INS Arihant : Updates & Discussion

[kaku1]

May be my bad.
So, in follow up of INS Arihant only 2 SSBN are under construction ?

Yes, and after completion of S5 class, Arihant class would be converted into SSGN with 2-3 Nirbhay in each tube.

 

[ni8mare]

Hey can anyone tell me how many nuclear submarines are going to be build in arihant class and how many more other class nuclear submarines are issued.

 

[kaku1]

4 arihant class, 3 s5 class, 6 ssn class isn't it?
but in other sources it is written 6 s5 class submarines are to be made.

Its all in thread,,please go on previous pages .

 

[Rangila]

‘HSL gaining expertise in submarine technologies’ - The Hindu

 

[Echo_419]

‘HSL gaining expertise in submarine technologies’ - The Hindu

They need to step up their game

 

[[Bregs]]

India’s Nuclear Triad in Sights as INS Arihant Preps for First Missile Test

The indigenously made nuclear submarine – INS Arihant – will fire its first missile, also made in India, this year to formally complete the nuclear triad for India, according to top defence research officials. Arihant will also go for its first deep sea dive soon, giving India the ability to launch a nuclear missile from air, land and sea.

In an exclusive interview to NDTV, the newly appointed Director General of Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO,) Dr S Christopher said that India is in the process of building two more Arihant-class-submarines.

The firing of the indigenously made missile is capable of delivering a nuclear pay load, an important milestone for India’s defence production. It signifies the completion nuclear triad. The missile code named B-05 will be India’s first Submarine launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM).

“If all goes well we will show case this capability in the International Fleet Review (IFR) next January. DRDO is working on the next SLBM code named “K-4″ which will have a much longer range,” Dr Christopher said.

Nuclear submarines are strategic assets and typically stay deep inside the sea ready to launch in case of nuclear strike. This is critical since India follows doctrine of no first use of nuclear weapons.

While Dr Christopher refused to disclose the ranges and pay load carrying capability of either of two SLBMs developed by India, information available in the open domain indicate that the B- 05 can carry a one tonne war head.

In comparison China has five nuclear submarines, Shang Class, who fire the Julang -2 missiles which are believed to have a range of 8000 Km.

India is also likely to carry out a third test for Agni- V this December, the missile has a range of over 5500 kilometres. By perfecting this technology, India will join the elite group of countries that have Inter-Continental Ballistics Missiles (ICBM). About 6 countries claim apart from North Korea claim to have ICBM.

According to Dr Christopher, three successive successful test of Agni- V would clear the decks for the induction of the missile into the military.

India’s Nuclear Triad in Sights as INS Arihant Preps for First Missile Test | idrw.org

 

[Hindustani78]

Indian Navy keen on fielding indigenous nuclear-powered submarine at international fleet review - The Economic Times

NEW DELHI: As the country gears up for the International Fleet Review (IFR), the Indian Navy is keen to ready the indigenous nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant before the event, scheduled for February 2016.

INS Arihant, a 6,000-tonne submarine is at present undergoing sea trials and is likely to soon undertake weapon's trials.

While the navy is tightlipped on INS Arihant's participation in the International Fleet Review (IFR), a senior officer, on condition of anonymity, told IANS that efforts are on to get the boat ready before the event.

The officer, however, added that there will be no compromise with trials as safety is the primary concern.

"We want the submarine to be ready before the IFR. But, at the same time, there cannot be any compromise in the trials. Safety is of paramount importance," the officer said.

"If it passes through all the trials before February, there will be nothing like it," he said.

INS Arihant is the lead ship of India's Arihant-class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines that was launched in 2009.

While it was initially expected to go on sea trials by 2012, this happened only last December.

Although the trials have been going fine since then, no stone is being left unturned to ensure the vessel is fully battle-ready.

"The trials are so far totally smooth. But there is no scope for mistakes; so we can only try that the boat is ready by year-end," the officer said.

Asked if INS Arihant will participate in the IFR, the navy chief, Admiral R.K. Dhowan, at a press conference this week, said this was not certain.

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

The project is being undertaken under the advanced technology vessel (ATV) programme under the supervision of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and involving agencies and establishments such as the DRDO, the Department of Atomic Energy and the Submarine Design Group of the Directorate of Naval Design, besides companies such as L&T.

Its design is based on the Russian Akula-1 class submarine and its 83MW pressurised water reactor has been built with significant Russian assistance.

While its 100-member crew has been trained by Russian specialists, Indian scientists at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre have received significant expertise in reducing the size of the reactor to fit it into the submarine's 10 metre diameter hull.

India currently operates the Russian-origin nuclear-powered submarine INS Chakra, which is on a 10-year lease since 2012.


Nuclear submarines have the capability to stay out in the sea for longer.

Over 50 countries are expected to participate in the International Fleet Review to be held February 4-8, 2016.

Some 90 ships are expected to participate in the review.

 

[PARIKRAMA]

Arihant: How Russia helped deliver India’s baby boomer
26 October 2015 RAKESH KRISHNAN SIMHA
As India’s first nuclear powered submarine prepares for its maiden missile launch, a look at the extent of Russian assistance in the Arihant project.

The first clear image of INS Arihant, taken by NDTV. Source: NDTV snapshot
The India-Russia partnership has resulted in a string of successful defence projects, but none is more strategically important than INS Arihant, India’s first indigenously developed nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine.

The 6000 ton Arihant, which has completed sea trials, is likely to undergo its maiden missile test-firing this month. The test will in all likelihood involve the 700 kilometre range K-15 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) or the 3,500 kilometre K-4.

If successful, India will finally be able to complete its nuclear triad, giving the country’s strategic planners multiple options if it comes to a nuclear confrontation. A nuclear triad refers to the three components of atomic weapons delivery: strategic bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and SLBMs.

Of the three elements of the triad, the SLBMs are considered the most important because nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines – aka SSBN, for ship submersible ballistic nuclear or ‘boomer’ in the colloquial language of seamen – are the hardest to destroy. They give you the ability to retaliate if the enemy destroys your ICBMS or strategic bombers in a surprise attack.

Boomer technology is therefore a closely guarded secret. In fact, in the entire history of nuclear weapons systems, there are only two known instances of one state actively helping another acquire a boomer. In the 1960s the Americans passed on SSBN and SLBM technology to their British cousins as a token of their special relationship. (Strategically, however, it is of no significance because the British fleet is not only tiny but it reportedly cannot fire its missiles without American approval.) The only other instance is Russia providing assistance to India in building the Arihant.

The third leg of the nuclear triad is of great significance to India. If a first strike takes out India’s land-based ballistic nuclear missiles and strategic aviation, then the Indian Navy’s boomers lurking in the ocean depths can launch retaliatory strikes that will render the attacking country unfit for human life.

False start

India initiated work on a nuclear powered submarine in 1974 – three years after the 1971 India Pakistan War during which the American aircraft carrier USS Enterprise steamed up the Bay of Bengal and a British fleet sailed towards the direction of Mumbai as a warning to India. In response, Russia despatched nuclear-armed submarines and ships from its Pacific Fleet in Vladivostok to prevent a joint US-British strike on India. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was said to have been so impressed by the Russian fleet’s ability to change the course of the war that she ordered the launch of the project.

However, typical of Indian defence projects, the submarine programme never quite achieved traction. Although the navy was involved, the project was from the start under the thumb of the civilian Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). Way in over its head in a project it couldn’t begin to fathom, the DAE failed to come up with a nuclear reactor that could operate on the rough seas.

According to Praful Bidwai, the DAE’s original design of 1975 proved totally unviable and had to be abandoned after about Rs 100 crore (or Rs 1 billion in today’s terms) was spent on it.

“The DAE learnt no lessons from this disaster,” Bidwai says. “Indeed, when a critic with a reactor engineering doctorate, then navy Captain B.K. Subba Rao, voiced his doubts about its design, he was victimised. He was arrested on his way abroad for an academic conference and charged with espionage – an accusation he successfully disproved after long periods in jail.”

By the mid-1980s the project had soaked up as much as Rs 2,500 crore (Rs 25 billion) in research and development costs. Bidwai says the project failed because the concerned agencies couldn’t fabricate high-quality components and equipment, but the constant interference by the civilian bureaucracy certainly took its toll.

Enter the Russians

The project was re-launched in 1985 under Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) co-ordination with the codename Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV). With a retired vice admiral in charge, work on a prototype reactor began at the Kalpakkam nuclear power plant.

“But the project was still not getting anywhere,” says V. Koithara in the book Managing India’s Nuclear Forces. “India then sought and got much more substantial Russian help than had been envisaged earlier. The construction of the submarine’s hull began in 1998, and a basically Russian-designed 83 megawatt pressurised-water reactor was fitted in the hull nine years later.”

Ashok Parthasarthi, a former science and technology adviser to the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, sums up the extent of Russian assistance: “India's first indigenous nuclear submarine, INS Arihant...would have just been impossible to realise without Russia’s massive all-round consultancy, technology transfer, technical services and training, technical 'know-how' and 'show-how,' design of the submarine as a whole, and above all numerous operational 'tips' based on 50 years of experience in designing, building and operating nuclear submarines.”

According to Bidwai, “Scores of Russian engineers were sent to India to aid the DAE and DRDO....It was the Russians who supplied the vital designs, precision equipment based on their VM-5 reactor, and the technology of miniaturising the reactor.”

And if there were any doubts about the extent of Russian involvement, they were none cast away on July 26, 2009 when 143 Russian engineers, designers and consultants – all participants in the project – attended the boomer’s launch ceremony at Visakhapatnam on the east coast.

Misguided move?

As well as Arihant class boomers, the Indian Navy also plans to acquire as many as six nuclear-powered attack submarines or sub surface nuclear (SSN). India is reportedly holding discussions with shipbuilders from France and the US on participating in the SSN project. This seems wrong in so many ways.

Unlike western support, Russian assistance comes with no strings attached. “Although Russian assistance was extended throughout the 25-year designing and building of Arihant, at no time did anyone in the Russian government ever even mention any end-use restriction,” Parthasarthi points out.

This is significant in the backdrop of India’s quest for diversification in defence purchases. Parthasarthi contrasts Russian military sales with American assistance. “And yet, if India were to import some incomparably low-tech electronic warfare equipment from the US, the US government will demand the application of the end user monitoring agreement.”

When choosing a partner for its future nuclear sub fleet, the Navy brass and the political leadership should bear in mind that the US has traditionally been an unreliable partner in almost every area but especially in defence matters.

France, which welched on the $1 billion Mistral deal with Russia, is no better. Where once it pursued an independent foreign policy, Paris’ interests are now closely aligned with those of the US. French armed forces are partnering the US in a range of conflicts in the Middle East.

“If an Indo-Pak war occurs or we conduct nuclear device tests, the NATO government of the foreign supplier will embargo all supplies of spares and technical services, thereby immobilising our imported weapon systems. Only Russia has never applied embargoes on us,” Parthasarthi explains.

Also, India has had the opportunity, which no other country has had, to test drive foreign nuclear submarines. The Indian Navy was able to lease and operate a Charlie class Soviet submarine for three years beginning 1988.

Again, in 2012 India acquired an Akula II class nuclear attack submarine from the Russian Navy, with an option to buy the vessel after the lease expires. Three hundred Indian Navy personnel were trained in Russia for the operation of the submarine, which was renamed Chakra II.

Can you imagine the US, France or Germany offering India such terms?

And finally, costs. India spent Rs 300 billion on the Arihant project, reinventing the n-submarine. Had New Delhi asked for Russian assistance in the 1970s, the Indian Navy would have acquired a boomer at least a decade or two earlier – and for a lot less.

The sticker price for the six new SSNs is projected at Rs 1 trillion. The entire world knows how the French Rafale’s cost kept increasing like an ever expanding balloon, forcing India to cut its order from 126 aircraft to just 36. India’s future nuclear submarine fleet should not face a similar fate.

SOME KEY AREAS OF RUSSIAN HELP

BrahMos: Russian technical assistance and Indian funding helped develop the world’s fastest cruise missile.

AKASH: Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyenia provided crucial assistance in the development of the Akash surface to air missile. The key area was helping DRDO overcome the problem with Akash’s supersonic engine.

AGNI: Technical assistance to overcome design and engineering problems in successfully launching and targeting the critically important 3,500 km Agni-3 intermediate range ballistic missile developed by DRDO.
Arihant: How Russia helped deliver India’s baby boomer | Russia & India Report

 

[Agent_47]

^^

According to Bidwai, “Scores of Russian engineers were sent to India to aid the DAE and DRDO....It was the Russians who supplied the vital designs, precision equipment based on their VM-5 reactor, and the technology of miniaturising the reactor.”

I never thought russia will be so vocal about their involvement in the arihant project, let alone comments on help in making the reactor.

As well as Arihant class boomers, the Indian Navy also plans to acquire as many as six nuclear-powered attack submarines or sub surface nuclear (SSN). India is reportedly holding discussions with shipbuilders from France and the US on participating in the SSN project. This seems wrong in so many ways.

This is actually showing their frustration.

End of the we will be going for a russian SSN design for sure. Where else you can jump start to the current world sophistication ?

PS: Russia & India report is a russian mouth piece to promote russian views on india. (or push russian defence exports)

 

[PARIKRAMA]

^^

I never thought russia will be so vocal about their involvement in the arihant project, let alone comments on help in making the reactor.

This is actually showing their frustration.

End of the we will be going for a russian SSN design for sure. Where else you can jump start to the current world sophistication ?

PS: Russia & India report is a russian mouth piece to promote russian views on india. (or push russian defence exports)

Its clear that in certain domains like 5th gen birds, N Subs and VLR SAMs systems - all these fields Russia does nt want to lose at all. The article had mix of talks against France, Germany USA all with the tone that Russia provides no tapes over their product whereas all other country does.

Its true Russians contributed a lot in our program. And in a way we should acknowledge that.

Ya RBTH is pro russia always. I found this article when i was back searching to see if India got any more tech to change present Arihant 4 silo for missiles to 8 silos and i came across a july 2015 article about a modified Yasen specifically for India. (posted under IN sticky). I am sure the follow on Arihant class subs would be a bit larger to accommodate additional 4 tubes for 8 K4s or K5s(not sure but possible).

SSN deal seems Barracuda is a french sweetened deal with L&T Areva getting that tech.. Again no confirmation.. If L&T does get the blue prints then its reactor may be directly fitting our SSBNs for 8/12 long range K series enabled Boomers..(if we dont want Russian reactors of course) SSNs of course we put that reactor or something similar to even our Chakra (190 MW), we need far more breakthroughs in tech field as such SSNs run at very high speed submerged (35 Knots +) to handle these new challenges. Anyway we do require expertise help, be it russians or french whomsover helps..

 

[Agent_47]

Its clear that in certain domains like 5th gen birds, N Subs and VLR SAMs systems - all these fields Russia does nt want to lose at all. The article had mix of talks against France, Germany USA all with the tone that Russia provides no tapes over their product whereas all other country does.

Its true Russians contributed a lot in our program. And in a way we should acknowledge that.

Ya RBTH is pro russia always. I found this article when i was back searching to see if India got any more tech to change present Arihant 4 silo for missiles to 8 silos and i came across a july 2015 article about a modified Yasen specifically for India. (posted under IN sticky). I am sure the follow on Arihant class subs would be a bit larger to accommodate additional 4 tubes for 8 K4s or K5s(not sure but possible).

SSN deal seems Barracuda is a french sweetened deal with L&T Areva getting that tech.. Again no confirmation.. If L&T does get the blue prints then its reactor may be directly fitting our SSBNs for 8/12 long range K series enabled Boomers..(if we dont want Russian reactors of course) SSNs of course we put that reactor or something similar to even our Chakra (190 MW), we need far more breakthroughs in tech field as such SSNs run at very high speed submerged (35 Knots +) to handle these new challenges. Anyway we do require expertise help, be it russians or french whomsover helps..

Actually, the article is very correct. West will not help us to make nuclear submarines.
For example Brazil is building two SSN with help of France but only in the design and hull constriction that too they manage to secure with scorpion deal.

In 2008, Brazil and France signed an agreement to build 4 diesel-electric submarines (SSK), and provide assistance in developing and fielding the non-nuclear parts of 1 nuclear fast attack submarine (SSN). Key specifics, such as the presence or absence of SSK Air Independent Propulsion technologies, have yet to be made public, but the terms of the agreement leave the possibility open.

Brazil & France in Deal for SSKs, SSN

Reactors are closely guarded secrets of any country. It is absurd to expect we can make SSN reactors using a civilian contract. AFAIK International treaties prohibits sharing reactor tech for military use. Thats why i am surprised by Russians comments. According to the articles the arihath reactor is based on the 60's era VM-5 reactor. we need capabilities like russian fourth gen reactors (noise,refuel time etc).

Our SSNs will be definitely Akula/Yaseen based. @Chanakya's_Chant said we have already ordered for a 150MV rector for SSN. That means the it will be smaller like Barracuda. maybe thats why IN is approaching west for design ! less time redesigning.

 

[sharma1111]

Offtopic:

Indian Akula 2, INS Chakra sailing past yesterday off Kochi.

Chakra (convert-video-online.com).mp4 - Google Drive

 

[sudhir007]

 

[Kickstarter101]

Our next nuke sub is about to be launched. I propose this thread be renamed Indian SSBN thread.

 

[RISING SUN]

Our next nuke sub is about to be launched. I propose this thread be renamed Indian SSBN thread.

It's good to be informed but its better to be knowledgeable. Please don't share any info on strategic project until and unless announced through news channels.