New Delhi. 30 November , 2015. Arihant India’s nuclear powered submarine in the making has successfully executed a weapon ejection trial in the Bay of Bengal. The submarine fired what has been reported to be an unarmed B-05 submarine launched ballistic missile that sports a range of approximately 1,000 km in an unarmed or “dummy” configuration. The trial was strictly to observe and validate the weapon ejection mechanism from the Arihant’s dorsal vertical missile launch silos that release their weapons through hydraulic hatches.
The Arihant is currently on trials in the Bay of Bengal, validating virtually all aspects of its efficacy as a strategic weapons delivery platform, including its dive depth and endurance, acoustic signatures at various speeds, lurking depth and weapons release depth. A parallel programme to develop its weapons, including the B-05 has progressed with more tests likely in Spring 2016. The Arihant will ultimately sport the K-4 strategic nuclear missile, a submarine-launched version of the Agni-III, giving the platform its full-fledged place in India’s nuclear triad.
