Longest Range Ballistic Missile All Set for Undersea Launch

[Sergi]

You may be right. It will be fatter as well in addition to be longer than K15.

Can you explain why do you think that ???

SLBM's length/height is restricted by Sub's height.
Do you think K-15 doesn't utilised full height of Arihant ???
I think they would have utilised it so increase in height( length ) is out of question. So only thing they can increase the range without sacrificing payload is by increasing diameter , using more light weight composite , lighter propulsion systems and maybe developing powerful solid fuel.

 

[faithfulguy]

Bro.... It's obviously going to be fatter.

K-15 is a pencil thin SLBM, probably the thinnest SLBM.

K-4 has a 1.3m diameter.

Similar to Polaris and JL-1.


Wait and see.

Since K-4 is the first SLBM with significant distance, its fair to compare it with Polaris and JL-1. That means K-15 is a test missile that might not get inducted or just a stop gap measure with limited induction India need to develop a fully functional SSBN. Arihant is just a test bed.

 

[HariPrasad]

Can you explain why do you think that ???

SLBM's length/height is restricted by Sub's height.
Do you think K-15 doesn't utilised full height of Arihant ???
I think they would have utilised it so increase in height( length ) is out of question. So only thing they can increase the range without sacrificing payload is by increasing diameter , using more light weight composite , lighter propulsion systems and maybe developing powerful solid fuel.

You are perfectly right. I do not know why K 15 did not utilized full height of Arihant. These are all assumptions. Possibel reasons may be (A pure Gauze)

1) K4 may be for Arihant 2 or K4 may have same height as K 15. K5 may have couple of Meter more height.
2) DRDO might have started development with Modest missile.
3) low dia motor would have been readily available by than.

I fully agree with your range Increase measures.

Can you explain why do you think that ???

Because there is no other way the range can be increased substantially

SLBM's length/height is restricted by Sub's height.

True in case of Vertical launch.

Do you think K-15 doesn't utilised full height of Arihant ???

It is said that Arihant has 10 M Dia so as K 15. If it is true than yes. If one to 2 M long k4 (If it is 2 m longer than K15) is planned from arihant than k 15 is under utilizing the height of Arihant.

.

 

[Sergi]

You are perfectly right. I do not know why K 15 did not utilized full height of Arihant. These are all assumptions. Possibel reasons may be (A pure Gauze)

1) K4 may be for Arihant 2 or K4 may have same height as K 15. K5 may have couple of Meter more height.
2) DRDO might have started development with Modest missile.
3) low dia motor would have been readily available by than.

It would be foolish to not use full space. So rest assure K-15 did use full length.
Second follow on Sub is of same dimensions. 3rd and 4th one is said to be bigger.
Yes tech now and then is difference.
But if you look back our SLBM programme is following Prithvi-Agni lines.

True in case of Vertical launch.

and thats our case.

It is said that Arihant has 10 M Dia so as K 15. If it is true than yes. If one to 2 M long k4 (If it is 2 m longer than K15) is planned from arihant than k 15 is under utilizing the height of Arihant.
.

Nope. If that was true increasing height of K-15 would have made it 1000km range missile !!! 2 meter increase in length in say already 8 meters is qualified as 25% increase in fuel. It would also increase the weight of missile but it would be 1000 km range missile and not 750km !!!
Why would DRDO want to make 750 km missile if they can make 1000 km in first go !!!
So saying K-15 didn't utilised full height is NOT TRUE.

 

[HariPrasad]

It would be foolish to not use full space. So rest assure K-15 did use full length.
Second follow on Sub is of same dimensions. 3rd and 4th one is said to be bigger.
Yes tech now and then is difference.
But if you look back our SLBM programme is following Prithvi-Agni lines.

See Dubby there are contradictions. If K 15 uses full space than K4 (If 1 to 2 m long) in unfit for Arihant 1 and vis a versa. it may be used in Arihant 2.

I do not know about Prithvi and early Agnis but certainly K 4 has a lots of Similarites with A4.

and thats our case.

True.

Nope. If that was true increasing height of K-15 would have made it 1000km range missile !!! 2 meter increase in length in say already 8 meters is qualified as 25% increase in fuel. It would also increase the weight of missile but it would be 1000 km range missile and not 750km !!!
Why would DRDO want to make 750 km missile if they can make 1000 km in first go !!!
So saying K-15 didn't utilised full height is NOT TRUE.

I just Check the possibilities.

K 15 is a missile of 10 M Height. Possibilities are

1) Now if K4 (2 m long) fits in Arihant than Arhant has 12 M dia and K15 underutilizes height.
2) If K 15 fully fits in 10 M dia arihant than K4 is not for Arihant 1 Or,
3) K4 is also a 10 M missile.

All of them can not be true at the same time.

 

[Sergi]

1) Now if K4 (2 m long)
.

From where you get this ???
There is no reason to believe K-4 is longer or is there ???

 

[kurup]

I just Check the possibilities.

K 15 is a missile of 10 M Height. Possibilities are

1) Now if K4 (2 m long) fits in Arihant than Arhant has 12 M dia and K15 underutilizes height.
2) If K 15 fully fits in 10 M dia arihant than K4 is not for Arihant 1 Or,
3) K4 is also a 10 M missile.

All of them can not be true at the same time.

First of all 10m of K15 is not diameter but length .

K15 : length - 10m , diameter - 0.74m , weight - 7tons .
K4 : length - 12m , diameter - 1.3m , weight - 17tons (rumoured)

 

[HariPrasad]

From where you get this ???
There is no reason to believe K-4 is longer or is there ???

Pl read the Article on Page No 1 of Same thread.

K4 : length - 12m , diameter - 1.3m , weight - 17tons (rumoured)

remove word "(rumoured)". Article explicitly states that weight is around 17 tons.

 

[Sergi]

Pl read the Article on Page No 1 of Same thread.




remove word "(rumoured)". Article explicitly states that weight is around 17 tons.

Ok. That !!! I dont have any objections then. I though you know from some specific source.
There is no 100% sure information on K series. May be it will come out later. But yes many sources said K-4 will be 12 m.
Only one wiki article on K family has made a different column for K-4-1 and K-4-2 with -10m and 12m

 

[HariPrasad]

It could better be characterised as a hypersonic cruise missile, since it remains within the earth’s atmosphere. Making the K-4 even more survivable is its ability to manoeuvre, following a twisting path to the target which makes it very difficult to shoot it down.

This is a TOPOL M Type of feature to deceive ABMD system.

In This type of Maneuvers, lots of Kinetic energy is lost. If missile can reach 3500 KM with this type of Maneuvers, It can reach a lot longer range if Fired state. So actually this is a much longer range missile than advertised.

Ok. That !!! I dont have any objections then. I though you know from some specific source.
There is no 100% sure information on K series. May be it will come out later. But yes many sources said K-4 will be 12 m.
Only one wiki article on K family has made a different column for K-4-1 and K-4-2 with -10m and 12

Fine.

 

[IND151]

I'm not sure what ticked you off.
I said funding AND research. Nowhere I said or meant to imply that extensive research wasn't involved. I don't always attribute the success of Indian missile & space projects to funding....only when it is being compared to Pakistan's. Talented minds are on both sides of the border, its just that we lack resources.

Of course India has the advantage of an established civil space programme. Again, nowhere I said that R&D wasn't involved.



Yes of course, now that the missile industry is mature, it takes lesser time for them to design and develop newer systems.

That is not only reason.

You neglected space program when you had no problems of budget.

 

[The Deterrent]

That is not only reason.

You neglected space program when you had no problems of budget.

Well thats just a matter of priorities.

 

[IND151]

To evade Chinese BMD systems,maybe?
The article says it would not leave atmostphere ( like k 15 ).and criuises like a cruise missile,thats a QBM.

Its STM in my opinion.

 

[Alfa-Fighter]

Since K-4 is the first SLBM with significant distance, its fair to compare it with Polaris and JL-1. That means K-15 is a test missile that might not get inducted or just a stop gap measure with limited induction India need to develop a fully functional SSBN. Arihant is just a test bed.

K-15 is for Pak , while K4 is for China/others

 

[Secur]

It could better be characterised as a hypersonic cruise missile, since it remains within the earth’s atmosphere. Making the K-4 even more survivable is its ability to manoeuvre, following a twisting path to the target which makes it very difficult to shoot it down.

I think they mean the ' quasi ballistic ' missile . Since its not a true cruise missile but still mimics some of its trajectory features .