India tested it’s most ambitious weapon — the K-4 submarine-launched long range ballistic missile — twice last month. Top sources tell Livefist that the two tests, both conducted at less than ceiling range of 3,500 km were conducted at an undisclosed location in the south Bay of Bengal.
The two tests on March 7 and March 31 are understood to be the second and third tests of the K-4. The first test, the details of which remain shadowy, is understood to have been carried out in March 2014. The K-4, a submarine-launched derivative of the Agni-III — but a vastly different weapon, obviously — was revealed first by my India Today colleague Sandeep Unnithan back in 2010. The lower range K-15 submarine-launched missile was launched in 2013.
The Indian government barely acknowledges the existence of the K-4, so nobody’s expecting anything official from the DRDO or MoD on the lines of what they put out for literally every other weapon test, including the doddering Prithvis (that are up for a progressive phase out soon, but more on that later).
A big congratulations to the K-4 team!
Bharat Mata ki Jai!!!!!!!!!
Hi Shiv
Why do you call Prithvi doddering. Doesnt the Prithvi 2 use thixotropic fuwl which is not toxic making it storable in the missile and prithvi is as mobile as a solid fuel missile.
Also are there multiple warheads on K4. 2 tonne is too heavy for warhead considering India does not have megaton range weapons
Its a good achievement by the DRDO, that lets its work do the talking. Its unlikely that other media houses wouldn't have picked up this news.
But they won't report it. Why ?
When you're busy dissing indigenous products and promoting foreign wares who would report on the K-4 ?
I was shocked that the ToI's and the HTs of the world were silent on Tejas' successful Bahrain sojourn. However, some US deputy under-secretary probably mentioned at a party that they'd like to manufacture F-16s or F-18s in India, and lo and behold ! It got prominent coverage in ToI and HT and other "mainstream" media outlets. This, despite the fact that both these flunked IAF's MRCA tests and are very very unlikely to make the cut ever again. And with the Tejas and variants in development, these aren't needed anyway. Thankfully, the HAL Chief set the record straight on this a few days ago.
Instead, we have NDTV's articles like the one in a very mocking tone about the IAF inducting its first Tejas squadron with 2 planes. With reporters like Shri. Sudhi Ranjan Sen around, will the K-4 launch ever be covered ? Will the ordinary citizen ever know where his tax rupees are being spent? But he'll know that the UA wants to make F-35s in India…..the white gent standing at the corner said so!
Best wishes to DRDO
If this missile is meant for China then 3400km range may not be sufficient for reaching each and every target in China.
Yes it will. Will lighter 1 tonne payload the range will be 5K km. Not to mention 4K km is enough from Bay of Bengal.