sudhir007
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..:: India Strategic ::. Navy: The progression of Indian Navy’s weaponry and status
All large modern navies in the world are three dimensional and operate on the surface with warships, and in the air just like any air force with fighters, and anti submarine planes with weapons on large platforms that double as maritime reconnaissance (MR), electronic warfare (EW) and information warfare (IW) planes. Navies operate under water, with submarines loaded with weapons and undersea vehicles for mine clearing. Submarines can also lay mines and inject personnel undetected. This is what PNS Ghazi (Ex USS Diablo) was attempting to do and stalk the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant (Ex Hermes) which had Sea-Hawks and Alize planes and to bottle the narrow Vishakapatnam channel in the 1971 war with mines, when Ghazi blew up. In the 1971 war the Indian Navy had employed IW by generating signal traffic between INS Vikrant and Command HQ, masquerading that Vikrant was off Vishakapatnam, when in fact the flat top was operating off the Andamans. The Indian Navy currently has a specialist IW cell and an IW Dornier 228 squadron and all the above capabilities.
Therefore, the complexities of naval choices and weaponry for these three dimensional platforms which includes computer-aided fire control systems for directing the delivery of fire on to ships, and on to aerial targets and subsurface targets makes choices of weapons challenging. A naval strategy meshed to the national and sister services’ military strategy is crucial with a doctrine in place to enable appropriate choices. The age of missiles has also arrived. Even ASW torpedoes are being first launched as missiles for longer ranges, before entering the water.
The Indian Navy was one of the first Navies in the world to ingeniously employ the 40 km ranged P-15 Styx (SS-N-15) missiles on OSA class missile boats fitted with the Rangout X band radars in the 1971 Indo-Pak war to sink, PNS Khyber, Muhafiz and MV Vega on the 4th December night off Karachi. The Indian Air Force (IAF) OCU Hunters under Wing Commander Don Conquest flying from Jamnagar had earlier set the Karachi-Kiamari Burmah Shell oil tanks on fire in the morning the same. This displays tri-service capabilities. By December 7, Pakistani fire-fighters had reportedly dowsed the fires.
On December 8/9 night, the Osa INS Vinash under Lt Commander Vijay Jerath attacked and set the Kiamari oil tanks on fire again with a single Styx missile and sank MV Harmattan, MV Gulf Star and damaged tanker PNS Dacca. The Indian Navy heralded the advent of missile warfare at sea and the concept of fire support to the land forces from the seas. Rear Admiral Raja Menon based his book, Maritime Strategy and Continental Wars (Frank Cass 1998) on this and elaborated this concept, just before India and Pakistan went nuclear. This has necessarily changed India’s and Indian Navy’s wish list for conventional and nuclear weaponry.
The Indian Navy has scripted and issued unclassified Maritime Military Strategy and a Naval Doctrine documents. Large navies including India’s have had to look to multiple choices of conventional and nuclear tipped weapons for deterrence, which are also land attack capable. Navies have to ensure commonality in inventory in the three naval dimensions and for interservice needs as far as feasible, keeping economy in view. India’s choice of the Brahmos (PJ-10) missile a joint venture with Russia and now for all the three services, and the DRDO-Navy-Industry conversion of the Prithvi missile into the 300 km nuclear Dhanush missile and fitment on two OPVs of the INS Subhadra (P-51) class with gyrostabilised Larsen and Toubro Ltd universal launchers are good examples of weapon commonality. A proliferation of diverse inventory can lead to extra training and infructuous costs. The navy is an expensive force but essential for a maritime nation with 1.3 billion people aspiring for a place in the world’s pecking order.
Historical Pointers for India’s Naval Development
It is appropriate to quote Pandit Nehru, who had stated, “To be secure on Land, we must be Supreme at Sea”. This quote informs Indians that India is primarily a ‘Maritime Nation’. A strong weapon-laden Navy will be an important element for the nation’s security. In 1694 the British politician and writer George Savile, known as Lord Halifax had stated, “The first article of an Englishman’s political creed must be that he believeth in the sea”. Indians have to hark to this. Britain was an island nation but rose to colonise much of the world where “The Sun Never set on the Empire”. Britain’s’ naval weaponry on platforms and strategy vanquished all opponents.
On India gaining independence in 1947, the Indian Navy’s weaponry consisted of the British 10 pounder, the 4-inch and 4.7-inch guns on sloops for surface action, with Pom Poms and 40/60 mm guns for AA protection and straight running torpedoes, depth charges and hedge hogs for Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW). The cruisers INS Delhi (1948-78) of the Battle of the River Plate fame, and INS Mysore (1957- 85) brought with them powerful multiple 6-inch double and triple gun turrets with 65 pound rounds firing to ranges of 16 miles. The guns were hydraulically manoeuvred and visually controlled for targeting and for bracketing, to demolish the target with a barrage of fire. Naval gunfire support (NGFS) ashore was practiced. All this changed when radars become more accurate and powerful. Guns could be linked to the radars bringing in accurate and better night fighting capabilities. There was no need to use illumination rounds to illuminate targets.
The three Type 15 Brahmaputra Class and the two Type 12 INS Trishul and INS Talwar arrived late 1950s from UK with the 4.5-inch MK1 faster firing guns with analog computers in the FPS-5 system for accuracy and to calculate wind and temperature corrections. The three type 14 ASW Khukri class arrived with advanced Type 144/48 sonars and long range Limbo anti submarine mortars akin to the Army’s heavy mortars with stabilisation to counter roll and pitch. INS Vikrant arrived in 1961 with Sea-Hawks armed with 150-rounds 30mm Aden cannons, rockets and light bombs, and Alizes with rockets and depth charges for ASW, and with advanced ARRAR, electronic warfare system, that was used by the Army and IAF in the 1971 war.
This range of weaponry continued till INS Nilgiri and the long line of Leanders joined in the 1970s with better radar controlled 4.5-inch Mk 2 guns, and Sea-Cat AA Missiles like the Army’s Tiger Cat. There were advances in gunnery, and in ASW weapons. The speedier digital computer controlled autonomous anti-submarine A 244S ILAS torpedoes from Whitehead Motofied Italy (now WASS) were fitted in the later Leanders and are still in service. The Soviet Union supplied the Petyas in the 1960s with AK-76mm MK 176 guns and the CET-65 torpedoes and superior air armament on IL-38s.
The Navy’s weaponry became more lethal and more easy to use but challenging to maintain in Naval Armament Depots (NADs). The arrival of the Kashins still in service led by INS Rajput in 1980 with long 140km Styx (SS-N-2D Mk2) missiles – now being replaced by Brahmos, twin 76mm/59 AK 726 guns and the Volna AA system like the IAF’s Pechora – now being replaced by Barak I AA system. The Kashin carried the CET-65E anti-submarine passive/active homing with AK 230 guns firing 50 rounds a minute. The three ‘Durg’ (Nanuchka ) class from Soviet Union arrived with sea skimming P-20 Styx (SS-N-2C) in single-tube launchers, with active radar or infra-red homing to 70 km at 0.9 Mach with 513 kg warheads. For anti- air, the Durgs had one OSA-M (SA-N-4) SAM twinlauncher with homing to 15 km at Mach 2.5, with a service ceiling of 3048 meters and a 50 kg warhead, and 57mm guns with 90º elevation with 120 rds/min to a range of 8 km. The Russian AA systems and missiles changed the Western Fleet’s surface and air action tactics with range and accuracy.
The Modern Indian Navy
Gunnery. The Indian Navy has only a few varieties of guns for surface, anti-air and anti-missile operations. The Type 17 Shivalik, Brahmaputra and Godavari class and warships built in India, are fitted with the Italian Oto Melara 76mm/62 (3”) super rapid 85 rounds per minute with range up to 16 km with 6 kg rounds. The gun is manufactured and assembled and supplied by Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL). The Navy also has Russian single powerful 100mm AK 190 gun which fires 60 rounds of 15.6 kg per minute to a range of 21.5 km, on the Krivacks .The long range guns are controlled by ship’s Fregat radar and fire control radar. The AK-630/230 guns on ships described above are in service.
Missilery. The Styx missiles era has moved on for the Indian Navy to 130km KH-35E 4 Quad Uran (Zvezda SS-N-26) Switchblade on the three Brahmaputra class and four Kora class corvettes. The air-launched 3MF- 25E version can be launched from MiG- 29Ks and Su-30 MKIs. The longer range 220 km Alpha Novator Club family of missiles SS-N-27 (3M-54-TE) are fitted in the three Type P17 Shivalik and the three Krivacks of the Talwar Class from Yantar and, also, on five out of nine remaining Sindughosh class submarines as, INS Sindhurakshak suffered explosions on August 14. The missiles are both ship and land attack versions. The DRDO has supplied the nuclear tipped 300km Dhanush and the versatile Brahmos (PJ-10) 299km land and ship attack missiles with IR and radar and GPS guidance, with way point navigation. Brahmos is being fitted progressively on the Kashins (three converted), and are operational on Batch two Krivacks from Yantar (INS Teg, Tarkash and Trikand) and will be fitted on the three Type 15A Kolkutta class, and all future warships. The Kolkutta is set to be commissioned early next year. In due course the nuclear submarine INS Arihant, awaiting trials will be fitted out with twelve 750 Km Kalam-15/Bhasin-05 Sagarika missiles in a plug with nuclear war heads. DRDO is working on a longer heavier range missile for the succeeding nuclear submarines with a Anti-Air and Anti- Missile Systems. For anti-air and anti-missile action the 25 km twin Shtil SA-N-7 9 (M317E) system is fitted in the Talwar class Krivacks and the Shivaliks. The Delhi class has the Kashmir (Uragan) 25 km SAM-2 SA-7-N Gadfly semi active radar and IR homing and the Kashtan with twin 30mm Gatling gun firing 800 rounds/min to 2 km with compact laser guided eight 8-kg missiles from a launcher up to a range of 8km, from an optronic director which is similar to the Tanguska, being replaced. The INS Viraat, Godavari class, the Type 15 Delhi class and Type 17 Shivaliks and the Kashins have been progressively fitted with the Israeli supplied Octuple IA/Rafael Barak VLS AA missile with command line or optical guidance with the AMDR radars, up to 8 km. The DRDO-IARafael Barak LR SAM akin to the Barak 8 is being developed and will be fitted in future ships beginning with INS Kolkutta.
Underwater Weaponry. The INS Chakra and Kilo Sindhughosh class submarines are fitted a mix of six 21-inch Type 53-65 passive wake homing anti-ship torpedoes with 305 kg war head to 19km and TEST 76-96anti submarine active/passive homing torpedoes to 15 km at 40 knots or to 20 km at 25 knots with 220 kg warhead .The torpedoes for submarines remain as supplied by Russia but manufactured in Kyrgyzstan originally. The four HDW 1500 Shishumar submarines are fitted with fourteen 21 inch AEG SUT wire-guided 21- inch torpedoes with active/passive homing to 28 km at 33 knots. The submarines can strap mines on deck for laying. The Scorpene torpedo selection is awaited between the Italian WASS Blackshark and German Atlas Electronik Seahake The DRDO is developing a variety of torpedoes including the heavy weight Varunashastra, a lightweight and a helicopter launched. The ships have a variety of ASW RBU-2000 and RBU -6000 rocket launchers.
Aerial Armament. The aging Sea Harriers with 30mm guns have been converted to fire anti-ship Derby missiles. The lethal armament on the MiG-29Ks comprises the 57mm rockets, 150/250/500kg bombs, and aerial launched 3MF-25E anti-ship missile and a BVR missile. The Boeing P8i Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) has the latest US supplied MK 54 torpedoes for ASW and AGM-84L Harpoons for anti-ship warfare with associated electronics, which can be launched from the torpedo tube launcher.
All large modern navies in the world are three dimensional and operate on the surface with warships, and in the air just like any air force with fighters, and anti submarine planes with weapons on large platforms that double as maritime reconnaissance (MR), electronic warfare (EW) and information warfare (IW) planes. Navies operate under water, with submarines loaded with weapons and undersea vehicles for mine clearing. Submarines can also lay mines and inject personnel undetected. This is what PNS Ghazi (Ex USS Diablo) was attempting to do and stalk the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant (Ex Hermes) which had Sea-Hawks and Alize planes and to bottle the narrow Vishakapatnam channel in the 1971 war with mines, when Ghazi blew up. In the 1971 war the Indian Navy had employed IW by generating signal traffic between INS Vikrant and Command HQ, masquerading that Vikrant was off Vishakapatnam, when in fact the flat top was operating off the Andamans. The Indian Navy currently has a specialist IW cell and an IW Dornier 228 squadron and all the above capabilities.
Therefore, the complexities of naval choices and weaponry for these three dimensional platforms which includes computer-aided fire control systems for directing the delivery of fire on to ships, and on to aerial targets and subsurface targets makes choices of weapons challenging. A naval strategy meshed to the national and sister services’ military strategy is crucial with a doctrine in place to enable appropriate choices. The age of missiles has also arrived. Even ASW torpedoes are being first launched as missiles for longer ranges, before entering the water.
The Indian Navy was one of the first Navies in the world to ingeniously employ the 40 km ranged P-15 Styx (SS-N-15) missiles on OSA class missile boats fitted with the Rangout X band radars in the 1971 Indo-Pak war to sink, PNS Khyber, Muhafiz and MV Vega on the 4th December night off Karachi. The Indian Air Force (IAF) OCU Hunters under Wing Commander Don Conquest flying from Jamnagar had earlier set the Karachi-Kiamari Burmah Shell oil tanks on fire in the morning the same. This displays tri-service capabilities. By December 7, Pakistani fire-fighters had reportedly dowsed the fires.
On December 8/9 night, the Osa INS Vinash under Lt Commander Vijay Jerath attacked and set the Kiamari oil tanks on fire again with a single Styx missile and sank MV Harmattan, MV Gulf Star and damaged tanker PNS Dacca. The Indian Navy heralded the advent of missile warfare at sea and the concept of fire support to the land forces from the seas. Rear Admiral Raja Menon based his book, Maritime Strategy and Continental Wars (Frank Cass 1998) on this and elaborated this concept, just before India and Pakistan went nuclear. This has necessarily changed India’s and Indian Navy’s wish list for conventional and nuclear weaponry.
The Indian Navy has scripted and issued unclassified Maritime Military Strategy and a Naval Doctrine documents. Large navies including India’s have had to look to multiple choices of conventional and nuclear tipped weapons for deterrence, which are also land attack capable. Navies have to ensure commonality in inventory in the three naval dimensions and for interservice needs as far as feasible, keeping economy in view. India’s choice of the Brahmos (PJ-10) missile a joint venture with Russia and now for all the three services, and the DRDO-Navy-Industry conversion of the Prithvi missile into the 300 km nuclear Dhanush missile and fitment on two OPVs of the INS Subhadra (P-51) class with gyrostabilised Larsen and Toubro Ltd universal launchers are good examples of weapon commonality. A proliferation of diverse inventory can lead to extra training and infructuous costs. The navy is an expensive force but essential for a maritime nation with 1.3 billion people aspiring for a place in the world’s pecking order.
Historical Pointers for India’s Naval Development
It is appropriate to quote Pandit Nehru, who had stated, “To be secure on Land, we must be Supreme at Sea”. This quote informs Indians that India is primarily a ‘Maritime Nation’. A strong weapon-laden Navy will be an important element for the nation’s security. In 1694 the British politician and writer George Savile, known as Lord Halifax had stated, “The first article of an Englishman’s political creed must be that he believeth in the sea”. Indians have to hark to this. Britain was an island nation but rose to colonise much of the world where “The Sun Never set on the Empire”. Britain’s’ naval weaponry on platforms and strategy vanquished all opponents.
On India gaining independence in 1947, the Indian Navy’s weaponry consisted of the British 10 pounder, the 4-inch and 4.7-inch guns on sloops for surface action, with Pom Poms and 40/60 mm guns for AA protection and straight running torpedoes, depth charges and hedge hogs for Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW). The cruisers INS Delhi (1948-78) of the Battle of the River Plate fame, and INS Mysore (1957- 85) brought with them powerful multiple 6-inch double and triple gun turrets with 65 pound rounds firing to ranges of 16 miles. The guns were hydraulically manoeuvred and visually controlled for targeting and for bracketing, to demolish the target with a barrage of fire. Naval gunfire support (NGFS) ashore was practiced. All this changed when radars become more accurate and powerful. Guns could be linked to the radars bringing in accurate and better night fighting capabilities. There was no need to use illumination rounds to illuminate targets.
The three Type 15 Brahmaputra Class and the two Type 12 INS Trishul and INS Talwar arrived late 1950s from UK with the 4.5-inch MK1 faster firing guns with analog computers in the FPS-5 system for accuracy and to calculate wind and temperature corrections. The three type 14 ASW Khukri class arrived with advanced Type 144/48 sonars and long range Limbo anti submarine mortars akin to the Army’s heavy mortars with stabilisation to counter roll and pitch. INS Vikrant arrived in 1961 with Sea-Hawks armed with 150-rounds 30mm Aden cannons, rockets and light bombs, and Alizes with rockets and depth charges for ASW, and with advanced ARRAR, electronic warfare system, that was used by the Army and IAF in the 1971 war.
This range of weaponry continued till INS Nilgiri and the long line of Leanders joined in the 1970s with better radar controlled 4.5-inch Mk 2 guns, and Sea-Cat AA Missiles like the Army’s Tiger Cat. There were advances in gunnery, and in ASW weapons. The speedier digital computer controlled autonomous anti-submarine A 244S ILAS torpedoes from Whitehead Motofied Italy (now WASS) were fitted in the later Leanders and are still in service. The Soviet Union supplied the Petyas in the 1960s with AK-76mm MK 176 guns and the CET-65 torpedoes and superior air armament on IL-38s.
The Navy’s weaponry became more lethal and more easy to use but challenging to maintain in Naval Armament Depots (NADs). The arrival of the Kashins still in service led by INS Rajput in 1980 with long 140km Styx (SS-N-2D Mk2) missiles – now being replaced by Brahmos, twin 76mm/59 AK 726 guns and the Volna AA system like the IAF’s Pechora – now being replaced by Barak I AA system. The Kashin carried the CET-65E anti-submarine passive/active homing with AK 230 guns firing 50 rounds a minute. The three ‘Durg’ (Nanuchka ) class from Soviet Union arrived with sea skimming P-20 Styx (SS-N-2C) in single-tube launchers, with active radar or infra-red homing to 70 km at 0.9 Mach with 513 kg warheads. For anti- air, the Durgs had one OSA-M (SA-N-4) SAM twinlauncher with homing to 15 km at Mach 2.5, with a service ceiling of 3048 meters and a 50 kg warhead, and 57mm guns with 90º elevation with 120 rds/min to a range of 8 km. The Russian AA systems and missiles changed the Western Fleet’s surface and air action tactics with range and accuracy.
The Modern Indian Navy
Gunnery. The Indian Navy has only a few varieties of guns for surface, anti-air and anti-missile operations. The Type 17 Shivalik, Brahmaputra and Godavari class and warships built in India, are fitted with the Italian Oto Melara 76mm/62 (3”) super rapid 85 rounds per minute with range up to 16 km with 6 kg rounds. The gun is manufactured and assembled and supplied by Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL). The Navy also has Russian single powerful 100mm AK 190 gun which fires 60 rounds of 15.6 kg per minute to a range of 21.5 km, on the Krivacks .The long range guns are controlled by ship’s Fregat radar and fire control radar. The AK-630/230 guns on ships described above are in service.
Missilery. The Styx missiles era has moved on for the Indian Navy to 130km KH-35E 4 Quad Uran (Zvezda SS-N-26) Switchblade on the three Brahmaputra class and four Kora class corvettes. The air-launched 3MF- 25E version can be launched from MiG- 29Ks and Su-30 MKIs. The longer range 220 km Alpha Novator Club family of missiles SS-N-27 (3M-54-TE) are fitted in the three Type P17 Shivalik and the three Krivacks of the Talwar Class from Yantar and, also, on five out of nine remaining Sindughosh class submarines as, INS Sindhurakshak suffered explosions on August 14. The missiles are both ship and land attack versions. The DRDO has supplied the nuclear tipped 300km Dhanush and the versatile Brahmos (PJ-10) 299km land and ship attack missiles with IR and radar and GPS guidance, with way point navigation. Brahmos is being fitted progressively on the Kashins (three converted), and are operational on Batch two Krivacks from Yantar (INS Teg, Tarkash and Trikand) and will be fitted on the three Type 15A Kolkutta class, and all future warships. The Kolkutta is set to be commissioned early next year. In due course the nuclear submarine INS Arihant, awaiting trials will be fitted out with twelve 750 Km Kalam-15/Bhasin-05 Sagarika missiles in a plug with nuclear war heads. DRDO is working on a longer heavier range missile for the succeeding nuclear submarines with a Anti-Air and Anti- Missile Systems. For anti-air and anti-missile action the 25 km twin Shtil SA-N-7 9 (M317E) system is fitted in the Talwar class Krivacks and the Shivaliks. The Delhi class has the Kashmir (Uragan) 25 km SAM-2 SA-7-N Gadfly semi active radar and IR homing and the Kashtan with twin 30mm Gatling gun firing 800 rounds/min to 2 km with compact laser guided eight 8-kg missiles from a launcher up to a range of 8km, from an optronic director which is similar to the Tanguska, being replaced. The INS Viraat, Godavari class, the Type 15 Delhi class and Type 17 Shivaliks and the Kashins have been progressively fitted with the Israeli supplied Octuple IA/Rafael Barak VLS AA missile with command line or optical guidance with the AMDR radars, up to 8 km. The DRDO-IARafael Barak LR SAM akin to the Barak 8 is being developed and will be fitted in future ships beginning with INS Kolkutta.
Underwater Weaponry. The INS Chakra and Kilo Sindhughosh class submarines are fitted a mix of six 21-inch Type 53-65 passive wake homing anti-ship torpedoes with 305 kg war head to 19km and TEST 76-96anti submarine active/passive homing torpedoes to 15 km at 40 knots or to 20 km at 25 knots with 220 kg warhead .The torpedoes for submarines remain as supplied by Russia but manufactured in Kyrgyzstan originally. The four HDW 1500 Shishumar submarines are fitted with fourteen 21 inch AEG SUT wire-guided 21- inch torpedoes with active/passive homing to 28 km at 33 knots. The submarines can strap mines on deck for laying. The Scorpene torpedo selection is awaited between the Italian WASS Blackshark and German Atlas Electronik Seahake The DRDO is developing a variety of torpedoes including the heavy weight Varunashastra, a lightweight and a helicopter launched. The ships have a variety of ASW RBU-2000 and RBU -6000 rocket launchers.
Aerial Armament. The aging Sea Harriers with 30mm guns have been converted to fire anti-ship Derby missiles. The lethal armament on the MiG-29Ks comprises the 57mm rockets, 150/250/500kg bombs, and aerial launched 3MF-25E anti-ship missile and a BVR missile. The Boeing P8i Maritime Reconnaissance (MR) has the latest US supplied MK 54 torpedoes for ASW and AGM-84L Harpoons for anti-ship warfare with associated electronics, which can be launched from the torpedo tube launcher.
