India launches first nuclear-capable underwater missile

[bemildred]

Source: Gulf News/Agencies

New Dehli: India has successfully test-fired a nuclear-capable submarine-launched ballistic missile from an undersea location off its eastern coast, news reports said quoting defence officials.

The test firing was done from an underwater launcher positioned 50-metres under the surface of the sea off the coast of eastern Orissa state, IANS news agency quoted defence officials as saying.

The 8.5-metre-long missile, earlier named Sagarika, which means born in the sea, but now referred to as k-15, weighs about seven tons and carries a 500-kg payload. It is designed to carry both conventional or nuclear warheads.

The test firing of the underwater missile completes India's capability to fire nuclear weapons from land, air and the sea.

Read more: http://archive.gulfnews.com/world/India/10192850.html

[Infinite Hope]

1. I wonder how earthquakes and such would affect that on the seafloor. n/t

[bemildred]

2. I was thinking about how it would affect Aircraft Carrier Groups. nt

[14thColony]

4. That was just a launch tube simulator

designed to mimic the dynamics of a submarine launching the missile from a depth of 50m. The actual missiles will be deployed on and if needed launched from submarines, not from a test rig anchored in shallow water. The US, France, Britain, and Russia have operated nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines for years. India just wants to join that club too.

[Ghost Dog]

5. And Israel, it is rumored. n/t

[babylonsister]

3. Oye. That sounds scary. nt