India borders China on one side and Pakistan on the other, and the world is aware of the history these countries have had with each other. While Pakistan has been known for harbouring terrorists, China is known for its expansion and annexation policies. Pakistan’s policy of destabilising India through terrorism has been in the limelight several times. But India has always stood tall on its borders and thwarted any attempts by both countries to compromise the sanctity of the nation. Operation Sindoor is a profound example of this.
However, the future is often unpredictable, and hence the Indian Army keeps adding new weapons to its arsenal.
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In recent times, the Indian Navy has added a missile to its arsenal that is unmatched in terms of range and speed. One of its most interesting features is that it can be fired from a submarine. With the addition of this missile, India has joined the rare list of countries that possess missile technology capable of being launched from land, sea, and air.
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The Legendary K-4 Missile
The legendary K-4 missile can be launched from submarines, and hence it is called a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). It can lock onto a target and destroy it from underwater. The missile was recently tested while being fired from INS Arihant off the coast of Visakhapatnam. Officials stated that this was the first submarine-launched test conducted at least five times from underwater platforms in recent years. The missile was tested to almost its full range.
INS Arihant, the second submarine of the Arihant class, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on August 29, with the aim of strengthening nuclear deterrence capabilities.
A Range Superior to the BrahMos Missile
The missile’s lethal capabilities can be gauged from the fact that its range is seven times greater than the current version of the BrahMos cruise missile. Currently, the BrahMos missile has a range of 450 to 500 kilometers. Reports also suggest that India has tested an all-new BrahMos with a range of 800 km, and another version is being developed with a range close to 1,500 km.
However, the K-4 SLBM is far more advanced than the BrahMos. The K-4 SLBM has a range of 3,500 km and is capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
K-4: Deadly and Fast
The K-4 SLBM is capable of moving towards its target at hypersonic speeds. Its exact speed has not been publicly disclosed, but it is believed to reach Mach 5 or higher. This means the missile can attack at speeds of Mach 3 or approximately 3,700 km per hour. Hence, the K-4 SLBM surpasses the BrahMos in terms of speed and is often considered the Brahmastra of the Indian Navy arsenal.