India’s SSN: Waiting period 15 years
The Chief of the Naval Staff Sunil Lanba while speaking to a media outlet, revealed that development of Indian nuclear attack submarine project which was sanctioned only earlier this year will take over 10 years to mature and as per latest media reports, Indian Navy has been told to fast-track the development and deliver the first submarine in less than 15 years from now.
Navy’s submarine design bureau which is in charge of the design and development of Six classified nuclear attack submarine project is still working out on staff requirements of the submarines and evaluating technological challenges with all stakeholders before it starts work on the design.
One admiral points out that while the SSN will be Arihant’s size, designing and building it will be far more challenging as both platforms have different tasks. An SSBN like the Arihant is a stealth underwater bomber ready to launch nuclear-tipped missiles at an adversary. Its reactor needs to deliver steady speeds as it prowls undetected.
An SSN, on the other hand, is like a fighter jet. It needs a high-performance nuclear reactor which delivers tremendous speed with rapid acceleration and deceleration. It needs a reactor that can perform multiple tasks such as pursuing enemy warships and striking land targets. Opinion seems to be divided regarding the type of reactor that will power the SSN.
SSNs are as important as SSBNs as they can blockade important sea routes, denying the enemy access to important resources in an event of war, and shadow enemy ships.SSN submarine have to defend the Carrier Groups , have to stay deep in the water, to search both underwater and surface targets, chase enemy subs, launching attacks, and many other combat duties, India has the technology of constructing missile submarines, Arihant is an good example, of course Russians helped in several key issues to achieve victory in the ATV program.
SSN’s will feature smaller cruise missiles launch tubes in their hump which might be able to carry 6-7 Sub-sonic cruise missile per launch tube. To prepare submarine for conventional missions, Internally submarine will need to include extensive modifications to its mission planning, command, control, communications and prep areas.
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.
India’s India’s Arihant class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines took over 30 years of research and development before the first submarine was ready but the experience and expertise gained from the Arihant project now have created necessary infrastructure and supply chain that work on the nuclear attack submarine can be wrapped up in half the time.
France has agreed to help India in development of Non-Nuclear technologies for the nuclear attack submarine in lieu of orders for the Six Diesel-electric submarines under Project-75I and Russia to have made a similar un-disclosed offer if it bags Project-75 I.
Defense analysts have predicated that India’s indigenous SSNs will see the heavy influence of INS Chakra which is an Akula class Nuclear attack submarine on lease from Russia to India for 10 years, while India is in talks with Russia to lease Chakra 3 which will replace current INS Chakra in 2022, which many believe will be a old Akula class Nuclear attack submarine with upgraded technology elements from their super secret Yasen-class submarine.
SSNs are as important as SSBNs as they can blockade important sea routes, denying the enemy access to important resources in an event of war, and shadow enemy ships.SSN submarine have to defend the Carrier Groups , have to stay deep in the water, to search both underwater and surface targets, chase enemy subs, launching attacks, and many other combat duties, India has the technology of constructing missile submarines, Arihant is an good example, of course Russians helped in several key issues to achieve victory in the ATV program.
India may slowly step in to the elite SSN club, India plans to operate some three Carrier group along with four Amphibious strike group, each of the invasion group needs at least a single SSN for under water missions.
