INS Arihant launches Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile
SLBM
- The Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs), sometimes called the ‘K’ family of missiles, have been indigenously developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
- The family is codenamed after Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the centre figure in India’s missile and space programmes who also served as the 11th President of India.
- Because these missiles are to be launched from submarines, they are lighter, more compact and stealthier than their land-based counterparts, the Agni series of missiles which are medium and intercontinental range nuclear capable ballistic assets.
- Part of the K family is the SLBM K-15, which is also called B-05 or Sagarika. It has a range of 750 km.
- India has also developed and successfully tested K-4 missiles from the family, which have a range of 3,500 km.
- The tests conducted were a key step towards ultimately deploying K-4s on the INS Arihant.
- It is also reported that more members of K-family — reportedly carrying the code names K-5 and K-6, with a range of 5,000 km and 6,000 km respectively — are under development.
The Strategic Significance
- The successful user training launch of the SLBM by INS Arihant is significant to prove crew competency and validate the SSBN programme.
- A robust, survivable and assured retaliatory capability is in keeping with India’s ‘no first use’ commitment.
- These submarines can not only survive a first strike by the adversary, but can also launch a strike in retaliation, thus achieving ‘Credible Nuclear Deterrence’.
- The development of these capabilities is important in the light of India’s relations with China and Pakistan.
- China: The PLA Navy currently operates 6 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and 46 diesel-powered attack submarines (SSs).
- Pakistan: It Navy operates 5 diesel-electric submarines and 3 mini submarines of under 150 tonne displacement.
INS Arihant
- Launched in 2009and Commissioned in 2016, INS Arihant is India’s first indigenous nuclear powered ballistic missile capable submarine built under the secretive Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project, which was initiated in the 1990s.
- INS Arihant and its class of submarines are classified as ‘SSBN’, which is the hull classification symbol for nuclear powered ballistic missile carrying submarines. While the Navy operates the vessel, the operations of the SLBMs from the SSBN are under the purview of India’s Strategic Forces Command, which is part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority.
- In November 2019, after INS Arihant completed its first deterrence patrol, the government announced the establishment of India’s “survivable nuclear triad” — the capability of launching nuclear strikes from land, air and sea platforms. Then Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had tweeted: “India has achieved completion of her nuclear triad with the first successful deterrence patrol by INS Arihant. This places India in the league of the few countries that can design, construct and operate Strategic Strike Nuclear Submarines (SSBN).”
- The second submarinein the Arihant class, SSBN Arighat, is reported to have been launched in 2017, and said to be undergoing sea trials at present. In December last year, UK-based magazine Jane’s Defence Weekly reported, citing satellite imagery sources, that India had launched its third Arihant-class submarine.
- In addition, India operates 15 conventional diesel electric submarines(classified as SSK), and some more are on the way.
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