Nuclear-Powered INS Arihant Carried Out Successful Launch of SLBM
October 15, 2022
“The missile was tested to a predetermined range and impacted the target area in the Bay of Bengal with very high accuracy. All operational and technological parameters of the weapon system were validated.
INDIA’S STRATEGIC Strike Nuclear Submarine INS Arihant on Friday carried out a successful launch of a Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM). The Ministry of Defence said that the test is significant for the SSBN programme, which is a crucial element of India’s nuclear deterrence capability.
“The missile was tested to a predetermined range and impacted the target area in the Bay of Bengal with very high accuracy. All operational and technological parameters of the weapon system were validated,” a press statement issued by MoD on Friday.
“The successful user training launch of the SLBM by INS Arihant is significant to prove crew competency and validate the SSBN programme, a key element of India’s nuclear deterrence capability. A robust, survivable and assured retaliatory capability is in keeping with India’s policy to have ‘Credible Minimum Deterrence’ that underpins its ‘No First Use’ commitment,” the ministry’s statement added.
Commissioned in 2016, INS Arihant is India’s nuclear-powered ballistic missile capable submarine, classified under the SSBN programme. The SSBN is a hull classification symbol for nuclear-powered ballistic missile carrying submarines. Operations of the SLBMs from the SSBN are under the purview of Strategic Forces Command which is part of India’s Nuclear Command Authority.
Officials said that capability of being able to launch nuclear weapons from submarines has great strategic importance in the context of achieving a nuclear triad, especially in the light of the ‘no first use’ policy of India.
The capability to launch nuclear missiles from submarines has great strategic importance and is in line with the target of achieving a nuclear triad – of weapon delivery from land, air and sea – given India’s no-first-use policy.
The family of indigenously developed Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles (SLBMs), sometimes referred to as K-family missiles are codenamed after Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the central figure in India’s missile and space programmes, who also served as the 11th President of India.
Under the SLBM family, missiles of various ranges have been developed including K-15 also called Sagarika, which has a range of at least 750 km.
India has also developed and tested the K-4 missiles from the same family, which have a range of 3,500 km. It is said that more members of the K-family with higher ranges are also on cards.
Launched in 2009, INS Arihant was commissioned in 2016. The next in the class, INS Arighat is reported to have been launched in 2017 and is said to have been undergoing sea trials.
In December 2021, UK-based Janes Defence Weekly reported, citing satellite imagery sources, that India had launched its third Arihant class submarine sometime in November.
Courtesy: IE