Top 5 SLBM in the world

Top 5 SLBM 

5. Bulava (Russia)

The Bulava is a new Russian submarine- launched ballistic missile. The Bulava ia a naval variant of the Topal- M. It is used on 3 Borie class submarines. 16 missile can be carried in each submarine.

Year deployed: 2013

Range: 4000 km with full payload;

             9500 km with reduced payload 

MIRV: 6- 10

Blast yield: 150 kT each warhead 

CEP: 350 m

4. JL-2 (China) 

The JL-2 is a new Chinese submarine- launched ballistic missile. It is the naval variant of the land based DF-31 ICBM. These missiles are carried by 4 Jin class submarines. 12 missiles in each submarine.

Year deployed: 2015

Range: 7400- 8000 km

MIRV: 3- 4

Blast yield: 250 kT single warhead;

                    90 kT each MIRV warhead 

CEP: 100 m

3. M 51 (France)

The M 51 is a French submarine- launched ballistic missile. These missiles are carried by 4 Le Triomphant class submarines. There are 16 missile in each submarine.

Year deployed: 2010

Range: 8000 km with full payload;

             10000 km with reduced payload 

MIRV: 6- 10

Blast yield: 107- 150 kT each warhead 

CEP: 150- 200 m

2. R-29 RMU 2.1 Layner (Russia)

The R-29 RMU 2.1 Layner is a submarine- launched ballistic missile. It is an improved version of the previous R-29 RMU 2 Sineva. It is used on 6 Delta IV class submarines. There are 16 missiles in each submarine.

Year deployed: 2014

Range: 8300 km with full payload;

             12000 km with reduced payload 

MIRV: 12

Blast yield: 100- 300 kT each warhead 

1. Trident II (USA)

The Trident D5 or Trident II, is a submarine- launched ballistic missile. It is an improved version of the previous Trident C4. The USA & UK both countries use this missile. The US Trident II missiles are carried by 14 Ohio class submarines, 24 missiles in each submarine, while the British missiles are carried by 4 Vanguard class submarines, 16 missiles in each submarine.

Year deployed: 1990

Range: 7800 km with full payload;

             12000 km with reduced payload 

Blast yield: 475 kT each warhead 

CEP: 90 m

Top 5 ICBM in the world

   Top 5 ICBM in the World 

   (SLBM not included)

5.  DF-31 AG (China)

     It is the newest ICBM developed in China. It is a road-mobile based system. 

     Range: 11200 km

     MIRV: 3

     Blast Yield: 20, 90 or 150 kT each

     CEP: 150 m

4.  DF-41 (China)

     It is currently the most powerful ICBM developed in China.

     It is road- mobile based system.

     Year deployed: 2016- 2017

      Range: 12000 km

      MIRV: 10 

3.  LGM-30 G Minuteman (USA)

    It is the most numerous ICBM that USA has. It was the 1st     MIRV capable ICBM in the world. It is a silo- based missile.

   Year deployed: 1970

   Range: 13000 km

   MIRV: 3

   Blast yield: 300- 500 kT

   CEP: 120 m

   Number built: 450

2.  RS-24 Yars (Russia)

     It is an improved version of the previous RS-12 M Topal- M.

     It was developed both as a road- mobile based & silo based missile. The Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle has    been tested with this missile.

     Year deployed: 2010

     Range: 12000 km

     MIRV: 6

     Blast yield: 100- 300 kT

     Number built: 63 road- mobile based 

                             10 silo based 

1.  R-36 M2 Voyevoda (Russia)

     It is an improved  version of R-36 M family. It is a silo based missile. It is currently the longest range ICBM in the world. After 2020, the R-36 M will be replaced by R-28 Sarmat ICBM which is currently being developed in Russia.

    Year deployed: 1988

    Range: 16000 km

    MIRV: 10 

    Blast yield: 0.75- 1 MT

    CEP: 220 m

   Number built: 58

HAL Light Combat Helicopter

HAL Light  Combat  Helicopter 

The HAL Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is a multi-role  combat helicopter designed and developed by Rotary Wing Research and Design Center (RWR&DC) and manufactured by Hindustan  Aeronautics Limited (HAL). It has been ordered for both the Indian Air Force and the Indian Army. 

Role: Attack helicopter 

Manufacturer: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited 

First flight: 29 March 2010

Status: In production 

Number built: 4

Unit Cost: US $20.2 millions 

Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) was proposed to meet IAF’s requirement of a dedicated light helicopter for combat operations. LCH has maximum possible commonality with ALH. LCH with a narrow fuselage has pilot and co-pilot/gunner in tandem configuration incorporating a number of stealth features, Armour protection, Night attack capability and crash worthy landing gear for better survivability. 

The HAL Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) is a multirole combat helicopter, designed to perform various attack profiles, including relatively high altitude flight. Equipped with a two-person tandem cockpit to accommodate a pilot and co-pilot/gunner, it has been developed to perform both the anti-infantry and anti-armour missions. In addition to these roles, the LCH is intended to be used for a variety of operational purposes, such as to perform air defence against slow-moving aerial targets, including both manned aircraft and unmanned  aerial vehicles(UAVs), participation in counter-insurgency operations (COIN) and Counter Surface Force Operations (CSFO), the destruction  of enemy air defence and wider offensive use during urban  warfare conditions, escort to special heliborne operations (SHBO), support of combat searchand rescue (CSAR) operations, and armed aerial scouting duties.

The major features of LCH are:

• Glass Cockpit
• Crashworthy bottom structure
• Crashworthy fixed tricycle type with tail wheel landing gear
• Canted flat panels for low Radar Cross Section
• Integrated Dynamic System
• Hinge less Main Rotor / Bearing less Tail Rotor
• Anti-Resonance Isolation System
• Integrated Architecture and Display System (IADS)
• IR Suppressor
• Counter Measuring Dispensing System (CMDS)
• EO pod, Helmet Mounted Display System & EW suite
• 20mm Gun, 70mm Rocket & Missiles
• Air to Air Missiles (ATAM)
• Air to Ground Missiles (ATGM)

Airfare:

It's crew compartment is armor protected against 7.62 mm & 12.7 mm heavy machine gun bullets. It's empty weight is 2250 kg and maximum take off weight is 5800 kg. In internal fuel its range is 550 km but with drop tanks it can be increased to 700 km.

It's engine is protected by infrared suppressor and digital camouflage reduces its heat signature. It's flat panel minimizes its radar cross section.

It's fuel tank ia built with self healing material. After being shot it can heal itself from inside and do not allow a fuel leakage.

Sensor:

LCH is a network centric attack helicopter, its advance integrated data link allows it to carry out network centric operations. It can transfer mission data to airborne & ground based platforms. 

     cockpit of LCH

In the nose  of LCH there is an integrated target acquisition and designation system comprises of a CCD camera, forward looking infrared (FLIR) imaging sensor, laser rangefinder and laser designator to acquire target under all wether conditions. With these sensor the pilot can easily acquire the target by helmet mounted sight.

Armament:

The M621 cannon is integrated into a hemet- mounted sight. It have  70 mm rockets, Mistral-2 air-to-air missile and Helina ATGM.

Specification:

Crew: 2

Length: 15.8 m (51 ft 10 in)

Wingspan: 4.6m (15 ft 1 in)

Height: 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)

Max. take off weight: 5800 kg

Payload: 700 kg weapons 

Engine: 2× HAL/ Turbomeca Shakti-1h1 turboshaft,                      1032 kW each

Performance:

Max. Speed: 269 km/h

Range: 550 km (340 mi) with weapons 

Endurance: 3 hours 10 minutes 

Service ceiling: 6500 m (21300 ft)

Rate of climb: 12 m/s (2400 ft/min)

Armament:

Gun: 20 mm M621 cannon 

Hardpoint: 4

Rockets: 70 mm ( 4 rocket pods with 12 rockets in                          each pod)

Missiles: 2× Mistral-2 air-to-air missiles,

                4× Helina ATGM 

Bomb: Cluster bombs, unguided bombs, generade.                    launchers 

Operators:

Limited series production- 15 IOC units ordered, 10 for Indian Air Force (IAF) & 5 for Indian Army Air Corps (AAC)

India Air Force: 65 on order 

Indian Army: 114 on order 

               

Astra Missile

Astra missile 

Astra is an all weather beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It is the first air-to-air missile developed by India. It features mid-cource intertial guidance with terminal active radar homing.

Manufacturer: Bharat Dynamics Limited 

Mass: 154 kg (340 lb)

Length: 3.57 m (11.7 ft)

Warhead weight: 15 kg (33 lb)

Propellent: Solid fuel 

Speed: Mach 4.5

Flight ceiling: 20 km (6600 ft)

Operational range: 110 km (68 mi)

Launch Platform: Sukhoki Su-30MKI 

It uses an inertial guidance system driven by a fiber optic gyroscope with terminal guidance through active radar homing. It can bear 40G turns & uses a smokeless rocket motor which makes it hard to detect.

ASTRA is a Beyond Visual Range (BVR) class of Air-to-Air Missile (AAM) system designed to be mounted on fighter aircraft. The missile is designed to engage and destroy highly manoeuvring supersonic aircraft. The missile has all weather day and night capability. The missile is being developed in multiple variants to meet specific requirements. The ASTRA Mk-I Weapon System integrated with SU-30 Mk-I aircraft is being inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF).

Astra is equipped with electronic counter- countermeasures to allow operation even during enemy attempts to jam the seeker using electronic countermeasures. It carries a 15 kg (33 lb) high  explosive pre-fragmented warhead activated by a proximity fuse. Astra uses a smokeless solid fuelled motor that can propel the missile to a speed of Mach 4.5 and allows operation from a maximum altitude of 20 km (66,000 ft). The maximum range of Astra is 110 km (68 mi) in head-on chase mode and 20 km (12 mi) in tail chase mode. It has a No- Escape zone of about 30 km. The maximum range is achieved when the missile launched from an altitude of 15 km (49,000 ft). When it is fired from an altitude of 8 km (26,000 ft), the range drops to 44 km (27 mi) and when it is launched from sea level, the range drops further to 21 km (13 mi). Astra's low aspect ratio wings allow it to engage manoeuvring targets up to a range of 80 km (50 mi) in head-on chase mode and 20 km (12 mi) in tail chase mode. It can be launched in both autonomous and buddy mode operation and can lock on to its target before or after it is launched.

Variants:-

Astra Mk I: 110 km (68 mi, 30 km of No- Escape zone). It is equivalent to AIM-120C. In active service;

Astra IR: 40 km (24 mi), it is the next generation CCM, it will use an electro-optical infrared homing seeker. It will be capable of "lock-on after launch" (LOAL), and has full-sphere/all-direction (including rearward) attack ability. The missile will features an advanced electro-optical infrared homing seeker which scans the target area for hostile aircraft, then locks-on for terminal chase.It would be equivalent to Python 5.It is currently under development.

Astra Mk II: 160 km (99 mi), it will use Dual- Pulse rocket motor, it will feature a extended no-escape zone & a longer range almost double the previous variant, it would be equivalent to AIM-120D. It is currently under development.

Astra Mk III: 340 km (211 mi) maximum, it will use Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) technology, The weapon is also equipped with data link communication. Aimed at meeting the needs of a network centric environment, it would be equivalent to Meteor.( Planned)

Swathi Weapon Locating Radar

The Swathi Weapon Locating Radar is a mobile artillery-locating phased array radar developed by India. This counter-battery radar is designed to detect and track incoming artillery and rocket fire to determine the point of origin for counter-battery fire.

Performance:

Weapon Locating Range -

81mm Mortars - 2 to 20 km

105mm Howitzers - 2 to 30 km

Unguided Rockets - 2 to 40 km

Adjustment of Fire Range

Mortars - 20km

155mm Guns and Rockets - 30km

Firing Angles - Both High and Low.

Aspect Angles - 0° to 180°.

Simultaneous Target Track - 7.

Time taken for deployment - 30 minutes

Time taken for slewing - 135° in 30 seconds.

Probability of Detection - 0.9

Swathi is a coherent, C Band, passive electronically scanned phased array radar. Intended to be used as weapon locating radar, it has been designed to automatically detect and track incoming artillery rounds, mortar and rockets, and locate the hostile launchers. As a secondary function it can observe friendly artillery shell’s trajectory to see where they fall short and provide fire corrections to counter the enemy fire.

The biggest technological challenge in the design of Swathi lied in achieving high probability of location for all calibers of projectiles having very low radar cross section (RCS) both for high and low angle fire. This was addressed by a complex array design and stringent algorithms which makes the radar capable enough to work effectively even under severe clutter and high density fire environment.

The WLR is designed for quick deployment and decamp, and can be ready for action within 30 minutes. In case of any incoming threats, the radar can be quickly moved out of the threat area. The Radar is designed to operate in harsh environments ranging from -20 to +55°C, in hot and humid conditions, and can be safely stored from -40 to +70°C. It can operate at high altitudes up to 16,000 feet (4,900 m). Shock & vibration performance and resistance to EMI/EMC are according to international military standards.

DRDO officially handed over the WLR Swathi to Indian Army on 2nd March, 2017 for service induction.Currently, the radar is using passive array but efforts are going on to upgrade it with active array to enhance performance and reliability. As well as a long range enhanced version and a compact version for mountainous regions is in pipeline. 28 radars are on order it is believed that around 40 to 50 are needed.

Users:

India:  28 on order 

Armenia: 4 on order