INS Chakra/Akula II

Abhijeet Dey

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India should make a copy of these Akula II class submaries for its indigenous SSN project. Leasing Nuclear submarines from Russia for just 10 years is very expensive and does not make sense.
 

Abhijeet Dey

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The above article says India will develop those 6 indigenous SSNs with Russian assistance. Whether it is going to be similar to Yasen class or Akula II class we don't know yet. But all I can say it is good for Indian Navy's submarine fleet.
 
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http://www.indiatimes.com/lifestyle...lanet-heres-what-you-need-to-know-232694.html


Indian Navy Soon To Be The Most Formidable Submarine Force On The Planet! Here's What You Need To Know

The most important thing about having nuclear weapons is a second strike capability. In a nuclear conflict, one who strikes first may win the war, but one who strikes second makes sure there is no one left to celebrate the win. That’s nuclear deterrence in a nutshell. While it sounds easy in theory, building a nuclear doctrine with a working second strike capability is anything but. India, for example, has declared a no-first-use of nuclear weapons. Which means, that though India will not initiate a nuclear conflict, if attacked it will retaliate with such ferocity, that it will wipe the enemy off the face of the map. How does India intend to do this? Like any other superpower, India wants to use submarines.

Submarines for projection of power



thehindu

If you think about it, submarines are the perfect weapons. Lurking in the depths of the oceans, they move around without being detected and surface to launch the attack on the unsuspecting enemy. Erstwhile superpowers USA and Russia continue to use their SSBNs (ballistic missile submarines) to great effect, projecting their might even today. These SSBNs ensure that even though the land-based missiles and airplanes may have been taken out, the enemy is guaranteed a sending off that it will never forget. And if India wants to be taken seriously on the world stage, it will have to start acting like a superpower, by being able to extend the country’s power across the globe. These submarines are therefore just what India needs.

Current state of submarine force

The current state of the Navy’s underwater fleet is, for lack of a better word, worrisome. India currently has 9 Sindhughosh class (Soviet Kilo class) and 4 Shishumar-class (German HDW Type 209) diesel electric subs and a single nuclear powered INS Chakra (Akula II class) sub. For a country with a coastline that measures more than 7,500 km, a fleet of 15 submarines is just not enough. And 15 isn’t the actual number of subs available for duty, because some of them are in ports for refits and maintenance. In comparison, China has a total of 67 submarines in its Navy.

Nuclear Submarine Program



hisutton.com

India started building its first nuclear submarine, the INS Arihant, under the highly secretive ATV program. In fact the project was such a secret, that it wasn’t until July 2009, when it was actually launched, that it was even officially acknowledged to exist. Work though had started back in the 80s, with Soviet help, to build a nuclear powered hunter-killer sub. India also leased a Charlie-I sub named the INS Chakra between 1987 and 1991 to gain experience in operating nuclear subs. The ATV though moved on from being an attack sub to a ballistic missile carrier as India conducted the second set of nuclear tests in Pokhran. The biggest challenge faced was in miniaturising the Pressurised Light Water Reactor which could fit in the tight confines of the sub’s hull. Based on a Russian design, a land-based version was built by BARC before the actual reactor, of a reported 83 MW capacity, was placed in the sub.

The INS Arihant, after launch in 2009, went through an extensive set of tests including harbour acceptance trials with the on-board reactor going critical in 2013. But it was only in December 2014 that it left the harbour for its sea trials. The Navy Chief, Admiral R K Dhowan, had recently stated that the sea trials of the sub are going “very well”, but refused to give a deadline for their completion.



wikimedia commons

According to reports, the Arihant should be commissioned by the end of this year, after which it can be put on active patrol duty. But before that can happen, it will have to integrate its primary weapon, the K-15 SLBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile). The Arihant will carry up to 12 of these nuclear capable missiles with a range of 750 km. While this reach is quite low to hit deep inland targets from the middle of the seas, another missile, the K-4 with a range of 3,500 km is also in the works. In fact, a test of the K-4 has reportedly been carried out in secret. Beyond these, the K-5 missile, with a range of 5,000 km, is also being planned. The latter will likely be deployed with MIRVs (Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle) which give each missile the ability to target up to four or more targets.

Although the INS Arihant can carry either 12 K-15s or 4 K-4s, the 3 boats which will follow, will be able to carry up to 8 K-4s or 24 K-15s. The next one will be christened INS Aridhaman. And since the rest of the Arihant-class boats will be bigger than the lead boat, they are also expected to have a more powerful nuclear reactor. The crews for these missile carriers are gaining experience in operating nuclear boats on the Akula II class INS Chakra that India had leased in 2012 for ten years.

Future Nuclear Boats

But it doesn’t stop here. A follow-on class of 6 SSBNs codenamed S5, almost twice as big as the Arihant-class, was also approved for development. These will be able to carry up to 12 K5 intercontinental ballistic missiles with MIRV warheads. And SSBNs aren’t the only nuclear submarines that the Indian Navy will field. Early this year, the government cleared a project to build six new hunter killer boats (SSN) for the Navy. A joint Navy, BARC and DRDO project, the boats will be designed by Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design and be powered by a new reactor being developed by BARC. SSNs are as important as SSBNs as they can blockade important sea routes, denying the enemy access to important resources in an event of war, and shadow enemy ships. This new SSN will be similar in size to the Arihant-class but will carry advanced torpedoes and be able to move much quicker. Also, India is likely to lease another Akula II for 10 years in 2018, most likely the Kashalot that is 60% complete and in need of funds.

Conventional Submarines



Things are looking up for India’s conventional submarine fleet too. Under the Project-75, six French-Spanish Scorpene submarines are being constructed at Mazagon Dock Ltd. The first of these, named INS Kalvari, has recently been ‘undocked’ and will undergo sea trials next year and is expected to be commissioned into the Navy by September 2016. Incidentally, Indian Navy’s first ever submarine, which was a Soviet Foxtrot-class sub, was also called the INS Kalvari. The name Kalvari means Tiger Shark, and in naval tradition, the line of subs will be called the Kalvari-class. Although late by nearly four years, the Kalvari-class will add a punch to the dwindling underwater arm of the Navy. The nearly 1600-tonne subs have a complement of 31 men and can stay out to sea for 50 days. Its two diesel generation sets give it a submerged top speed of 20 knots (37 km/h). Its weapons suite includes Black Shark heavy weight torpedoes that can sink a ship 50 kms away and Exocet anti-ship missile that travels a few feet from the surface of the sea and hits the hull of a target that’s 180 km away. It’s also one of the stealthiest diesel electric submarines in operation with emphasis on reducing hydrodynamic noise, which makes it invisible to enemy sonar. The last two boats of the class will also feature a DRDO designed Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system which will give it longer endurance and make it stealthier because they won’t need to surface for air to charge the batteries.

Alongside the Kalvari-class will be six of the next generation P75(I) diesel electric submarines, all of which will be built in India. Apart from the ability to fire long range heavy weight wire guided torpedoes and an AIP system, this new line of subs can also feature land attack capability. For this, the submarines will have to integrate a Vertical Launching System in the hull. The VLS will allows subs (and surface ships) to carry the world’s fastest cruise missile, the Brahmos, with a range of 290 km and the under development Nirbhaya cruise missile which has a range of 1,000 km. The Brahmos has already demonstrated the underwater launch capability and Nirbhaya too is being designed for launch from multiple platforms. But it remains to be seen if this capability can be integrated into the boats that are likely in contention. DCNS is expected to offer the Scorpene, while Russia is pitching the Amur 1650 which is the export version of the Lada class, which itself is an advance variant of the Kilo-class already in service with the Indian Navy. Other contenders include the S-80 by Navantia of Spain and the German HDW Type 214. India has also asked Japan to participate in the competition with its Soryu-class subs.



So India is likely to field nearly 28 submarines including Arihant class subs, Follow-on SSBNs, New SSNs, 6 Kalvari class SSKs and 6 more P 75(I) boats, making it the most formidable submarine force in the Indian Ocean region.
 
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Yun Ming

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Russia to lease another nuclear sub to India in December

NEW DELHI, October 26. /TASS/. An agreement on leasing another Russian nuclear-powered submarine to India is to be signed at the Russian-Indian summit in December, a source at India’s Defense Ministry told TASS.

The possibility of leasing a second submarine from Russia will be studied when India’s Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar will visit Moscow next week," the source said. "Parrikar will hold talks on this strategic project with his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu. After the ten-year contract is signed another two or three years will be required for upgrading the submarine in keeping with India’s requirements," he said.

Over the past 45 years Russia and India have established reliable, time-tested strategic ties in the field of defence. India’s armed forces are equipped with Soviet and Russian military hardware 70%, the source said, adding that Russia had always provided its best military hardware to India.

A Russian military source at the Russian embassy in New Delhi has confirmed to TASS the negotiations on leasing the Kashalot K-322 nuclear power submarine of project 971 Shchuka had entered the final phase.

"If the contract is signed, it will be the third Russia-built submarine handed over to the Indian Navy," he said. "For the first time India leased a Russian nuclear submarine for ten years back in the early 1980s. In 2012 the Indian Navy leased Russia’s K-152 Nerpa submarine of project 971. This is a customary and well-tested way of cooperation by our countries in the military-technical sphere."

According to the Russian source, the submarine will undergo fundamental upgrade in line with the customer’s requirements at the Amur shipyards, where it is at the moment. The repair, upgrade and testing work and the Indian crew’s training are to be completed by 2018.


http://tass.ru/en/defense/831746
 

aditya g

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This refers to Kashalot submarine?

....
According to the Russian source, the submarine will undergo fundamental upgrade in line with the customer’s requirements at the Amur shipyards, where it is at the moment. The repair, upgrade and testing work and the Indian crew’s training are to be completed by 2018....
 

WolfPack86

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Nuclear Submarines are more sensitive we cannot buy them but we can build them with Russians assistance like Arihant Class Submarine. Yasen Class Submarine will be deadly. Already Govt clear 6 Nuclear Attack Submarine.
 

sayareakd

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Looks like govt is serious in getting SSN, now we will be building our own SSN soon.
 

uoftotaku

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Looks like Kashalot is confirmed. But that's bad news as far as I'm concerned as the sub itself is in bad shape and the Amur shipyard is even worse. The very high cost being discussed for her refurbishment is explained by the following:

- Kashalot's hull requires massive steel replacement. The main pressure hull is good but the outer ballast hull will be fully replaced.
- She will get a complete new reactor, which means expense of de-fueling and disposal of the current reactor is paid for by us also.
- Combat system will be completely new and match what is currently on Nerpa / Chakra II. This means a comprehensive replacement of her entire sonar suite, fully new electrical system, new automation, new battle management system and english displays.
- Weapons system will be re-built in line with Chakra II. ie: the 650mm tubes will be removed and replaced with standard 533mm tubes, nuclear weapons capability removed, torpedo storage racks rebuilt to accommodate 48 533mm class weapons instead of mix of 40 533mm + 650mm weapons now. She will also get new externally mounted torpedo decoy launchers in line with Chakra II and all newer / refurbished Akula's
- Completely new comms suite to be compatible with IN systems
- Comprehensive cabin and living space modifications to suit IN's mix of crew ( russians place a LOT more officers on subs than IN )

Final cost of 10 year lease (without weapons) will be around $2.3B
 

bengalraider

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The Russia-India submarine tango will blindside the US Navy
13 November 2015 Rakesh Krishnan Simha
Commissioning of Russian nuclear subs in the Indian Navy will generate a huge spinoff for both India and Russia.
Russia and India – either through design or happenstance – are set to engage the western navies in an interesting game of undersea hide and seek.

Chasing nuclear submarines is how major navies earn their keep. The Russian and US fleets track each other’s subs on a 24/7 basis by listening to the acoustic signatures – a combination of noise emissions – that are unique to each type of submarine.

For several decades the Americans held the advantage as they claimed to have quieter submarines. The Russians closed the gap by the mid-1980s and today their submarines have got the inside track on the US Navy. The net result is this undersea contest has become more intense now and the stakes are a lot higher too.

Unlike surface ships and aircraft, submarines do not have markings or IFF (Identify Friend/Foe) codes that can out them. The only way to identify a sub is through its acoustics. This aspect works to the advantage of Russia and India if both have the same class of submarines.

The signature of an Indian Navy Akula is indistinguishable from the acoustics of a similar submarine with the Russian Navy, making it difficult or perhaps impossible for the Americans to tell one from the other. As more Russian nuclear submarines join the Indian Navy’s undersea fleet, it just adds to the complexity of tracking Russian submarines. The US Navy will have to divert more time, effort, vessels, aircraft and personnel to this increasingly complex job.

The US Navy does not just track the Russian fleets but Indian Navy vessels too. According to a report by the Indian Military Review (February 2014), the American P3 Orion aircraft operating in the Indian Ocean are known to generate data on both Russian and Indian submarines.

Since secrecy is paramount for the survival of submarines – which usually lack self-defence weapons – India cannot risk any country knowing the whereabouts of its second strike element. Hoping the US will not pass on information about the location of Indian submarines to Pakistan or China is not only bad policy but potentially suicidal as well. The wiser option is to achieve submarine synergies between the Russian and Indian navies and blindside anyone who is tracking their fleets.

Reports that New Delhi is in talks with Moscow to lease a second nuclear submarine for 10 years suggests this undersea synergy could be a reality in the coming years.

Akula: Wolf of the sea

The latest submarine likely to be handed over to the Indian Navy will be the K-322 Kashalot, which Russia’s Pacific Fleet had kept in reserve. This is the third time India is leasing a nuclear-powered attack submarine from Russia.

The Kashalot belongs to the same Akula II class as the INS Chakra II which is currently on a 10-year lease to the Indian Navy. The 8140 ton vessel has a submerged speed of 30 knots, has achieved a dive of a phenomenal 620 metres and is equipped with eight torpedo tubes. It has an endurance of 100 days with a crew of 73. According to the RusNavy.com, the submarine achieved a Russian Navy record in 1991 by trailing foreign submarines for over 14 days without interruption.

No wonder the Indian Navy loves the Akula. “The Akula was built for one reason and one reason only: To kill US Navy ballistic missile submarines and their crews,” a US official told the Beacon. “It’s a very stealthy boat so it can sneak around and avoid detection and hope to get past any protective screen a boomer might have in place,” the official said, referring to the US Navy nickname for strategic missile submarines.

That pretty much sums up why the Akula was a big scare word among western navies during the 1980s. After a brief absence during the 1990s, when the Russian Navy shrank faster than a deflated balloon, these upgraded attack submarines are back, prowling the oceans.

Yasen for India?

If the Akula was a scareword, then the Yasen is a frightful nightmare for its opponents. The cruise-missile carrying boat was designed to target US aircraft carrier strike groups. Considering that India is a former victim of American gunboat diplomacy, the Yasen should be the perfect solution for scuttling any foreign adventurism in the Indian Ocean.

According to the US Naval Institute, “One of the US Navy’s top submarine officers was so impressed with Russia’s new (Yasen) nuclear attack boats that he had a model of K-329 Severodvinsk built for his office. Rear Admiral Dave Johnson said he had the model of Severodvinsk placed outside his office in a common area so that he could look at it every day on his way to his office.”

The 13,800 ton (more than double the size of the INS Arihant), 390 feet long submarine has a maximum “silent” speed of about 20 knots and a maximum speed of up to 40 knots. The sea endurance of these boats is limited only by food supplies.

The Yasen and similar new generation submarines have allowed the Russians to run rings around the Americans in recent years, demonstrating a quantum leap in technology and high levels of seamanship.

According to strategic affairs expert Bharat Karnad, “Despite the vaunted anti-submarine warfare capabilities of the US Navy, a Victor III class Russian SSN....tailed an Ohio-class SSBN almost to its pen in Guam without anybody getting wind of it — that’s how loud the US boomer is in turbulence terms and how little turbulence is generated by the Russian boat.”

He adds: “Russian subs have since the sixties carried electro-optical devices in the sail and the hull to detect turbulence and identify enemy subs by their turbulence signatures. The Yasen can be in the SSGN cruise missile-carrying configuration, or, if India so wishes, it can be modified to carry a mixed ordnance load of conventional cruise missiles and nuclear ballistic missiles. That would be a devastating dual-purpose land attack-cum-strategic targeting weapons platform nonpareil to have in the Indian Navy service. There’s nothing like the Yasen-class with the Chinese Navy.”
Quite interesting, seems the Russians want to confuse the Americans with regards to the Akula signature!
 

nirranj

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Bit off topic. It would be great if India can get one or two Sierra class boats :yo:...
 

nirranj

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Why Sierra?
Barring the titanium hulls those are obsolete boats. I'd vote we get a couple of Oscars instead!
Just can't we use the money we spend on upgrading (or building a new boat out of the half finished hull of the kashalot)... Oscars though will be more value for money with their cruise missile complement!!
 

Sabru Foxtrot

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Indian Navy Ships during Combined Commanders Conference on board INS Vikramaditya at Sea, off the coast of Kochi.

 

Prashant12

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Indian team for Russia in hunt for submarine


The INS Chakra, the first nuclear submarine procured from Russia.

India and Russia will undertake advanced discussions this week on the leasing of a second nuclear attack submarine which have been ongoing for a while.

An Indian delegation is heading to Russia in the next few days to carry out talks on the issue, official sources told The Hindu.

On Tuesday, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, Dmitry Rogozin chaired the 22nd session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) setting the agenda for the summit-level meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin next month.

Russia has already leased an Akula class nuclear attack submarine to India for 10 years as a package deal along with aircraft carrier Vikramaditya which was commissioned into the Indian Navy as INS Chakra in 2012.

Informed sources said that while Russia has offered another Akula SSN on lease, India is interested in a different and a newer class of boat. Officials expressed hope of concluding a deal very soon.

Submarines are considered the most potent offensive military platforms. While conventional diesel-electric submarines have limited range and endurance, nuclear powered submarines are free of such limitations.

Powered by a nuclear reactor which gives virtually unlimited range and endurance, the submarines can silently traverse oceans hunting for enemy vessels. Nuclear submarines are of two types, nuclear attack submarines (SSNs) and ballistic nuclear submarines (SSBN).

SSBNs are specifically meant to carry missiles armed with nuclear warheads and assure a nation’s second strike capability if attacked first by nuclear weapons.

India’s first SSBN Arihant powered by a 83 MW ncuelar reactor has been under sea-trials since 2009 and is all set for commissioning. At least two more boats of the same class are in various stages of construction.

Indigenous SSNs
In February last, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has approved the design and construction of six SSNs domestically. By the approval, the government had converted part of the ambitious 30-year, 24 submarine building plan from conventional to nuclear.

The plan is to design and build an indigenous SSN based on the experience gained from Arihant and they will be built at the same Submarine Building Complex in Vizag.

The programme is on track and the design phase is progressing as per schedule, officials said without elaborating further.

Senior Navy officials had in the past expressed confidence that they would be able to reduce the timelines for such a complex project which typically takes about 15 years.

Indian Navy currently operates thirteen conventional submarines and one nuclear attack submarine leased from Russia. In contrast, China operates five SSNs, four SSBNs and over 50 conventional submarines.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/indian-team-for-russia-in-hunt-for-submarine/article9104537.ece
 

Prashant12

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Russia agrees to lease another nuclear attack submarine to India

Russia has quietly agreed to lease out a second nuclear attack submarine of the Akula class to India this month in a deal worth around $2 billion. The lease of the first Akula-class submarine that the Indian Navy calls INS Chakra expires in 2021.

The lease deal for the second nuclear submarine was finalised at a summit-level meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The attack submarine will arrive in Indian waters in 2020-21. The decision to acquire a second Russian nuclear submarine on lease was taken after India’s first indigenously built nuclear submarine INS Arihant was quietly commissioned days before the September 18 Uri terrorist attack. The 6,000-tonne indigenous nuclear submarine that can fire nuclear ballistic missiles up to a range of 3,500- km was commissioned in secret even as Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif was invoking in public the possibility of using tactical nuclear weapons against India.

The Akula-class submarine is nuclear powered but is armed with conventional land attack missiles. The Arihant, however, is part of India’s nuclear triad with Agni V missiles and aircraft-delivered nukes making up the other two legs. Given the sharp variation of temperatures with depth in Indian waters, the difficulty of detecting the Arihant makes it a potent weapon.

It is understood that Arihant has already been operationally deployed. The second indigenous nuclear submarine of the same class, INS Aridhaman, will slip into the water in 2018. Powered by an 83 MW miniaturized reactor which went critical on August 10, 2013, the Arihant had to undergo extensive diving and missile firing trials.

Pakistan does not have a nuclear submarine, and thus lacks a nuclear triad. China has four nuclear-powered submarines in operation, a number that will go up to six in a couple of years. China’s N-subs carry a version of the Dong Feng nuclear missile that has a range of up to 7,000 km.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/india...ne-to-india/story-kWiXTWwVoE7oNzGwsmMsCP.html
 

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