Engineering:Indian Navy SSN programme
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Shipbuilding Centre Visakhapatnam |
| Operators: |
 Indian Navy |
| Cost: | ₹1.2 lakh crore (US$17 billion) total cost[1] |
| Planned: | 6 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | SSN (hull classification symbol) |
| Propulsion: |
|
| Range: | unlimited except by food supplies |
| Armament: | torpedoes, cruise missiles |
The Government of India approved the construction of six new nuclear powered attack submarines (SSN)[2] in February 2015.[3] These will be designed by the Navy's in-house Directorate of Naval Design and indigenously built in the Shipbuilding Center at Visakhapatnam. Since India is a traditional user of Russian nuclear submarines (with INS Chakra on lease) the new domestically built submarines would be third class of SSN operated by Indian navy after leased Charlie I and Akula II-class submarines.[4] All six submarines are expected to be constructed in India under the Make in India program.[2][5]
Development
According to India Today, a patrol by a Shang-class submarine in the Indian Ocean prompted the revival of a plan to build six nuclear-powered attack submarines.[6]
The submarines will be powered by a miniature pressurized water reactor (PWR) being developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre which has already supplied a similar 83 MW miniature reactor for the Arihant-class submarine SSBNs.[4]
On 24 June 2019, it was reported that ₹100 crore (US$14 million) have been allocated for the initial phase of the project. The submarines will be designed by Directorate of Naval Design and the development is expected to continue till 2025. Mishra Dhatu Nigam is developing a new hull material that is expected to allow the submarine to dive to deeper depths than Arihant class. A scaled down model of the submarine is planned to be tested first. The total cost of the project is estimated to be around ₹1 lakh crore (US$14 billion).[7]
In February 2020, The Economic Times reported that the preliminary design phase of the programme has been successfully completed. The report stated that Submarine Design Group of the Directorate of Naval Design, assisted by DRDO, will now start working on the detailed design and construction phase of the programme.[1]
See also
- Submarines of the Indian Navy
- Future of the Indian Navy
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Pubby, Manu (2020-02-21). "India’s Rs 1.2 lakh crore nuclear submarine project closer to realisation". The Economic Times. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/indias-rs-1-2-l-cr-n-submarine-project-closer-to-realisation/articleshow/74234776.cms.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "India to Build 6 Nuclear-Powered Submarines - Navy Chief". Sputnik International. Sputnik. 4 December 2015. https://sputniknews.com/military/201512041031242059-india-submarine-nuclear-fleet/.
- ↑ "Government clears construction of 7 stealth frigates, 6 nuclear-powered attack submarines". The Economic Times. 18 February 2015. http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2015-02-18/news/59268906_1_submarines-frigates-indian-ocean-region. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Watch Out, China: India Is Building 6 Nuclear Attack Submarines". The National Interest. 18 February 2015. http://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/watch-out-china-india-building-6-nuclear-attack-submarines-12276. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
- ↑ "India finalizing plans to order three more Scorpene submarines". http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-finalizing-plans-to-order-three-more-Scorpene-submarines/articleshow/50035641.cms. Retrieved 2015-12-04.
- ↑ Unnithan, Sandeep (10 December 2017). "A peek into India's top secret and costliest defence project, nuclear submarines" (in en). India Today. https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/the-big-story/story/20171218-india-ballistic-missile-submarine-k-6-submarine-launched-drdo-1102085-2017-12-10.
- ↑ Pubby, Manu (2019-06-24). "Work begins on India’s next gen nuclear-powered submarines". The Economic Times. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/work-begins-on-indias-next-gen-nuclear-powered-submarines/articleshow/69921014.cms.
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