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
