Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV)
Wrapped In Secrecy: New Report Reveals India’s Push For Building A Nuclear Submarine Fleet Swarajya Staff Dec 12, 2017
The Navy is also working on a new series of 13,500-tonne ballistic missile submarines. The Indian government assessed India's ability to design and build a class of three new ballistic missile submarines, codenamed S5, in 2006 when it realized that the Arihant-class submarines had limited reactor and payload capacity. These submarines were originally scheduled to be operational by 2021, but were subsequently delayed. This delay prompted the Indian government to order an additional Arihant-class submarine in 2012 to avoid idling the production line.
The boats built under this project would be capable of carrying at least 12 nuclear-tipped missiles, compared to four carried by the Arihant-class submarines. Submarines developed under this project will be on par with those fielded by the five permanent members of the United Nations. The submarines will have 80 percent indigenous component.
Recognizing the limitations of the Arihant- class submarines' nuclear reactor and payload, the Indian government assessed India 's capabilities to design and build a class of three new ballistic missile submarines, codenamed S5, in 2006. These submarines were initially scheduled to enter service from 2021, but were subsequently postponed. Following these delays, the Indian government approved additional Arihant-class submarines in 2012 , thus avoiding a stall in the production line.
Once the four Arihant class submarines are constructed the construction will shift to a new design referred to as Arihant Followon or S5 class. In August 2019 the first look of what seemed to be S5 SSBN was revealed during the visit of the Vice President of India at the Navel Science and Technology Laboratory [NSTL] of DRO. While the specification of S5 has still not been revealed it was expected to have a displacement of 13,500 ton surpassing China's Type 94 submarines. It would powered by more powerful 190 megaw nuclear reactors. It would be equiped with some sealaunched ballistic missiles, crurise missiles and torpedoes. The S5 submarine may even accommodate 16 launch tubes which could be filed with MIRV K5 SLBMs. This bigger SSBN with longer range missiles will give India's strategic posture greater credibility because they are the most secure and survivable platforms for assured retaliatory strikes after a first strike by an adversary.
In order to maintain Continuous Deterence [CD] posture and to have credible reliable second strike capability, the Navy needs a minimum of four SSBNs. this will ensure the permanent deployment of SSBN on Eastern and Western Seaboard and uninterrupted patrol while one or two SSBNs are undergoing maintenance.
According to reports on December 4, 2022, the S5-class submarine will enter production by 2027. To be built in the 2030s, the S-5 class is expected to enter service before 2030s and will likely carry the new K-6 SLBM (Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile) which is also under development.
The Indian Navy has operated nuclear powered submarines since it first leased a Pr.670 CHARLIE Class submarine off the Soviet Union in 1987. Since then it has leased a more modern Pr.971 AKULA Class boat and inducted the first indigenous nuclear-powered submarines, the Arihant Class.
The new design will be a larger boat with 12 or 16 launch tubes for the new K-6 intercontinental ballistic missile, which is expected to have a range in the order of 3,200 nautical miles, about twice that of the current K-4 missile. The first generation Arihant Class are pocket boomers and can only carry 4 K-4 missiles, or 12 of the maller diameter K15 SLBMs which have a range of just 400 nautical miles.
It is not reported whether it will still be capable of carrying the earlier K-15 missile. The K-15 has one advantage because it's smaller diameter means that 3 can be carried in the place of a single K-4/6. The launch tubes are, at least on the Arihant class, interchangeable so theoretically 36-48 K-15 sized missiles could be carried by the new submarine when it enters service.
The K-6 is however expected to be the backbone of the new Indian ballistic missile submarine deterrent. It's much greater range will allow the submarine to patrol far off the Pakistani coast, making it much harder for the Pakistani navy to act against. Similarly, its range and number of missiles will make it more of a threat to China, and indeed Russia and Europe.
A considerable initial work has been already been carried out on the S5 design and a 190 megawatt Pressurized Water Reactor will be developed by Bhaba Atomic Research Center (BARC) and used as a land-based pressurized water reactor on a 1:1 scale for testing purposes for two years before it will be cleared to be integrated into the first submarine. This reactor is crucial as its upgraded version will be used in the upcoming Nuclear Attack Submarines (SSN) of the Indian Navy which will require speed and stealthiness to sneakily attack the enemy flotilla of surface combatants and sub surface combatants. Before beginning the production work, the S5 SSBN will require a new bigger dockyard at Shipbuilding Center Visakhapatnam, which had already been built for the construction work.
Kind Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine
Shift 13,500 tonnes
Propulsion 1 x CLWR -B2 compact light water reactor 1,2
Power 250000 hp (190 MW) 3
Military characteristics
Armament 12 to 16 K6 MIRVed sea-launched strategic ballistic missiles with a range of 3,700 to 5,000 nautical miles (6,000 to 8,000 km ) or K-4 SLBMs with a range of 2,200 miles (3,500 km ) 3 , 4
Range of action Unlimited
History
Served in Indian Navy
Planned ships 3 3
Previous Arihant Class
In February 2015, the India’s government approved the construction of six (6) indigenous SSNs, which were to benefit from experience gained building the first Arihant-class SSBN. the IOC was initially projected for the the mid-2020s, but since this is India, the schecule sseemed to have been seriously delayed. The SSNs would be designed by the Indian Navy’s Directorate of Naval Design.
Design work for the indigenous SSNs displacing around 6,000 tonnes was under way at the newly constructed submarine design center in Gurgaon. They are expected to be powered by a reactor developed by Bhabha Atomic Research Center. This reactor could be similar to the 100 MWt PWR used in the second-in-class IHS Arighat (S3) SSBN or a new design. The are to be built by the Ship Building Center (SBC) in Visakhapatnam, on the east coast of India, where the Arihant-class SSBNs are being built. The six indigenous SSNs will join India’s attack sub fleet currently comprised of one leased Russian Akula-class SSN and many conventional submarines. The indigenous SSNs are expected to have a maximum speed > 25 knots and an operating depth of about 500 m (1,640 ft). Armament would include various weapons that can be launched from 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes, and possibly vertical launch systems (VLS). The indigenous Varunastra heavyweight ASW torpedo or various international heavyweight torpedoes such as Black Shark manufactured by Italian firm Leonardo, the German-made SeaHake, and France’s F21 Artemis. The Russian 3M-54 Club-S anti-ship missile, a version of the Russian – Indian BrahMos medium-range, anti-ship cruise missile, and the indigenous Nirbhay longrange, land-attack cruise missile.
USHUS-2 is the likely sonar choice for India’s indigenous SSN. In 2017, India’s Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) delivered the indigenous USHUS-2, which is an upgraded variant of the USHUS. According to NPOL USHUS-2 is an integrated sonar suite which constitutes an active sonar, passive sonar, intercept sonar, obstacle avoidance sonar and underwater communications. The system provides classification of targets, contact motion analysis and automatic torpedo detection capabilities.
In 2015 INS Sindhudhvaj (S56) vs. USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705) provided a case study of the performance of India’s USHUS sonar suite on a very quiet and capable conventional submarine. INS Sindhudhvaj is a 3,000 ton Russian-designed Kilo-class (Project 877EKM) diesel-electric submarine that was commissioned in 1987 and later modernized with the India’s USHUS integrated sonar suite and tactical control system. USS City of Corpus Christi is a 6,900 ton Flight I Los Angeles-class SSN that was commissioned in 1983. Its modernized sonar suite included the BQQ 5D/E low frequency passive and active search and attack sonar, wide aperture flank array, thin line passive towed array, and close range high frequency active sonar.
The October 2015 naval exercise Malabar was held in the Bay of Bengal (off India’s east coast) and pitted vessels from the navies of India, US, and Japan against each other in mock combat. In one notable exercise, INS Sindhudhvaj defeated Corpus Christi with a simulated torpedo attack and was not detected by Corpus Christi before the exercise was terminated. Apparently INS Sindhudhvaj captured the sound signature of Corpus Christi before the exercise started. Later USHUS was able to locate and track Corpus Christi in the assigned exercise area in the open ocean. This enabled the very quiet INS Sindhudhvaj to close on its target and successfully conduct a simulated torpedo attack.
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