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India has secretly test fired its most potent submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), which gives it the capability to nuclear-bombard a target on land 3,000 km away from an undersea firing platform. The successful maiden launch of the K-4 on 24 March marks one of the most significant advances in its nuclear weapons programme, say sources. This came ahead of the 16th anniversary of the 11 May 1998 Pokhran-II detonations, when India declared itself a nuclear weapons state.

"The K-4 is a worthy successor to the 750-km-range K-15 (also known as the B-05), India's first undersea missile, and extends India's strike range substantially," acknowledged sources in the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which is fostering India's weapons programme.

The missile was fired from an underwater pontoon off India's eastern seaboard at a simulated target in the Southern Indian Ocean. "The full range of this twin-stage missile was validated," sources confirmed to The Sunday Guardian.

The K-4 is a critical component of the missing third (or underwater) leg of India's nuclear triad of weapons, which can be launched from air, land and under the sea. The K series of missiles is named after the missile stalwart and former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

"With the K-4, India's underwater deterrence becomes more meaningful. The present range (750 km with the earlier K-15, India's first undersea missile) is hardly deployable," infers veteran submariner and nuclear strategist Rear Admiral (Retd) Raja Menon, who sees the K-15 mainly as a stepping stone in the learning curve for the development of long-range submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The K-15 has been test-fired earlier at least 10 times. The enhanced range of the K-4 will give India better stand-off attack capability without having to get too close to the target, which involves big risks.

Underwater deterrence based on proven capability to fire nuclear-tipped missiles from a submarine is critical to India's doctrine of No First Use. This is considered the most reliable, and survivable, second strike capability because nuclear weapons hidden under the sea are the most difficult for an adversary to target in a decapitating attack. Although the land-launched Agni-4 and Agni-5 give India's nuclear weapons a greater reach of up to 5,000 km and beyond, unique technological challenges had to be overcome in the development of the K-4, which makes Indian deterrence more credible.

But despite this impressive breakthrough, India's undersea missiles are not deployable weapons yet. These have to be first mated with the Arihant class of nuclear-powered submarines being developed by India. Arihant, the first of the three nuclear submarines (SSBN) being built at Vishakhapatnam, is being readied for sea trials soon. Its nuclear reactor turned critical last year.

The Arihant and the two follow-on submarines will reportedly be able to carry 12 K-15 or four K-4 missiles. These missiles will finally be proven in test-firings from the Arihant during weapons trials, which are to follow sea trials later this year. Former Navy chief Admiral D.K. Joshi had publicly indicated last year that the Arihant would be on operational deterrence patrol by the end of 2014, but further deadline slippages on this already-delayed programme appea inevitable.

The good news is that the weapons of underwater deterrence appear ready, even as the platform which will carry these through oceanic depths is crossing the final hurdles.

• 2004 January, India signs contract for sixteen Mig-29K aircraft with the purchase of the Kiev-class carrier Gorshkov for refurbishment by Russia. The deal called for India receiving the Gorshkov refit for $800 million (US) and the Mig-29K aircraft and six KA-31 AEW helciopters for another $1 billion (US).

• 2005 Construction begins on refitting the Kiev-class Gorshkov into the INS Vikramaditya

• 2007 January, The 1st Indian Mig-29K takes flight in Russia.

• 2008 July, Russia announces that costs for the refit of the Vikramaditya were greater than estimated and wants Inida to pay $3.4 billion more for the refit.

• 2008 December, Vikramaditya hull launched.

• 2009 Indian The first batch of Mig-29K aircraft are delivered to the Indian Navy.

• 2010 January, India signs contract for 29 more Mig-29K aircraft for $1.2 billion (US).

• 2010 February, The first six Mig-29K aircraft achieve IOC with Indian Navy.

• 2011 March, Dock-side trials being on INS Vikramaditya. Russia and India finalize contract modification to $2.35 billion (US) for the Vikramaditya.

• 2011 April, Indian Naval personnel begin arriving in Russia to help man and induct INS Vikramaditya

• 2011 May, Five more Mig-29Ks and a flight simularor delivered to India.

• 2011 June, Prior to its delvery, a Mig-29KUB crashed in Ruissia, killing two Russian pilots, deliveries placed on hold.

• 2011 August, The hold on Mig-29K deliveries to India is lifted after the cause of crash in May is listed as pilot error and the aircraft itself is cleared.

• 2011 December, The final five of the first 16 Mig-29Ks delivered to India.

• 2012 June, INS Vikramaditya begins initial builder's sea trials.

• 2012 July, India nears completion of a Shore Based Test Facility for Naval aircraft at INS Hansa Naval Air Station in Goa.

• 2012 September, INS Vikramaditya fails to reach top speed due to boiler insulation issues.

• 2012 November, Mig-29K aircraft complete initial at-sea air operations trials on INS Vikramaditya, though ship must have its bolier insulation repaired.

• 2013 May, India commissions/stands up the INAS 303 "Black Panthers", the first complete, fully operational Mig-29K squadron.

• 2013 July, INS Vikramaditay completes second builder's sea trials in Russia, with boilers repaired, and attains and holds top speed.

• 2013 September, INS Vikrmaditya completes final builders at-sea air operation trials with Mig-29K.

• 2013 November, INS Vikramaditay handed over to Indian Navy from Russian builders, and departs two weeks later for India with an Indian tanker and Frigate as escorts.

• 2014 January, INS Vikramaditya arrives in Indian waters and conducts joint exercises with INS Voraat, R22, Indian aircraft carrier.

• 2014 January, 1st ten Indian pilots return from Russian training onboard the Russian carrier, Kuznetsov, with Mig-29K fighters and begin training other Indian pilots.

• 2014 February, 1st Indian pilot lands on, and takes off from the INS Vikramaditya in Indian waters.

• 2014 February, Indian navy commissione and makes fully operational its Shore Based Test Facility at INS Hansa Naval Air Station in Goa.

• 2014 May, India deploys the INS Vikramaditya with ten Mig-29Ks and ten newly trained and certified pilots.

The total cost of the INS Vikramaditya and the forty-five Mig-29K aircraft and six Ka-31 helicopters will be $5.35 billion (US). Considering that they have the INS Vikramaditya aircraft carrier, and enough aircraft for it and the indegenous INS Vikrant aircraft carrier too, India has gotten a pricing bargain no matter how you slice it.

Finally i have found the number of MiG-29K/KUB : 23 : 16 + 7 new delivered in 2013 and 6 follow this year.

I took a few days and put together the following article, which is very much similar to the article I also did on the Liaoning.

Be warned, it is pictorially intensive, but I believe covers the entire event like no other site I have seen:


I am still editing to get all of the wording right and get rid of the typos, but thought that SD members would enjoy it and could use it as a resource.

is that a russian or indian navy akula?

aksha said:

is that a russian or indian navy akula?

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Not sure where it was taken.

If it were in Indian waters, it would be Indian.

But, given the aircraft on board and their markings/coloring, I am almost sure it is in Russian waters, which (if indeed this is not a PS, because there are a lot of them out there), it would be a Russian boat...perhaps not an Akula either..

The photo above with the Akula class sub was taken in Russia when the Vikramaditya was still on sea trial. I have already seen that photo last year. And you can see it on the geography. India coast are full of palm trees and tropical vegetation. That back ground is from a much colder place.

Possible Victor III

Akula seem to have a more elongated Kiosk and with less gills/ holes to drain water

NEW DELHI: India and Singapore on Thursday began a week-long joint naval exercise off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The exercise, titled SIMBEX-14, is an annual bilateral war gaming conducted by the Indian Navy and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and would conclude on May 28, a release from the Indian Naval headquarters here said.

The 2014 edition of the Singapore Indian Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) would be the 21st such exercise that began in 1993 to enhance inter-operability and mutual understanding between the two navies.

Bilateral naval cooperation between the two countries was first formalised when RSN ships began training in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) with the Indian Navy in 1994.

Since its inception, SIMBEX has grown in tactical and operational complexity. It has transcended the traditional emphasis on ASW to more complex maritime exercises, involving various facets of naval operations like Air Defence, Air and Surface Practice Firing, Maritime Security and Search and Rescue Operations.

“Both navies derive considerable value form SIMBEX. Inter-operability between the two navies has matured to a point where standard operating procedures for the conduct of exercise have been formalised,” the Indian Navy said.

This year, the Indian Navy is represented by Naval Ships Kuthar and Karmuk from the Eastern Naval Command, besides a Maritime Patrol Aircraft and a helicopter from Andaman and Nicobar Command.

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This just in from Boeing: [Has] delivered the fourth P-8I maritime patrol aircraft to India on schedule, fulfilling the first half of a contract for eight aircraft.The aircraft departed from Boeing Field in Seattle and arrived May 21 at Naval Air Station Rajali, where it joined three P-8Is currently undergoing operational evaluation.

“This marks an important milestone -- the halfway point for P-8I deliveries to India,” said Dennis Swanson, BDS vice president in India. “The Indian Navy is putting the first three P-8Is through their paces operationally, and the P-8I delivered today will begin flight trials in the coming months,” said Leland Wight, Boeing P-8I program manager.

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