GOI's 1st official acknowledgement of the 'K4' long-range submarine launched nuke-capable missile

[ravinderpalrulez]

This clip from the DRDO's official 2015 AeroIndia film purports to show the K4 long-range submarine launched ballistic missile. Looks like the K15 though. That the K4 missile was tested for the first time last year is certain. Not sure about the footage though. It *is* from an official DRDO film. Bottomline: an official word on the K4 for the first time.

 

[Astra-2013]

sideways thrusters for stability of missile Drdo should use thrust vector controls in main engine

 

[Supply&Demand]

sideways thrusters for stability of missile Drdo should use thrust vector controls in main engine

do u mean the smoke coming frm the top of the missile?

 

[Ind4Ever]

sideways thrusters for stability of missile Drdo should use thrust vector controls in main engine

How it's possible for you to avoid it....


It's K4 bro And you worried about the engine ....

This clip from the DRDO's official 2015 AeroIndia film purports to show the K4 long-range submarine launched ballistic missile. Looks like the K15 though. That the K4 missile was tested for the first time last year is certain. Not sure about the footage though. It *is* from an official DRDO film. Bottomline: an official word on the K4 for the first time.

Looks like bigger than K 15 .... With more thrust . Definitely not K 15 . And it's official DRDO video .

 

[bhangi bava]

Look awesome

 

[Water Car Engineer]

This clip from the DRDO's official 2015 AeroIndia film purports to show the K4 long-range submarine launched ballistic missile. Looks like the K15 though. That the K4 missile was tested for the first time last year is certain. Not sure about the footage though. It *is* from an official DRDO film. Bottomline: an official word on the K4 for the first time.

DUDE, THAT'S AWESSSSOOMMMMEEE!!

That launch!!!

 

[The Deterrent]

Seems like a very unconventional propulsion system has been used to "eject" it from water, before the ignition of the first stage. The cold-launch system like that of modern SLBMs (based on the one used by canisterized Agni-V) might take more development time.

 

[Water Car Engineer]

Deterrent, any other SLBM launched in this fashion? I think I've seen something similar.

 

[The Deterrent]

Deterrent, any other SLBM launched in this fashion? I think I've seen something similar.

Not that I know of. This mechanism uses boosters in the nose to "pull" the missile out of the water and gain some altitude. Historically, SLBM launches have been something like:
1. The submarine would surface, open hatches and launch missiles like a road mobile TEL.
2. The submerged-submarine would eject the missile out of the tube, and the missile's first stage would ignite while still in water.
3. Modern SLBMs are ejected by high-pressure gas-generating mechanisms out and above water (from upto 150ft depth). Once the missile clears water and stabilizes, the first stage is ignited.

EDIT: So I searched for that mechanism, it is called a cavitator (basically an explosive gas generator, which pushes the water aside to facilitate free upward motion of the missile, and is ejected after the missile's ejection). It is particularly associated with Russian SLBMs (R-39 Sineva).
However after comparing the Russian missile launches with this one, it seems that K-4's cavitator has much much more thrust, as it seems to physically propel the missile upward. Probably the design is a new or experimental one.

 

[Aamna Ali]

@The Deterrent

Here is the full video! Please give us your comments !

 

[The Deterrent]

@The Deterrent

Here is the full video! Please give us your comments !

Thank you, I already have. Please see Post # 09.

 

[IndoUS]

Not that I know of. This mechanism uses boosters in the nose to "pull" the missile out of the water and gain some altitude. Historically, SLBM launches have been something like:
1. The submarine would surface, open hatches and launch missiles like a road mobile TEL.
2. The submerged-submarine would eject the missile out of the tube, and the missile's first stage would ignite while still in water.
3. Modern SLBMs are ejected by high-pressure gas-generating mechanisms out and above water (from upto 150ft depth). Once the missile clears water and stabilizes, the first stage is ignited.

EDIT: So I searched for that mechanism, it is called a cavitator (basically an explosive gas generator, which pushes the water aside to facilitate free upward motion of the missile, and is ejected after the missile's ejection). It is particularly associated with Russian SLBMs (R-39 Sineva).
However after comparing the Russian missile launches with this one, it seems that K-4's cavitator has much much more thrust, as it seems to physically propel the missile upward. Probably the design is a new or experimental one.

So what do you think is the pros-cons for this?

 

[proud_indian]

this slide is from the drdo presentation
we will eventually have a missile with a range more than 6000 kms with 4 MIRV's (2000kgs)
that'd be a real game changer

 

[possumlot]

Not that I know of. This mechanism uses boosters in the nose to "pull" the missile out of the water and gain some altitude. Historically, SLBM launches have been something like:
1. The submarine would surface, open hatches and launch missiles like a road mobile TEL.
2. The submerged-submarine would eject the missile out of the tube, and the missile's first stage would ignite while still in water.
3. Modern SLBMs are ejected by high-pressure gas-generating mechanisms out and above water (from upto 150ft depth). Once the missile clears water and stabilizes, the first stage is ignited.

EDIT: So I searched for that mechanism, it is called a cavitator (basically an explosive gas generator, which pushes the water aside to facilitate free upward motion of the missile, and is ejected after the missile's ejection). It is particularly associated with Russian SLBMs (R-39 Sineva).
However after comparing the Russian missile launches with this one, it seems that K-4's cavitator has much much more thrust, as it seems to physically propel the missile upward. Probably the design is a new or experimental one.

You are mistaken. If you look at the video closely you will find that the Missile nose fires AFTER it has cleared the water.

Then the Nose engine fires up and pulls the missile up along with the engine at the base of the missile.

I suspect this is to ensure launch of missile even if the gas ejector does not fully eject the missile to required height. The Nose engine is probably designed to fire even under water and is to be ejected when the missile reaches certain hight. Possibly the ejection of the Nose engine will expose the Nose Aerospike designed to reduce drage and increase range of the missile.

 

[Chanakya's_Chant]

​

DRDO in its Aero India 2015 official video has showcased small video of countries most advanced submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) to date. K-4 which has ability to strike a land target 3,500 km away from an undersea firing platform and is a significant boon to India’s nuclear weapons program.

K-4 was tested on March 24, 2014 from a pontoon submerged more than 30 metres deep in the sea off the Visakhapatnam coast. After a powerful gas generator ejected it from the pontoon submerged in the Bay of Bengal, the K-4 missile rose into the air, took a turn towards the designated target, sped across 3,000 km in the sky and dropped into the Indian Ocean.

DRDO never confirmed success of the missile launch nor released any videos or pictures of not so secret missile . But after almost one year after secret launch DRDO finally has acknowledge successful test of missile in the new video and released small videos of the launch . idrw.org has put together snapshots of the video in above picture.

India Secret K-4 SLBM finally emerges | idrw.org