The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) of India is set to conduct a test of a new advanced sea-to-surface missile in the Bay of Bengal next week. The test will likely take place near the port city of Visakhapatnam, which is also home to a significant naval base. Although specific details about the missile remain limited, it is speculated that the test may involve either a new variant of the K-15 Sagarika submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) or a submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM).
The DRDO has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) covering an area of approximately 1,730 km, warning aircraft and vessels to avoid the zone from November 27 to November 30. This indicates that the missile test will involve a medium-range projectile, likely launched from the Visakhapatnam Naval Base.
Experts are speculating that the DRDO will test a new Submarine Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM) or the K-15 Sagarika, a submarine-launched ballistic Missile (SLBM), which is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and is part of India’s nuclear triad.
Which missile will be tested?
In February 2023, the DRDO secretly tested a SLCM, now two more variants of the missile are being developed — a Land Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) and an Anti-Ship Cruise Missile (ASCM), which are reportedly upgrade variants of the Nirbhay subsonic long-range missile. The SLCM tested by DRDO in February last year has a maximum range of 500 km and achieved a range of 402 km.
The SLCM is 5.6 meters in length, weighs 975 kg with a warhead, and reaches its target by navigating using GPS navigation.
The SLCMs are reportedly built on the platform of the Nirbhay missile and can reach speeds of up to 864 to 1000 km/hour, and can carry warhead up to a 300 kg warhead. The SLCMs boast sea-skimming and terrain-hugging capabilities, giving them the ability to sneak past radar by flying slightly above the sea and make them very difficult to intercept.
The SLCM, which will be deployed from the Kalvari class, Sindhughosh and Project-751 class submarines, can be equipped with two types of warheads — a bunker buster precision-cum-blast warhead that can blow up bunkers and strategic targets, and an airburst warhead which can be used against weaker targets.
K-15 Sagarika
The K-15 Sagarika, an SLBM capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, which is part of India’s nuclear triad, has a range of 750-1500 km. It also has a land-launched version, but what makes the K-15 Sagarika lethal is its blinding speed. The missile can travel at a speed of 9260 km/hr, weighs around 7 tons, and is 33 feet long.
The DRDO may likely test a new variant of the K-15 Sagarika as the NOTAM suggests the test will feature a medium-range missile.