Analysis Does India have 3 SSBNs?
- Thread starter Arpit
- Start date
I'm not an expert but I always believed there to be a third one lurking around somewhere.
Or else the theory of S3 moving out to make space for S4 and S4* doesn't make sense when they already started the hull fabrication.
@Nick came up with few doubts a month ago on the other thread
Or else the theory of S3 moving out to make space for S4 and S4* doesn't make sense when they already started the hull fabrication.@Nick came up with few doubts a month ago on the other thread
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Wait.. what??? 3rd sub?? Arigha.. Arindhaman??
Come one people. You guys are well aware of our reporting standards and the ability to churn out a unit. Third sub is grasping on straws..
And as someone said about working on the reactor for arihant, remeber, any major work is going to be lots of cutting.. if you get my drift.
Arihant going to Mediterranean??? Come on!!. Fine. Do you have any idea how many people are listening/watching there? And you expect not even one report talking about ghost sub?
Come one people. You guys are well aware of our reporting standards and the ability to churn out a unit. Third sub is grasping on straws..
And as someone said about working on the reactor for arihant, remeber, any major work is going to be lots of cutting.. if you get my drift.
Arihant going to Mediterranean??? Come on!!. Fine. Do you have any idea how many people are listening/watching there? And you expect not even one report talking about ghost sub?
My Take is we have:
1) S-2 INS ARIHANT
2) S-3 INS ARIGHAT
both with 4 silos and identical and Pakistan specific.
3) S-4 INS ARIDHAMAN with 8 silos
and in pipline
4) S-4* INS A.............. with 12 silos
Both China specific
Thereafter S-5 Avinash class with 16 silos will kick in and both INS Arihant & INS Arighat will be converted to SSGN.
Also INS Arihant was certainly in docks 10 months but for refit with powerful 150 MW reactor which will also be used for SSNs which are based on INS Arhiant class........
So all is well with our nuke subs...........
1) S-2 INS ARIHANT
2) S-3 INS ARIGHAT
both with 4 silos and identical and Pakistan specific.
3) S-4 INS ARIDHAMAN with 8 silos
and in pipline
4) S-4* INS A.............. with 12 silos
Both China specific
Thereafter S-5 Avinash class with 16 silos will kick in and both INS Arihant & INS Arighat will be converted to SSGN.
Also INS Arihant was certainly in docks 10 months but for refit with powerful 150 MW reactor which will also be used for SSNs which are based on INS Arhiant class........
So all is well with our nuke subs...........
This is really questionable. Our deterrence patrols as of now currently is aimed at Pakistan armed with 750km range K15 missiles. Moreover the problems arise with Arihant as it is our first boomer and technicalities associated with it. Now we cant use Suez canal for transversing. So you mean Arihant has travelled around Cape of Good Hope and pass through the narrow Strait of Gibraltor which is surrounded by NATO countries and even might sport an American SOSUS network undetected and came back.
Chinese have been operating boomers for more than 2 decades and they gained the confidence to cross the Malacca strait only 4-5 years back.
I think we are assuming a lots of things here like Pakistanis.
And its possible we might be having 3 boomers now. Considering when Arihant was launched it was reported, 1 more hull is fully fabricated while another hull partially done. But 145m? Both the image you show I believe have discrepancies. The pier at the back have come forward and the shed too has come forward in the measurement pix. Even if its supposed to have 8-16 silos I dont think the length can rise 35m.
@Aashish While it may be true Arihant is a test bed, will it be easy to replace the reactor. We are looking at a timescale of 4-5 years of refit here. Will it be worth it? In that time we can build a new boomer with a new reactor. I believe news are being spreaded out deliberately, good for secrecy. But arent we assuming too much?
Please check my below post too. There is no way our sub is in Mediterranean. No way getting through Strait of Gibraltor. However its possible we might have 3 boomers. Remember Aridhaman name came out in 2009 itself and the hull was fully fabricated and a third hull was 'being fabricated".and reports indicated from 2016 that another sub has been undergoing trials. 2 subs can be built simultaneously.
Aridhaman was initially reported to have 8 silos. So its possible due to issues, the third hull was converted into 4 silo sub copy cat to Arihant.
However I do not believe third sub is active and operationally deployed. But might be undergoing harbour trials. And I dont think it is 145m.
Its actually so. My ex college mate is a high ranking officer in the DND . This was a conversation I had with him a decade ago when both of us were pretty high on liquor. What I've mentioned here is not uncommon knowledge . The info revealed here is a bit dated. I've no clue if the INS Arihant has visited Israel though if it has , it shouldn't come as a surprise . The rest of the info is pretty genuine . Indo Israeli strategic co operation is of a very high order , correction of the highest order . You could say it's higher than our strategic ties to Russia if not at par with it .
Btw - I've tried to get my friend to reveal more since then , but he just smiles and changes the topic . So , that's that .
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Exactly, a report alst year said Arighat is being launched which would free up space for the next set of subs. S4 and S4*. But how launching one sub will free space for two subs? unless another sub has been launched from teh same space earlier.
Not talking of our strategic ties with Israel. But our sub actually going to Israel. Crossing Indian and Atlantic oceans and into the dense NATO network in the Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltor. I dont think our scientists will approve of such a long journey just a few years onto service.
That was my point. I dont think you understood what i was trying to tell
As I said , I've no clue . You'd have to pose this query to the member who made this claim . I , myself find it hard to believe it though if it has happened , I've given you the reasons why it is plausible (to a certain extent ).
But can GOI afford that?
Yes SSBN project is off the books and there is no capex/opex/budget hints of that project.
3 is ridiculous.
We should not be like Pakistanis. We need to trim the fat from the meat.
Of course we arent able to afford. That's why there is no follow on order to Scorpene nor the 24 conventional sub plan is put into place or 126 Rafales have been ordered or IAC 2 seed money have been given or 24 minsweeper order have been provided nor new infantry rifle order placed.
Lots of budget cuts in other orders. TBH I would prefer to see just 2 AC's till 2030 if Nuke sub plan of 5 SSBN and 6 SSN's are finalised. We need to trim the fat from IA. Not the other forces. IA has most non combatents which either should be trimmed and contracts awarded to save Pension money for them.
Ships and subs are named when the keel is laid down. there have been many occasions when the sequence of launch of ships gets altered for very many reasons while constructing. It also happens that construction is started simultaneously of two ships and the one to be commissioned gets launched first.
Considering we have 3 SSBN, what could be the number of silos for the later 2, and does each have 150 MW PWR?
Here's 2015 article clearly stating fabrication of 2n & 3rd hull in full swing and ins Aridhaman out for fitment. Then where did it go?
Construction in full-swing on India's 2nd and 3rd Nuclear Submarine — Indian Defence Update
Construction in full-swing on India’s 2nd and 3rd Nuclear Submarine
Ins arihant
India’s second nuclear powered submarine, INS Aridhaman is being readied for launch as her elder sibbling INS Arihant is being readied for commissioning.
Both submarines are designed to carry Nuclear Missiles. Built under the Advanced Technology Vessel Project, the Aridhaman is being outfitted as the Ship Building Centre in Vizag and is expected to be launched in the third quarter of 2016.
INS Arihant’s harbour and deep sea dives have been successful and the submarine that can carry 750-km range ballistic missiles is ready to be commissioned in early 2016 and showcased to the world during the International Fleet Review (IFR) to be held in Visakhapatnam from February 4. According to the original schedule, INS Arihant which was ceremonially launched on July 26, 2009 was supposed to go for sea trials in 2010 and be inducted by 2011.
“As soon as the Arihant is commissioned the focus will be on the second submarine. The hull fabrication of the third Arihant-class submarine has also been completed,” said a Navy source. If everything goes as per schedule, INS Aridhaman after clearing trials will join the Indian Navy by 2018-end, he said.
The Arihant Class of Submarines are based on the design of Russian Akula class vessels.
India will be having a fleet of following numbers of Nuclear Submarines in near future :
4 SSBN’s of Arihant Class + S5 SSBN’s apart from 6 new SSN’s + INS Chakra and 1 more to be leased from Russia
INS Varsha Naval Base ::
Also the work on INS Varsha is on full swing according to recent satellite images. INS Varsha is a new naval base being developed under Project Varsha for the Indian Navy. This base will be the home of the navy’s new fleet of nuclear submarines and ships. It is designed to support the fleet of 8-12 nuclear-powered ballistic missile and attack submarines to be built for the Indian Navy. It will also have underground pens to hide the submarines from spy satellites and protect them from enemy air attacks.
Construction in full-swing on India's 2nd and 3rd Nuclear Submarine — Indian Defence Update
Construction in full-swing on India’s 2nd and 3rd Nuclear Submarine
Ins arihant
India’s second nuclear powered submarine, INS Aridhaman is being readied for launch as her elder sibbling INS Arihant is being readied for commissioning.
Both submarines are designed to carry Nuclear Missiles. Built under the Advanced Technology Vessel Project, the Aridhaman is being outfitted as the Ship Building Centre in Vizag and is expected to be launched in the third quarter of 2016.
INS Arihant’s harbour and deep sea dives have been successful and the submarine that can carry 750-km range ballistic missiles is ready to be commissioned in early 2016 and showcased to the world during the International Fleet Review (IFR) to be held in Visakhapatnam from February 4. According to the original schedule, INS Arihant which was ceremonially launched on July 26, 2009 was supposed to go for sea trials in 2010 and be inducted by 2011.
“As soon as the Arihant is commissioned the focus will be on the second submarine. The hull fabrication of the third Arihant-class submarine has also been completed,” said a Navy source. If everything goes as per schedule, INS Aridhaman after clearing trials will join the Indian Navy by 2018-end, he said.
The Arihant Class of Submarines are based on the design of Russian Akula class vessels.
India will be having a fleet of following numbers of Nuclear Submarines in near future :
4 SSBN’s of Arihant Class + S5 SSBN’s apart from 6 new SSN’s + INS Chakra and 1 more to be leased from Russia
INS Varsha Naval Base ::
Also the work on INS Varsha is on full swing according to recent satellite images. INS Varsha is a new naval base being developed under Project Varsha for the Indian Navy. This base will be the home of the navy’s new fleet of nuclear submarines and ships. It is designed to support the fleet of 8-12 nuclear-powered ballistic missile and attack submarines to be built for the Indian Navy. It will also have underground pens to hide the submarines from spy satellites and protect them from enemy air attacks.