First indigenous nuclear submarine’s sea-trials going very well: Navy chief

[HariPrasad]

First indigenous nuclear submarine’s sea-trials going very well: Navy chief
Published May 1, 2015 | By admin
SOURCE: IANS

The Indian Navy chief, Admiral RK Dhowan, said on Thursday that the sea trials of India`s first indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Arihant, are going “very well”.

“The trials are underway and going on very well. We are satisfied with the way the project is progressing,” Admiral Dhowan told reporters on the sidelines of two-day National Aviation Seminar to mark 62 years of naval aviation in the country.

While stating there are “no problems in the INS Arihant project”, he could not give a “timeline” on the completion of trials.

The 6,000-tonne submarine, designed on the Russian Akula-1 class vessel, began its sea trials last December.

The submarine`s 83 MW pressurized light-water reactor attained “criticality” in 2013 while it was undergoing harbour trials at Visakhapatnam.

INS Arihant, the lead ship of Arihant-class of submarines, was launched in 2009.

Once inducted, the submarine will help India complete its nuclear triad – the capability to respond to nuclear strikes from sea, land and air-based systems.

Talking about the trials of the first indigenously-built Scorpene submarine, Adm. Dhowan said the “endeavour was to see that the programme continues without any obstacle so that the commissioning of the first submarine is done next year as per the plan”.

Asked about the second indigenous aircraft carrier, Adm. Dhowan said that under the joint working group on aircraft carrier design with the US, the Indian Navy has “done some work to prepare the approach paper” but that it was still “too premature to say in which direction it goes”.

“All options regarding the type of aircraft carrier, tonnage, type of propulsion, aircraft to be embarked and so on are being considered in the approach paper. It will be taken up with the ministry of defence, after which a detailed report will be prepared,” Adm. Dhowan said.

“The joint working group with the US will carry out its own deliberations and all options available to us will be evaluated. It is still too premature to say what direction it takes,” he added.

In respect of developing amphibious capabilities for the navy, Adm. Dhowan added that induction of amphibious aircraft is being discussed undeer the due procedures laid down for defence procurement.

 

[volatile]

How many vendors are sourcing for this or is this tech solely built in house.

 

[gslv mk3]

How many vendors are sourcing for this or is this tech solely built in house.

No one will sell you an SSBN kid

 

[volatile]

No one will sell you an SSBN kid

What i mean is verious components and is this project JV

 

[gslv mk3]

What i mean is verious components and is this project JV

No it isnt-Reactor was developed by BARC.Components made by L &T (Indian firm) Walchandnagar etc

 

[volatile]

and base design is it on Russian or with assistance

 

[gslv mk3]

and base design is it on Russian or with assistance

Indian.Russia was consulted for assistance in miniaturizing the reactor.

 

[kaku1]

and base design is it on Russian or with assistance

Whats your point?

 

[IND151]

What i mean is verious components and is this project JV

The JV is not possible when it comes to Nuke Subs.

The Indian SSN Project: An Open Literature Analysis

 

[HariPrasad]

and base design is it on Russian or with assistance

Yes Akula.

 

[Storm Force]

I have said it before AND I WILL SAY AGAIN.

OUR NAVY is doing a brilliant job at indengious weapons procurement

THEY are putting our Army and AIRFORCE in particular to shame

 

[anonymus]

"The joint working group with the US will carry out its own deliberations and all options available to us will be evaluated. It is still too premature to say what direction it takes,” he added..

This sentence from this interview is quite important. There were whispers about India getting EMALS and by extension E-2D and F-35C for Aircraft.

This sentence proves that all those speculations were not without basis. India is evaluating its options and there is high probability of India's second carrier being a CATOBAR, Nuke powered, 70000 Tonne Behemoth, probably fielding F-35Cs and E-2D.

Now it is more a matter of "Whether we could afford this whole package?". It would cost us up $15-20 billion minus cost of carrier which we would be constructing at home; in effect boosting up cost of IAC-II close to $23-27 Billion.

@Abingdonboy

 

[Abingdonboy]

It would cost us up $15-20 billion minus cost of carrier which we would be constructing at home; in effect boosting up cost of IAC-II close to $23-27 Billion.

Umm, what?
Where in god's name did you get such a preposterous figure from??

 

[anonymus]

Umm, what?
Where in god's name did you get such a preposterous figure from??

I have calculated this on belief that in order to field a carrier complement of 50-60 F-35's, India would have to buy close to 100 F-35's (since all Aircrafts are never available at a given time and some aircrafts would be needed in reserve and training too). Since cost of even 100 Rafales was more than 10 Billion dollar without ToT, It is fair to assume that F-35C's would cost at least that much, if not more. To this $10 billion add cost of EMALS and 3-4 E-2D's and it easily balloon to $15 Billion.

Now UK has constructed its 65,000 Tonne carrier for around $7 billion. We can assume that India would also have to spend at least that much for a similar weighted conventional carrier. Add nuclear propulsion and cost of carrier could rise to $10 billion+.

Hence my estimate of a carrier of 70,000+ tonnes costing $20 billion+ is not off the mark. Instead, taking nuclear propulsion and inflation into account, whole carrier with its complement could cost around $30 billion.