The K-15 Sagarika is an Indian submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) with a range of approximately 700 km.
Sagarika/Shaurya at a Glance
- Originated from
- India
- Possessed by
- India
- Class
- Short-Range Ballistic Missile (SRBM)/Medium-Range Ballistic Missile (MRBM)
- Basing
- Sub-launched
- Length
- 10.8 m (Sagarika), 12 m (Shaurya)
- Diameter
- 0.8 m
- Propulsion
- Two-stage solid propellant
- Range
- 700-750 km (Sagarika), 3,000-3,500 km (Shaurya)
Sagarika Development
Development of the Sagarika is thought to have begun in the 1990s.1 The Sagarika has a maximum range of 700 km and is powered by a two-stage solid propellant motor. It has a reported length of 10.8 m, a body diameter of 0.8 m, and a launch weight of 5,500 to 6,300 kg. The payload can be HE or nuclear with a weight of 500 to 800 kg. The missile likely depends on inertial navigation for guidance and may possess a radar-based terminal homing system..2 Its short range would likely preclude it from being used as a survivable strike option against China, as it would require the Indian submarine to be able to launch from the South China Sea. Similarly, the K-15 would also not be able to target Islamabad in Pakistan due to its range constraints.3 Because of this limited operational utility, the Sagarika is most likely an R&D platform for the development of a longer-range SLBM. Between 2004 and 2008, it reportedly underwent 10 different test firings with the first fully integrated test in January 2010.4
Shaurya Development
Early testing of the Shaurya happened on land, with many suggesting that it was the land-based version of the Sagarika after tests in 2008 and 2011.5 The missile underwent its first undersea launch in March 2014 from a submerged barge, also demonstrating an expanded range of 3,000 km.6 The missile was tested again, firing at a depressed trajectory from an undersea barge and allegedly to a range of 3,500 km.7
Technical details on the Shaurya are difficult to ascertain, as the program is held as a tight secret. Jane’s estimates that the Shaurya has essentially the same characteristics as the Sagarika, including the similar short-range, treating the missile as essentially a ground-launched version.8 Others have reported that it is longer at about 12 meters and weighs around 17 tons with the ability to carry up to a 2 ton payload.9 While Hans Kristensen and Robert Norris suggest that the Indian SLBM will have to be adjusted to successfully carry the Shaurya,10 others claim that the missile has already been tested from the Arihant.11 It is likely that the missile is intended to carry a nuclear payload to complete India’s nuclear triad of delivery vehicles and could likely be outfitted with other conventional payloads.
Footnotes
- Nc Bipindra, “India Nears Completion of Nuclear Triad With Armed Submarine,” Bloomberg, February 25, 2016, Accessed on http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-25/india-said-to-near-inducting-its-first-nuclear-armed-submarine.
- James C. O’Halloran, “Sagarika (K-15/B-05),” in IHS Jane’s Weapons: Strategic, (IHS; 2015). 40.
- Hans M. Kristensen and Robert S. Norris, “Indian nuclear forces, 2015,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Nuclear notebook, Vol. 71 issue 5 (2015) 81.
- Cmde Ranjit B. Rai, “The inside story of SLBM K-15,” Indian Defense Review, February 11, 2013, Accessed on http://www.indiandefencereview.com/spotlights/the-inside-story-k-15/.
- T.S. Subramanian and Y. Mallikarjun, “India successfully test-fires Shourya missile,” The Hindu, September 25, 2011, Accessed on http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/india-successfully-testfires-shourya-missile/article2482010.ece; Rajat Pandit, “India successfully test fires Shaurya missile,” The Times of India, November 13, 2008, Accessed on http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-successfully-test-fires-Shaurya-missile/articleshow/3703369.cms.
- T.S. Subramanian, “Success on debut for undersea launch of DRDO’s K-4 missile,” The Hindu, May 8, 2014, Accessed on http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/success-on-debut-for-undersea-launch-of-drdos-k4-missile/article5987663.ece.
- Franz-Stefan Gady, “India Successfully Tests New Ballistic Missile,” The Diplomat, March 22, 2016, Accessed on http://thediplomat.com/2016/03/india-successfully-tests-new-ballistic-missile/.
- James C. O’Halloran, “Shaurya,” in IHS Jane’s Weapons: Strategic, (IHS; 2015). 41.
- Franz-Stefan Gady, “India Successfully Tests New Ballistic Missile,” The Diplomat, March 22, 2016, Accessed on http://thediplomat.com/2016/03/india-successfully-tests-new-ballistic-missile/.
- Hans M. Kristensen and Robert S. Norris, “Indian nuclear forces, 2015,” Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists Nuclear notebook, Vol. 71 issue 5 (2015) 81.
- Ankit Panda, “India Successfully Tests Intermediate-Range Nuclear-Capable Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile,” The Diplomat, April 10, 2016, Accessed on http://thediplomat.com/2016/04/india-successfully-tests-intermediate-range-nuclear-capable-submarine-launched-ballistic-missile/.