Indian nuclear submarines

[arnabmit]

The Vikramaditya is seen at 7:21...

this is interesting, it shows how to build subs

 

[Anshu Attri]

N-powered sub Arihant all set to sail out from Vizag

http://idrw.org/?p=24902

Indigenously built nuclear-powered submarine, INS Arihant, is finally set to sail out from its base at Vishakhapatnam. The 6,000-tonne submarine, armed with nuclear missiles, is ready after years of efforts interspersed with sanctions in 1998 and impediments due to non-availability of cutting-edge technology.

"The nuclear reactor that will power the submarine can be formally declared 'critical' anytime now, while the nuclear-tipped missiles to be launched from underwater are in place," sources said.:cool2:

"Everything is ready," a functionary said. "The wait is for the monsoon to subside before Arihant (slayer of enemies) dives into sea. A certain amount of calm is needed at sea when the vessel goes out the first time. The monsoon on the East Coast starts weakening by the middle of August, meaning the submarine will slither out in a couple of weeks from now," he added.

"Around 95 per cent of harbour trials are over," sources said. Once the submarine is out at sea, it will run on nuclear-powered 80MW pressurised water reactor (PWR). The PWR was developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) with assistance from a Russian designing team. It uses enriched uranium as fuel and light water as coolant and moderator.

Once at sea, the vessel will be gradually loaded with weapons and missiles. All parameters will be tested after each addition. "Each test will be conducted underwater for two months or more. This will include the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM)", sources said.

New Delhi has done 10 underwater launches of SLBMs code named 'B05' using a submerged pontoon to mimic a submarine. It can travel 700 km, while the bigger variant, so far know as the 'K-4', can hit targets 3,500 km away and will finally be installed on Arihant and also the next two follow-on submarines of the same class.

The submarine will provide second-strike capability in case of a nuclear attack. It is the easiest to launch a nuclear strike from a submarine as it remains submerged, hence the enemy cannot detect it.

In December 2010, the then Navy Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma had announced: "When Arihant goes to sea, it will be on a deterrent patrol (armed with nuclear-tipped missiles)." Being nuclear-powered, the submarine will not have to surface for two months to breath, like the conventional vessels have to.

India will join the US, the UK, France, and China by having such technology and prowess.

Arihant has cost Rs 15,000 crore. It has been jointly developed by the Navy, BARC and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at the Visakhapatnam naval dockyard. Russian designers assisted in building the vessel. Other companies involved in the development of the submarine are Tata Power and Larsen & Toubro (L&T). The project, earlier known as the advanced technology vessel (ATV), has been under development since 1998.

 

[sayareakd]

well two good news this month, Vicki getting successful trial and Arihant is about to go for sea trials.............

 

[SajeevJino]

India will join the US, the UK, France, and China by having such technology and prowess.

Russia again the IDRW

 

[sayareakd]

 

[Bheeshma]

Why would anyone make a public announcement of when a nuke sub will make an entrance when it is not even done for a SSK? The sub must be on patrol already. Let us know when the first K-4 is fired from it.

 

[sayareakd]

Whose finger on the nuclear trigger at sea?

India has taken its own sweet time to imbibe the skills and technology that has been around since at least the 1950s
On 17 January 1955 when the USS Nautilus—the world's first nuclear submarine—sailed out deploying the rector for propulsion for the very first time its captain, Commander Eugene Wilkinson (who died last month at the ripe age of 94), radioed the historic message: "Underway on nuclear power"

Nearly 60 years later INS Arihant—India's first nuclear-powered and nuclear-armed submarine—will accomplish a similar feat in coming weeks and its commander, Captain Sanjay Mahendru may well mark the epoch-making event with his own memorable message.
India has taken its own sweet time to imbibe the skills and technology that have been around since at least the 1950s. The nuclear submarine programme was reportedly conceived in 1970 (even before the 1974 nuclear test) but gathered momentum only in the 1980s. It took another thirty years—and several dramatic twists and turns worthy of a Bollywood potboiler—before INS Arihant was launched in 2009 (and not without a little help from Russia).
In contrast, the keel of Nautilus was laid in 1952 and within three years it was sailing on nuclear power. Even China, which began its programme in 1958, was able to get its first nuclear propelled submarine underway by 1971.
Its belated arrival notwithstanding, INS Arihant marks a sea change in India's nuclear arsenal and strategic reach. First, it completes the nuclear triad—the ability to launch nuclear weapons from the air, land and subsea. Second, the sea-leg of the triad also strengthens India's second-strike capability (i.e. the ability to launch a retaliatory nuclear strike if an enemy first strike takes out the air and land launch capabilities). This lends greater credibility to India's nuclear deterrence; assuming, of course, that the submarine is quiet enough to remain undetected. Finally, it provides India with a truly global reach. With its ability to traverse the oceans without having to surface or refuel, the "boomer" puts almost every country of concern (even with the limited 700km range of the present K-15 submarine-launched ballistic missile—SLBM) within range.
However, the operationalization of INS Arihant's nuclear weapons also raises a crucial question: whose finger is on the nuclear trigger at sea? A related issue is the so-called "always/never dilemma" which on the one hand is concerned that nuclear weapons always detonate in a prescribed manner when directed by the political leadership and on the other that nuclear weapons never detonate when their use has not been authorized by the political leadership.
In the case of India's land-based and air-deliverable nuclear weapons this concern has largely been dealt with by keeping the nuclear warheads separated from the delivery systems—aircraft and missiles. The former are under the custody of Defence Research and Development Organisation officials while the latter are under the control of the armed forces. This de-mated state of the arsenal ensures that these weapons can never be used without the proper authorization.
However, it will be nearly impossible to keep the SLBMs and the warheads de-mated on INS Arihant. This raises the prospect of unauthorized use of the nuclear-tipped SLBMs, in addition to the danger of inadvertent or accidental launch and highlights the never dilemma. All other nuclear weapon states with SLBMs have resolved these concerns through various means. The US initially followed a two-man rule, similar to India's, but replaced it with a technological fix—the permissive action links. Similarly, British prime ministers gave "beyond the grave" pre-planned instructions to their submarine commanders in case all communication ceased.
India will have to address this crucial issue to ensure the credibility of its nuclear deterrence. Hopefully, it will not take as long getting INS Arihant underway on nuclear power.
W.P.S. Sidhu is a senior fellow at the Center on International Cooperation, New York University. He writes on strategic affairs every fortnight.
Comments are welcome at [email protected]

Whose finger on the nuclear trigger at sea? - Livemint

 

[Bheeshma]

India needs to have something like the russian dead hand system.

 

[sayareakd]

India needs to have something like the russian dead hand system.

ok who do we programmed to take it out ? We have Pakistan and China as our immediate concern.

 

[Bheeshma]

Both obviously. Unless it recieves a signal every day take them both out 25 and 100 will suffice.

 

[sayareakd]

Both obviously. Unless it recieves a signal every day take them both out 25 and 100 will suffice.

Good idea but what will happen if earthquake or some thing like that hit us or operator forget to send signal or something stupid happen some day ? Chini and Paki ki band baaj jayagi. Chini will than send 200 at us and rest of their 100 or 200 on USA and Russia may be some to Japan etc. It will be Chain reaction of nuke attack. Any other safe system in mind?

 

[sayareakd]

One more thing you have to keep 125 nukes on hair trigger alert on missile for dead hand and all the security and investment associated with it on land.

 

[lookieloo]

One more thing you have to keep 125 nukes on hair trigger alert on missile for dead hand and all the security and investment associated with it on land.

Prongs of a triad have different attributes that make each essential to a well-rounded deterrent. Bombers can be recalled or redirected en-route (and reused). Land based missiles have more-positive command/control in a tense situation along with the quickest response-time. Submarine based nukes are the most survivable.

 

[NSG_Blackcats]

Nuclear reactor on INS Arihant goes critical; huge step forward for India's N-triad

NEW DELHI: The miniature reactor on board India's first indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant has gone "critical", which marks a big stride towards making the country's long-awaited "nuclear weapons triad," an operational reality.

Sources, in the early hours of Saturday, said the 83 MW pressurized light-water reactor attained "criticality" after several months of "checking and re-checking" of all the systems and sub-systems of the 6000-tonne submarine at the secretive ship-building centre at Visakhapatnam.

 

[nirranj]

http://www.livefistdefence.com/2013/08/reactor-goes-critical-1st-indian-n-sub.html

Great news overnight: Its 83MW pressurized water reactor finally going critical, India's first indigenous nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine Arihant is finally ready to leave harbour and enter a phase of sea trials in the Bay of Bengal.

 

[bose]

Great news!! Congrats to all who put in their hard work...

 

[Bheeshma]

I seriously doubt they would give a day by day update on a nuke sub.

 

[Dinesh_Kumar]

good good....

 

[sayareakd]

great news, now next step is sea tests.................. Congrats to all, specially to those who worked on this project,

 

[sayareakd]

India has successfully developed SLBM for INS Arihant

New Delhi, Jul 31: India has successfully developed its first submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) for the indigenous nuclear submarine 'INS Arihant', joining an elite club of nations possessing such weaponry.



The SLBM, which can be launched from Arihant, has been developed successfully, sources said here.

Senior DRDO Scientist and Director of Hyderabad-based Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL) A K Chakrabarti was honoured today by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at a function here for his "outstanding contributions in the successful development of the first SLBM system for the nuclear powered platform Arihant."

The development of the underwater-launched ballistic missile will help India in completing its nuclear triad under which now it will have the option to strike from air, land and under the sea.

At present, very few countries including the US, Russia, France, China and the UK have the capability to carry out submarine-based ballistic missile strikes.

Specifications with regard to the Indian missile were not immediately known but its strike range is believed to be around 700 kms.

India has successfully developed SLBM for INS Arihant