India’s underwater N-missile passes final test

Moving closer to its ambition of achieving the nuclear weapon triad - the capability to fire nuclear-capable missiles from the land, air and sea - India on Sunday successfully test-fired the underwater ballistic missile, K-15 (code-named B05), off the Visakhapatnam coast, marking an end to a series of developmental trials.

In its twelfth flight trial, the 10-metre tall submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) lifted off from a pontoon, rose to an altitude of 20 km and reached a distance of about 700 km as it splashed down in the waters of the Bay of Bengal near the pre-designated target point.

According to scientific advisor to the defence minister V K Saraswat, the missile was tested for its full range of 700 km and the mission met all its objectives. He said the impact accuracy of the medium range strategic missile was in single digits.

Officials of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said the SLBM) was now ready for induction into the defence forces.

"The two-stage missile, which rapidly climbed to a 20-km altitude after being launched from the pontoon, was tested for its full range over 700-km. This was its last developmental test, in which all mission objectives were met," said an official.

"Now, the missile, which can carry a one-tonne nuclear warhead, will undergo a user-trial within a month before it's integrated into the submarine.