India launched K-15 SLBM
India's DRDO today conducted the 11th successful underwater test of the K-15 medium range subsurface-launched ballistic missile from the Bay of Bengal. Sources on board one of the Indian Navy ships monitoring the launch report that the launch was a successful one. The launch took place from a special R-glass cannister from a specially configured underwater pontoon launch platform. The K-15,officially designated B-05, with a range in excess of 750-km (its official range is classified) is the submarine-launched version of the land-launched Shourya that has been tested four times so far. The country's Arihant-class SSBNs will be able to deploy 12 K-15s or four of the much longer range K-4 missiles, still under development.
Official statement by DRDO: DRDO developed underwater launched missile B05 was successfully flight tested on 27 Jan 2013 from Bay of Bengal off the coast of Visakhapatnam. The missile launched from a pontoon, was tested for the full range and met all the mission objectives. All the parameters of the vehicle were monitored by the radar all through the trajectory and terminal events have taken place exactly as expected. Scientific Adviser to Raksha Mantri Dr VK Saraswat congratulated all the scientists, technicians of DRDO on the successful flight test. Defence Minister AK Antony congratulated all the scientists for successful launch of B05.
