INS Arighaat Flexes Nuclear Muscles: Kalam-4 (K-4) SLBM Test a Resounding Success

On Wednesday, 27th November, India successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable Kalam-4 or  K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), which has a range of 3,500 kilometers. The missile was launched from INS Arighaat, the Indian Navy's newly inducted nuclear submarine. This information was shared on Thursday,28th November, by ANI, quoting sources from the defence sector. 

The test results are currently under review. The submarine is operated by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC), which oversees India's strategic nuclear arsenal. India achieved an important milestone in boosting its nuclear defence capabilities with the induction of its second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Arighaat. The submarine was officially commissioned in August during a ceremony held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, which was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

India's first nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN), INS Arihant, was designed and built domestically. It was launched in July 2009 and officially commissioned in 2016. By 2018, the submarine was reported to be fully operational.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) states that INS Arighaat is much more advanced than INS Arihant, featuring modern technology developed in India. Both INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, each weighing 6,000 tonnes, are powered by 83 MW pressurized light-water nuclear reactors. This technology allows them to stay underwater for long periods, unlike traditional diesel-electric submarines that need to surface often (meaning come up to the water's surface regularly) to recharge their batteries.

Similar to INS Arihant, INS Arighaat is equipped with four launch tubes on its structure. These tubes can carry up to 12 K-15 Sagarika missiles, which have a range of 750 km, or four K-4 missiles, which can travel up to 3,500 km.

Following INS Arihant and INS Arighaat, INS Aridaman, meaning "Destroyer of the Enemy," which belongs to a similar family, is expected to enter service by 2025. It will be equipped with K-4 submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

India follows a ‘no first use’ policy for nuclear weapons, meaning it will only use them in response to an attack. Having submarines capable of launching nuclear missiles from underwater ensures that the country can always strike back if attacked, providing a reliable second-strike capability.

The K-15 missile could only target specific areas in Pakistan. However, the K-4 missile has a much longer range, allowing it to cover all of Pakistan and a significant part of China as well. India is currently developing the K-5 missile, which will have an extended range of around 5,000 kilometers.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own and do not reflect those of DNA)

(The author of this article is a Defence, Aerospace & Political Analyst based in Bengaluru. He is also Director of ADD Engineering Components, India, Pvt. Ltd, a subsidiary of ADD Engineering GmbH, Germany. You can reach him at: girishlinganna@gmail.com)