabilities sir?

[Arun_S]

Please do the honors and tell what China does have to detect Shourya? (even advertized capability). More importantly where is the Chinese doctrine of hair-trigger readiness to launch all barrels when there is an unexplained blip on the surveillance radar?



Indian will fire nuke tipped Prithvi, Sagarika, Agni, Brahmos, MKI after nuclear deterrence is broken, at that time it is a moot point what the enemy will think; If the missile is nuke tipped ? or still MMS/Chidumbrum/Shinde velvet gloved conventional 50 kg warhead from one brother nation to another brother nation?

[Arun_S]

Please do the honors and tell what China does have to detect Shourya? (even advertized capability). More importantly where is the Chinese doctrine of hair-trigger readiness to launch all barrels when there is an unexplained blip on the surveillance radar?



Indian will fire nuke tipped Prithvi, Sagarika, Agni, Brahmos, MKI after nuclear deterrence is broken, at that time it is moot point what the enemy will think! if the missile is nuke tipped or still MMS/Chidumbrum/Shinde velvet gloved conventional 50 kg warhead from one brother nation to another brother nation.

[shyam1]

Admittedly I dont know PRC capabilities - stolen or advertised. As for hair-triggeredness - I imagine they will only use nuc's when in a state of war and perhaps that will mean mating them once conflict starts or if they miscalculate.. I also dont think they are very transparent in their nuclear doctrine and I also don't believe we'll put faith in a piece of paper if they decide to publish it.

[shyam1]

[url="http://http://ibnlive.in.com/blogs/sauravjha/2976/64304/trends-in-missile-development-in-india-an-interview-with-drdos-missile-man-avinash-chander.html"]Trends in missile development in India: an interview with DRDO's missile man Avinash Chander[/url]



0

Geek at Large caught up with Avinash Chander, Chief Controller Research and Development ( Missiles and Strategic Systems), DRDO, at Metcalfe House, New Delhi last week for a brief chat on some trends in India's missile programmes. His contributions to the success of India's long range ballistic missile programmes were recognised recently in the form of a Padma Shree Award.



Saurav Jha: DRDO recently completed developmental tests of the K-15 even as it is moving towards canisterised systems on land. Did this move towards canisterisation grow out of DRDO's underwater launch programmes?



Avinash Chander: Well, activity in this domain has been going on for sometime now. Our success with underwater launch technology did give us added confidence in the domain of canisterised systems. We are now quite confident in this area and all future Agni series missiles are likely to be canisterised and that might include the Agni-4.



Saurav Jha: The Agni-4 as well?



Avinash Chander: Future versions of the Agni -4 may be canisterised as well.



Saurav Jha: Like the K-15, will we also see a land based version of the K-4 SLBM which is reported to have been under development?



Avinash Chander: There is a possibility. A land-based K-4 is under consideration.



Saurav Jha: Given that the K-15 doesn't actually leave the atmosphere and undergoes powered flight for a part of its journey, how would you classify it?



Avinash Chander: The K-15 falls within the category of shaped trajectory systems.



Saurav Jha: One of your monthly newsletters last year stated that the Agni-III had gone into production. So are the stages of the Agni-III made of low alloy steel? Also I read somewhere that all-composite Agnis may be in the offing. Isn't that an expensive proposition?



Avinash Chander: The Agni III is an inducted system. The Agni III's stages are made of maraging steel. In the case of Agni V, two stages out of three are made of composites. Composites can actually be cheaper when mass produced.



Saurav Jha: Given that missile defence applications of directed energy weapons are being explored worldwide, is DRDO looking to future proof its long range strike systems? Are MIRVs and MaRVs being considered?



Avinash Chander: Well this is a continuous process. The history of warfare has always been one of weapons and counterweapons. So naturally our strategic strike systems have to keep evolving taking into account anti-ballistic missile developments in our neighbourhood. Intelligent warhead design, MaRVs etc are all part and parcel of this process. MIRVs also give you higher leakage probability.



Saurav Jha: DRDO now has proven capability in the domain of long range ballistic missile systems. But some would say that achieving precision accuracy from these missiles at very long ranges is dependent on something beyond DRDO's control i.e on the availability of reliable global positioning satellite co-ordinates to remove cumulative errors. Given that India is yet to roll out its own GPS, how would you respond to this?



Avinash Chander: The most important part of a long range missile's journey is actually the launch phase, which if effective provides the greatest accuracy. So if your error rate is low to begin with, all that you need is a few fixes in between as you approach the target and that cannot be denied to us, as nobody can jam on a global level.



Saurav Jha: So you are confident about India's delivery capability?



Avinash Chander: Absolutely. Nobody can stop it.