Tag: nuclear warfare

Nuclear Warfare Terminology

Defense has recently been in news for various reasons. And we have experts on TV spewing out a host of esoteric jargons at the unarmed and defenseless viewers! After being interrupted for the umpteenth time by my daughter asking me about a term being used on the TV, I decided that I must make a humble effort to defuse the confusion and ‘de jargonise’ some of these terms on my blog. Since the first indigenously built nuclear submarine INS Arihant was launched recently, I will start off with nuclear terms.

Land Based Systems. The land based missiles come in two essential flavours – cruise and ballistic. Cruise missiles have a shorter range (< 500 kms), are propelled by air breathing jet engines and are generally low flying (<100m). The guidance system can range from the  rudimentary gyro  to more advanced ones. The launch platforms are fairly mobile and these missiles can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads. Ballistic missiles have longer range, leave the earth’s atmosphere during the 1st phase of their trajectory and re enter during their terminal phase. This flight pattern and range brings in the added complication of having a heat shield on the warhead to prevents its burning off during the re entry phase. Since the missile leaves the atmosphere, the rotation of earth during this time needs to be taken into account for its guidance. Obviously, these are more complex and expensive and hence are only used for delivery of nuclear weapons. The ranges vary from 1000 km to 10,000 km plus. Depending upon the range, they are classified as SRBM (Short Range Ballistic Missile), IRBM (Intermediate Range BM) and ICBM (Inter Continental BM). Our Agni missiles are IRBMs. These missiles are concealed underground in well protected locations called missile silos.

Air Based System. The air delivery of nuclear weapons essentially consists of two type – the old fashioned air dropped bomb (Like Hiroshima and Nagasaki) or launching a cruise missile from the bomber.

Sea Based Systems. Ships can carry nuclear armed cruise missiles. The advantage of a ship based missile is that unlike the aircraft which needs a runway to take off or land based missiles which need silos; the ship is a mobile platform which can move a 1000 km every day. Hence it is more difficult to locate and destroy. But the most respected and feared nuclear delivery system is the SLBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile). The nuclear submarine can stay underwater for months, move at high speeds and is virtually undetectable. The development of SLBM requires the highest degree of technology since the missile is launched from underwater, comes to the sea surface, fires its rockets and travels towards its target. INS Arihant and proposed Sagarika missile comes under this category.

Nuclear Triad. The land, air and sea based capability described above constitutes the nuclear triad.

Strategic Deterrent. The ability of a nation to retaliate with equal intensity if attacked by its adversary. Sort of – you shoot me, I shoot you, both of us die so let’s not shoot each other. This deterrence will only work if both the nations are convinced that the other can retaliate with equal intensity. This supposedly equal capability to annihilate each other or inflict unacceptable damage keeps the balance of power and prevents nations from annihilating other nations!

Second Strike Capability. The land based missile silos are static. So are the runways from where an airborne nuclear attack can be launched. Since all nations spy actively on their adversaries, they are aware of the locations of silos and airfields. Under such circumstance, a nation could be tempted to a first nuclear strike in the belief that its strike can wipe out the adversary’s capability to retaliate. Second Strike capability is the ability of a nation to absorb the punishment from the first strike of its adversary and still be able to retaliate and inflict unacceptable damage on the adversary. A nuclear submarine is a key component here since it cannot be destroyed by the enemy during the first strike thereby giving the nation a credible second strike capability.

SSN and SSBM. SSN (Sub Surface, Nuclear) refers to a nuclear powered submarine specifically designed to hunt and kill enemy SSBMs. SSNs do not carry ballistic missiles. SSBM (Sub Surface, Ballistic Missile) are comparatively bigger submarines which are nuclear powered and designed to launch Ballistic Missiles.

Nuclear Triad. This pertains to the nuclear weapon delivery system explained above. It consists of the land based missiles, aircrafts and SSBMs.

The media is getting more defense savvy and obtrusive. I have attempted to demystify some of the oft used jargons in connection to nuclear warfare. Perhaps the next round of report/debate by Arnab Goswami will provide me with a fresh trigger to demystify more military jargon and theories.

Celebrating the launch of INS Arihant

As explained in my earlier blog post, the launch of INS Arihant completes the much needed third leg of our nuclear triad. The indigenous nuke has taken 25 years to build and is expected to be operational by 2011. The indigenous 7500km range SLBM is expected to be ready at around the same time. (Incidentally, the more discerning TV audience may have noticed that the computer simulation of the submarine shown on national TV exhibited a submarine stationed in Bay of Bengal firing a missile in the direction of Beijing.)

There was a huge article in TOI wondering why India is ‘tom-tomming’ the launch of a nuclear submarine which will become fully operational only by 2011. My retort is – why not? As an Indian, I am justifiably proud of my country developing and mastering a sophisticated technology available with a select few nations. Secondly, International relations are a bit peculiar. The fact that India had been building a nuclear submarine was known to most nations years before the formal launch of INS Arihant. With the launch, the calculation matrix of our potential adversaries has got a trifle more complicated. India has indicated that the submarine will be operational by 2011. But, if circumstances demand, can India do it earlier? How does an adversary counter the deployment of India’s nuclear submarine? Perhaps 2011 is too optimistic and the sub may not be operational by then. However, can a potential adversary take a chance? Thirdly, naval ships and submarines have traditionally showcased the might and technological advances of a nation. India’s global standing has increased dramatically with the launch of INS Arihant. Lastly, apart from the launch of indigenous submarine, the leasing of Russian Akula II nuclear submarine is also proceeding at a fairly rapid pace.

In short, India has arrived or on the verge of arriving as a major global power and tom tomming is definitely called for! Critics may point out to the skeletons tumbling out of defense closet – wrong acquisitions, human rights violations, charges of corruption etc. These are by no means condonable. But these critics could do well by studying the history of US military to understand the fact that on a broader canvas, a military power gradually fumbles its way to the position of global eminence. No military can learn all its lessons overnight – and we have every reason to be proud of our military achievements.