Why India's Submarine Fleet is Deployed for Just 6 Out of 10 Days

Zarvan

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India has only 10 conventional submarines when it needs 24.

NEW DELHI: Indian submarines, on an average, are available for just six out of 10 days for operational deployment. And of every 10 tasks allotted to the fleet, it has to drop at least one, a senior Naval officer told NDTV.

India needs at least 24 conventional submarines but only has 10 - which includes a nuclear submarine leased from Russia in 2002. The last conventional submarine was acquired in the late '90s. Each conventional boat in the fleet is around 20 years old.


In contrast, China has 60 -- 48 conventional and 12 nuclear submarines. Pakistan has five submarines and is acquiring 8 Shang class submarines from China.

The depletion of submarine fleet isn't the Navy's only cause of concern.

"We have major issues with spare parts that reduces availability of platforms," the officer told NDTV. India's efforts to reverse engineer spares have been successful, "but it is not perfect," the officer said.

"The aging fleet means that the stress to run the boat is more and leaves the crew with less and less time for critical tasks," the officers added.

Submarines are critical for "sea-denial" - refusing the enemy space to navigate and dominate the sea. Indian Navy's charter spreads over a vast mass of water stretching from Gulf of Aden in the West to the Straits of Malacca in the South.

In 1999, the government had approved a 30-year submarine building programme. The plan proposed building six submarines in India by 2012 and six more by 2030.

But although India signed up with French Weapons manufacturer DCNS to acquire six Scorpene Disel-Electric attack submarines in 2005, the process has been delayed by half a decade.

The first boat - INS Kalvari, being built in Mumbai's Mazagon Dock - will be out for sea trial this year and is expected to join the Navy in late 2016.

The plan to build six more submarines under the "Make in India" programme is yet to take off. South Block is yet to decide which shipyard should be given the contract.
Story First Published: August 27, 2015 00:59 IST

http://www.ndtv.com/india-news/why-...is-deployed-for-just-6-out-of-10-days-1211385
 

Hari Sud

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Do not forget Zarvan above is a Pakistani. These ignorant people pride themselves in defeats not only in one defeat but several defeats from 1948 to 2015.
 

bengalraider

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Apart from the factual mistakes that the Chakra was acquired in 2002(actually 2012) and that every boat in the fleet is 20 + years old , at least four or five kilos are expected to stay operational well into the 2020's given their rebuilds in the 2000's. Add to that the fact that all of the Scorpenes should join service by 2022 and that there shall be at least two Arihant class boats( some say three) operational by 2020. The IN should have at least 14 boats in operation by 2022, with another 5 kilos and three HDW's nearing the end of their refit lives. The First Project 75I and first Indian SSN should also be in the water by that time. i.e 15 -16 operational boats with 8 older boast on the verge of retirement.
On the other hand Pakistan's Hashmat class will be nearing retirement . It however will still operate three Agostas and upto five S-20's(if the deal is finalized this year). Giving the PN the most credible submarine force they have ever had.
The Pakistanis have caught up somewhat due to the bungling of Shri Anthony who starved our navy of assets for ten years. Let's hope we make up the slack soon.
 

Dark Sorrow

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Is anyone else thinking our aircraft carrier project draining a lot of money? We don't need AC to attack Pakistan and we can't operate AC against China. I am feeling going for more Kolkata class destroyers, SSN and Arihant class SSBN would have been beneficial.
 

DBF1954

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It's normal for submarines to be available only 60% of the time for operational duties. Germany during WWII had achieved around 66%. If a nation wants to have more than 60% in peace time the crews have to stay ready beside the ship and not visit families. This would make joining the crew of a submarine very unattractive.
 

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