India Inducts First Home-grown Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile

India has inducted its first home-grown nuclear capable Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) after nearly two decades of development.

The SLBM code-named B-05 was secretly test fired back-to-back from an indigenously built nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant off Visakhapatnam coast earlier this month, Indian Express news daily reported Monday.

According to the report, an official associated with the mission told the news daily that three rounds of the SLBM were tested during the first phase user trial. While two test were conducted on August 11, one was put under trial the next day in full operation configuration.

"All three missiles were fired from the submarine positioned nearly 20-meter deep inside the sea, about 10-km off the Vizag coast. It perfectly followed the pre-designated trajectory before zeroing on the target with high accuracy reaching close to zero circular error probability,-" the official was quoted as confirming over a phone call by the news daily.

India becomes a member of exclusive club of six nations that have the triad of firing nuclear-tipped missiles from land, air and undersea with these tests. Other countries having capability include Russia, USA, France, UK and China.

The SLMB has been developed by the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the 10-meter long B-05 has a strike range of about 750 km and weighs ten tonne. The two-stage missile uses solid propellant and can carry a payload of about 1000 kg. The tests also confirmed the successful induction of INS Arihant submarine.

The 111-metre-long, 15-meter tall and 11-metre broad submarine is capable of carrying six torpedoes of 533 mm and 12 B-05 missiles or four K-4 missiles. Having a 100-member crew, the advanced technology vessel is powered by an 83 MW pressurised light-water reactor with enriched uranium fuel. There is also provision to launch non-nuclear tipped Brahmos supersonic cruise missile as well as the 1,000-km.

Nirbhay which can be configured for both nuclear and non-nuclear warheads.The tests, sources indicated, would pave the way for an early induction of 3,500-km range K-4 missile, which is under developmental trials. Apart from the cruise variants of B-05 and K-4 missiles, DRDO is also developing 5,000-km range K-5 and 6,000-km range K-6 which would add more teeth to the arsenal.