Engineering:S5-class submarine

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Short description: Planned class of Ballistic missile submarines
An artistic impression of the S5-class submarine
Class overview
Operators Indian Navy
Preceded byArihant class
Planned4-6[1]
Building2
__1B0X_5H1P__class overview
General characteristics
TypeNuclear powered ballistic missile submarine
Displacement13,500–17,000 tonnes (13,300–16,700 long tons; 14,900–18,700 short tons)[2]
Propulsion
RangeUnlimited
Armament
  • 12 VLS cells for[2]
    • K-5 SLBM (5,000–8,000 km or 3,100–5,000 mi range) (or)
    • K6 MIRV SLBM (8,000–9,000 km or 5,000–5,600 mi range)
__1B0X_5H1P__characteristics

S5 is the code name for a planned class of Indian nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines currently being developed for the Indian Navy. S5 will weigh around twice as much as the preceding Arihant-class submarine. It is reported that four boats of the class are expected to enter Indian service by the late 2030s.[1]

Design

The S5-class of submarines are planned to weigh around 13,500 tonnes (13,300 long tons; 14,900 short tons).[6] The submarines are planned to be armed with up to twelve K6 Submarine-launched ballistic missiles, each armed with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles.[2]

Development

In 2006, a high-level committee led by R. Chidambaram, the then principal scientific advisor to the Government of India, had assessed India's ability to construct three S5 series of SSBNs. The project with a budget of ₹10,000 crore (equivalent to ₹260 billion or US$3.6 billion in 2023) divided among DRDO, BARC and the ATV headquarters. The construction would tentatively begin in 2015 followed with the first submarine to be deployed in 2021.[2] The Arihant-class submarine has limitations with its reactor and payload capacity.[7][8]

Around 2012, with the S5 project remaining in developmental stage, another Arihant-class submarine was cleared for production to avoid idling of the production line. The new unit was designated as S4* (between S4 and S5). The boat would also feature the Arihant Stretch design.[2]

As of December 2017, the final design work for the submarine was underway. The submarine would be equipped with 12 ballistic missiles.[2]

As of 4 December 2022, the S5-class submarine was to enter production by 2027.[9][10]

As of September 2024, the design phase of the submarine was nearing completion and project sanction was expected soon.[11]

In September 2025, the Times of India reported that the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is developing a 200 MWe-rated nuclear reactor for the Indian Navy's next-generation nuclear submarines, including Project 77 and S5-class submarines.[12]

In December 2025, it was reported that construction of the first two S5 SSBNs had commmenced with four of the submarines expected to be commissioned by late 2030s.[1][13]

In February 2026, it was reported that the overall tonnage of the S5-class submarines will be around 17,000-tons submerged.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Singh, Arjun Dev (2025-12-29). "CHAKRA EXCLUSIVE: India’s fourth SSBN sails out for sea trials" (in en). https://chakranewz.com/critical-technologies/trending/chakra-exclusive-india-rsquo-s-fourth-ssbn-sails-out-for-sea-trials. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Unnithan, Sandeep (10 December 2017). "A peek into India's top secret and costliest defence project, nuclear submarines". 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. 
  3. ↑ "Founder's Day Speech, Director, BARC". Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. 30 October 2018. http://www.barc.gov.in/presentations/fddir18.pdf. 
  4. ↑ "DAE (Excellence in Science, Engineering & Technology) Awards 2010". BARC Newsletter (322): 33. http://www.barc.gov.in/publications/nl/2011/2011091009.pdf. Retrieved 21 March 2021. 
  5. ↑ "Bhabha Atomic Research Centre making reactor for Navy's next generation nuclear submarines". The Times of India. 21 September 2025. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bhabha-atomic-research-centre-making-reactor-for-navys-next-generation-nuclear-submarines/articleshow/124005864.cms. 
  6. ↑ Pandit, Rajat (5 November 2018). "Nuclear submarine INS Arihant completes patrol, country's N-triad operational" (in en). The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/as-nuclear-sub-arihant-returns-after-first-deterrence-patrol-indias-nuclear-triad-complete/articleshow/66515624.cms. 
  7. ↑ Prakash, Arun (2018-11-07). "The significance of Arihant" (in en-IN). https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-significance-of-ins-arihant-nuclear-submarine-navy-5436432/. 
  8. ↑ "Agni VI, ISRO and Radio Silence on India's 10,000 KM Range ICBM". 17 November 2022. https://www.financialexpress.com/defence/agni-vi-isro-and-radio-silence-on-indias-10000-km-range-icbm/2828572/. 
  9. ↑ "Much improved & bigger 3rd Generation S5 SSBN of the Indian Navy to enter production in 2027". 2022-12-04. https://theigmp.org/much-improved-bigger-3rd-generation-s5-ssbn-of-the-indian-navy-to-enter-production-in-2027/. 
  10. ↑ "Amid China standoff, India set to boost naval power with 3rd N-sub in 6 months". The Times of India. 2024-08-30. ISSN 0971-8257. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/amid-china-standoff-india-set-to-boost-naval-power-with-3rd-n-sub-in-6-months/articleshow/112905487.cms. 
  11. ↑ "India's S5 SSBN to Armed with 12 SLBM Launch Tubes, K5 Missile, and 190 MW Reactor" (in en-US). 2024-09-11. https://defence.in/threads/indias-s5-ssbn-to-armed-with-12-slbm-launch-tubes-k5-missile-and-190-mw-reactor.9857/. 
  12. ↑ "Bhabha Atomic Research Centre making reactor for Navy's next-generation nuclear-submarines". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/bhabha-atomic-research-centre-making-reactor-for-navys-next-generation-nuclear-submarines/articleshow/124005864.cms. 
  13. ↑ Militar, Redaccion Zona (2025-12-30). "India is reported to have begun sea trials of the fourth of its new Arihant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines" (in en-US). https://www.zona-militar.com/en/2025/12/30/india-is-reported-to-have-begun-sea-trials-of-the-fourth-of-its-new-arihant-class-nuclear-powered-ballistic-missile-submarines/. 
  14. ↑ "MASSIVE: S5 SSBN expanding into a 17,000-ton beast to target China’s heartland" (in en). 2026-02-20. https://igmp.in/s5-ssbn-expanding-into-a-17000-ton-beast-to-target-chinas-heartland/. 

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