K-4 (SLBM)
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K-4 or Kalam-4 is a nuclear capable intermediate-range
submarine-launched ballistic missile A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from Ballistic missile submarine, submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which ...
developed by the
Defence Research and Development Organisation The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India, charged with the military's research and development, head ...
of
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
to arm its
Arihant-class submarine The ''Arihant''-class () is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines in service with Indian Navy. They were developed under the ''Advanced Technology Vessel'' (ATV) project to design and build nuclear-powered submarines. These ...
s. The missile has a maximum range of about 3,500 km which offers greater operational flexibility compared to its predecessor K-15 having a limited shore-bounding range. On deployment, the missile will be the first to operationalise India's sea-based
nuclear triad A nuclear triad is a three-pronged military force structure of land-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and strategic bombers with Nuclear weapon, nuclear bombs and missiles. Countrie ...
and can accommodate the demand of credible
second-strike In nuclear strategy, a retaliatory strike or second-strike capability is a country's assured ability to respond to a nuclear attack with powerful nuclear retaliation against the attacker. To have such an ability (and to convince an opponent of it ...
capability of its nuclear doctrine. The INS Arihant and INS Arighaat have four
vertical launching system A vertical launching system (VLS) is an advanced system for holding and firing missiles on mobile naval platforms, such as surface ships and submarines. Each vertical launch system consists of a number of ''cells'', which can hold one or mo ...
for the missile while S4 and S4* submarines have double the number of
vertical launching system A vertical launching system (VLS) is an advanced system for holding and firing missiles on mobile naval platforms, such as surface ships and submarines. Each vertical launch system consists of a number of ''cells'', which can hold one or mo ...
. The missile has completed developmental launch trials and has reportedly entered serial production after a final two consecutive launch trials in January 2020 within a gap of six days. In September 2024, ANI reported the deployment of the missile onboard the Arighaat, several days past her commissioning.


Development

The importance of submarine launched nuclear weapon capability has been recognised early due to its inherent flexibility, survivability and secrecy which aligned well with India's
no first use In nuclear ethics and deterrence theory, no first use (NFU) refers to a type of pledge or policy wherein a nuclear power formally refrains from the use of nuclear weapons or other weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in warfare, except for as a se ...
and
credible minimum deterrence Credible minimum deterrence is the principle on which India's nuclear strategy is based. It underlines no first use (NFU) with an assured second strike capability and falls under minimal deterrence, as opposed to mutually assured destruction. I ...
policy. The first indigenous
SSBN A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine capable of deploying submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) with nuclear warheads. These submarines became a major weapon system in the Cold War because of their nuclear deterrence capabil ...
was launched in 2009 and was commissioned seven years later as INS Arihant. Concerns related to the limited range of K-15 ballistic missile operationalised by the submarine was addressed gradually with the development of a higher range version. In January 2010, the K-4 was secretly tested off
Vishakhapatnam Visakhapatnam (; formerly known as Vizagapatam, and also referred to as Vizag, Visakha, and Waltair) is the largest and most populous metropolitan city in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is between the Eastern Ghats and the coast of t ...
. The 10 metre long and 1.3 metre wide 'black and white' missile emerged from a pontoon submerged 50 metre underwater and breached the surface. A second firing was also conducted in
Visakhapatnam Visakhapatnam (; List of renamed places in India, formerly known as Vizagapatam, and also referred to as Vizag, Visakha, and Waltair) is the largest and most populous metropolitan city in the States and union territories of India, Indian stat ...
which has revalidated the critical ability of a 20-tonne projectile to withstand 50 kg of water pressure and eject from a submerged launcher before engaging its rocket booster.


Agencies responsible

The High Energy Material Research Laboratory (HEMRL) and the Advanced Centre for Energetic Materials (ACEM) of the
DRDO The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is an agency under the Department of Defence Research and Development in the Ministry of Defence of the Government of India, charged with the military's research and development, headqu ...
have been involved in developing the three motors responsible for propelling the K-4, the systems responsible for separating the stages of K-4, the low-thrust boosters, the gas generator and other components. The launch system of K-4 has been developed by the Naval Systems Group of the Research and Development Establishment (Engineers).


Description

The K-4 is a
submarine-launched ballistic missile A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from Ballistic missile submarine, submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which ...
which is composed of two stages. The missile is reported to be long with a diameter of and weighs nearly . It can carry a warhead weighing up to and is powered
solid rocket propellant Rocket propellant is used as reaction mass ejected from a rocket engine to produce thrust. The energy required can either come from the propellants themselves, as with a chemical rocket, or from an external source, as with ion engines. Overvi ...
. The DRDO stated that the aim of the missile was to achieve a high accuracy. As a countermeasure against ballistic missile defence systems, the K4 can perform three-dimensional maneuvers. Specifications * Range (exact is classified):
Full load: ~
Reduced load: ~ * Guidance system:
Inertial navigation system An inertial navigation system (INS; also inertial guidance system, inertial instrument) is a navigation device that uses motion sensors (accelerometers), rotation sensors (gyroscopes) and a computer to continuously calculate by dead reckoning th ...
with
GPS The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based hyperbolic navigation system owned by the United States Space Force and operated by Mission Delta 31. It is one of the global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) that provide geol ...
/
NavIC Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), with an operational name of NavIC (acronym for Navigation with Indian Constellation; also, 'sailor' or 'navigator' in Indian languages), is an autonomous regional satellite navigation syste ...
satellite guidance A guided bomb (also known as a smart bomb, guided bomb unit, or GBU) is a precision-guided munition designed to achieve a smaller circular error probable (CEP). The creation of precision-guided munitions resulted in the retroactive renaming of ...
*
Circular error probable Circular error probable (CEP),Circular Error Probable (CEP), Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Technical Paper 6, Ver 2, July 1987, p. 1 also circular error probability or circle of equal probability, is a measure of a weapon s ...
: <. (Alleged) The K-4 uses a powerful nose mounted motor which has two diametrically opposite mounted nozzles which fires underwater and enable the transition of missile through water, break the surface and continue the ascend into the atmosphere for the first few seconds. The gases ejected from this system is expected to create a gas bubble encapsulation around the missile which will reduce the drag during underwater transition. During the ascent into atmosphere, the four control surfaces at the base of the missile provide the necessary aerodynamic control to the missile. After the burnout of the nose mounted motor, the base shrout at the bottom of the missile housing the control surfaces and control actuation system is ejected. The first stage will ignite to coincide with the burnout and ejection of nose mounted motor to prevent zero thrust condition. The flex nozzle control of the first stage will provide necessary steering during
boost phase A ballistic missile goes through several distinct phases of flight that are common to almost all such designs. They are, in order: * boost phase when the main boost rocket or upper stages are firing; * post-boost phase when any last-minute change ...
. The airflow pattern over the nose cone of the missile is reminiscent of the one seen of blunt nose cones or nose cones with an aerospike which will reduce drag and heat load significantly.


Testing


Operators

; * The
Indian Navy The Indian Navy (IN) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Navy, maritime and Amphibious warfare, amphibious branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of the Naval Staff (India), Chief ...
is the only operator of K-4. As of September 2024, the deployment capacity stands at 8 missiles on Arihant-class ballistic missile submarines: ** S2 ''Arihant'' ** S3 ''Arighaat'' ** S4 ''Aridhaman'' ** S4* ''(Unknown designation)''


See also

*
K Missile family The K family of missiles (K for 'Kalam'), is a family of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) developed by India to boost its second strike abilities and thus augment its nuclear deterrence. Information about this family of missiles has ...
*
Arihant-class submarine The ''Arihant''-class () is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines in service with Indian Navy. They were developed under the ''Advanced Technology Vessel'' (ATV) project to design and build nuclear-powered submarines. These ...
*
Submarine-launched ballistic missile A submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) is a ballistic missile capable of being launched from Ballistic missile submarine, submarines. Modern variants usually deliver multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), each of which ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:K-4 (SLBM) Submarine-launched ballistic missiles Defence Research and Development Organisation Ballistic missiles of India