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India to Test Fire Nuclear-Capable Ballistic Missile

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January 26, 2017

Why in news?

India is about to test launch a K-4 intermediate-range nuclear-capable ballistic missile.

What are the specificcations?

  • The missile has a range of up to 3,500 km and is capable of carrying a nuclear/conventional payload of more than 2 tonnes.
  • It is powered by solid rocket propellants.
  • It has been designed to be fired from a depth of 50 meters.
  • It uses a Ringer Laser Gyro Inertial navigation system.
  • It is capable of cruising at hypersonic speed.
  • It also features a system of weaving in three dimensions during flight as it approaches its target.
  • Indian scientists claim that the missile is highly accurate with a near zero circular error probability.
  • India last tested the K-4 missile in April 2016 from aboard in the country’s first domestically developed nuclear submarine, the INS Arihant.
  • Prior to that the missile was test launched from a submerged platform in March of the same year.
  • The K-4 missile deployed aboard boats of the new Arihant-class will give the Indian Navy an undersea nuclear deterrent capability.

What is the issue?

  • The announcement of the K-4 trial launch follows Pakistan’s first-ever test of a nuclear-capable Babur-3 submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM), and the surface-to-surface medium-range ballistic missile Ababeel.
  • The entire K family of missiles is a series of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) developed by India to boost its second-strike capabilities.
  • But one of the major problems for India remains is that its submarine force is too noisy.
  • Therefore it questions the credibility of its second-strike capability even with the new K-4 missile.
  • Also India’s nuclear warfare policy is centered on a No First-Use (NFU) doctrine.
  • Ttherefore India keeps nuclear warheads de-mated from missiles, which reduces the nuclear deterrence of the country.

 

Category: Mains | GS-III | S&T

Source: The Diplomat

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