There is a certain shelf life of Prithvi SRBMS. As and when they reach those, units in SFC too will convert to newer system.
Pralay and Shaurya: Conventional Strike Surface-to-Surface Missiles
- Thread starter Ashwin
- Start date
Shouldn't the SFC just use the Shaurya missiles as the replacement for Prithvi III ? The new version of the Shaurya is already with the SFC & its range is comparable with the Prithvi III. Prithvi I & II need not have a replacement at all. A nuclear strike missile with 150 km range is hardly appealing today.
If the Pralay is meant for conventional strike then it would be better to keep it exclusively for that role. It is better to have separate missiles for the SFC & the conventional missile regiments.
Does this translate to induction by 2022 ? @Gautam
One more test...
Prithvi 1 , or what mostly remains in service with the Army were either fully modified to a P2 version or received an guidance upgrade. In Army role P1 with only the upgraded guidance systems is operational with a view to use it as smart munitions carrier actually. In case of a conventional conflict the aim is to fire these P1 from close to border with engagement ranges being as close as 50km to as far as 180km. A battery firing a few dozen missiles will do the job of hundreds of guided Excalibur shells.
How many and in what configuration they remain exactly is something which I don't know. But their replacement will depend on how the Rocket Force is shaped.
The SFC specifically received the Prithvi 2 (ssm250) if i am not mistaken. P2 often dubbed as IAF variant, we should remember when the SFC was first created it was IAF chief heading it. 250km to 350km with around 280-350kg of nuclear warhead with pretty good precision is what is currently held. Weight is sometimes said to be as low as 180kg, but that's hopefully we will never know.
Coming back to SFC assets. Prithvi 3 is an available capability, not a deployed asset as of now. In late 2010s when talks started, it was conveyed by the forces that inducting a new liquid fueled short range system was not worth it. Agni 1 was by then operationally deployed.
As and when Agni 1 is out of service, we will then need a new platform in SFC for that SRBM role. The Agni 2 units have been either upgraded or replaced with new Agni 2 improved missiles. I don't know exactly. But they are operationally deployed. Numbers unknown to me.
When Pralay comes in, the requirements with respect to Pakistan will be fulfilled. Agni 2 now can carry nuclear warhead upto 3000km. So range will not be a problem for SFC with respect to Pak imo.
Networked assets. If requirements dictate a single target be destroyed using multiple different platforms, it will be done. But if you mean that a battery operating both Brahmos and Pralay. That's operationally not feasible. Can be done but not logical.
Whichever role & consequently command it's been assigned to , it'd have to continue with it. What that means is that if it's deemed to have a strategic role & it's command entrusted to the SFC , it or a similar looking ( or performing the same role) derivative of it can't take up a conventional role with the IA / IN / IAF.
I would say that these might be user trials and a few Pralay missiles may already part of Indian Army's weapons...
DRDO tests any new short range missile under the GARB of DHANUSH missile and then suddenly unveils it with a 100 percent??? successful test...
Similarly drdo tested K4 and K5 under the garb of K15. Last we know that K4 is deployed and had a successful first detterent patrol.
New rocket motors were the ones needing extensive testing , but with similarly with SMART, which is also under trials, this might mean that the solid fuel motors have proven themselves.
The guidance could be tested upon P1/2 user trials disguise.
So yes, could be.
Are there any sources?
The last time K4 was mentioned was towards end-2020 in an Indian Express article that said that the SLBM had cleared its trials and was ready for induction.
As for K5, there is no information to my knowledge except for an India Today article from 2017.
I want to know that too. Hopefully we will get to know the dimensions of the Pralay soon.
Given it is based on the Shaurya & we have the LAC situation I would think so. Hopefully by mid-2022 we see this missile officially inducted.
I think the role for tactical nukes can be fulfilled by the Shaurya. The Shaurya outperforms the Prithvi-3 missile in every useful metric be that range, speed, accuracy or maneuverability by an embarrassing margin. The Shaurya can carry out short range strikes just as well as the Pralay.
I don't think there is any need to have the Pralay, which is essentially a "baby Shaurya", in the SFC. Using the same missile for both conventional strike & nuclear role is not feasible either. Pralay & the Prahaar are needed for the conventional strike forces.
Exactly you cannot have the same missile do 2 jobs. That will cause a great deal of problems.
Deep down I always knew 2022 would be happening.
Definitely Pralay will be heavier because of heavy payload.
Pralay vs Bhramos..
How expensive will be ? Storage life?
seems like both will have seekers.
even if both are at same price, wrt Pralay all the money will stay in india.. It's adv Pralay.
if s it's cheaper, we can have 2 or 3:1 ratio to Bhramos.
and also first stage seems common for Smart..
We are getting some flexibility there to increase numbers wherever it's needed.
Without Chinese threat all these development will find difficult to get orders.
And even R & D seems pacing well.
If they are of the same dimensions then that opens up the possibility of having the Pralay on a naval platform. I don't know why but I really want to see a Shaurya derivative on a surface ship.
Weight won't matter much as they can use different gas cannisters for cold launch. As far as cost goes you have a liquid fueled ramjet vs solid fueled motor. With in the same category of missiles Solid fuel will be cheaper always.
300 give or take. Just initial numbers though. Might grow.