India’s Universal Underwater Strike: DRDO’s 1500km Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile to Revolutionize Naval Warfare

India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is steadily advancing a groundbreaking project—a new submarine-launched Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LACM) with a formidable range of 1500 kilometers. This next-generation weapon aims to empower the Indian Navy with a highly capable and universally compatible underwater strike option, enhancing India's maritime dominance in the Indo-Pacific.

This long-range LACM draws its roots from the Indigenous Technology Cruise Missile (ITCM) programme and is being engineered to fire from standard 533 mm torpedo tubes. This makes it suitable for deployment from India’s existing Kilo-class (Sindhughosh) and Kalvari-class (Scorpène) submarines, as well as the upcoming Project-75I, Project-76, and nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) planned post-2030.

Unlike vertically launched cruise missiles which require specialized launch systems, this missile can be fired through torpedo tubes, offering wide operational flexibility without major vessel upgrades. This universal launch capability ensures strategic readiness across multiple platforms, including legacy and future submarines.

Key Features and Capabilities:

• Range: 1500 km
  This allows submarines to engage distant targets while staying in safe, undisclosed locations deep underwater.

• Launch Mode: Torpedo Tube-Launched
  Designed to be launched from 533 mm standard torpedo tubes—making it compatible with most Indian submarines.

• Platform Compatibility:

  • Existing Kilo-class submarines

  • Kalvari-class (Scorpène) submarines

  • Future Project-75I submarines (likely German U-214NG)

  • Indigenous Project-76 submarines

  • Upcoming SSNs approved in 2024

• Engine: Small Turbo Fan Engine (STFE)
  Developed by GTRE, this engine enables long-range subsonic cruise at speeds around Mach 0.7.

• Length and Diameter: Approximately 5.6 to 6 meters in length, 505–520 mm in diameter, ensuring a snug fit into torpedo tubes.

• Navigation and Guidance:
  Utilizes a mix of:

  • Inertial Navigation System (INS)

  • GPS (Global Positioning System)

  • Radio Frequency (RF) seeker

  • DSMAC (Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation)
    This hybrid navigation system ensures precise targeting, even in GPS-denied environments.

• Warhead: 300 kg conventional warhead
  Offers significant strike capability with potential for future payload variants depending on mission needs.

Strategic Importance:

This missile system is more than just an offensive tool—it’s a strategic game-changer. By giving the Indian Navy the ability to strike deep inland from hidden underwater positions, the LACM enhances both survivability and lethality.

Submarine-launched cruise missiles are considered vital for second-strike capabilities and power projection. With increasing maritime activity and tension in the Indo-Pacific, especially around contested waters, such a system significantly boosts India's deterrence posture.

The missile also complements the Navy's Vertical Launch variant of the Long Range Land Attack Cruise Missile (LRLACM), which is meant for surface warships. Together, they provide a multi-platform, multi-launch strategy for high-precision land attack missions.

Project Timeline:

DRDO aims to complete development and testing of this submarine-launched LACM by 2028, with underwater firing trials expected in the coming years. Once inducted, this missile will give India a significant edge in underwater warfare by seamlessly integrating across the Navy's evolving submarine fleet.