INS ARIHANT

[Abhi 3]

on sunday india is going to launch her first indigenously built nuclear powered submarine th ins arihant.

some say that russia assisted i its development and it is loosely based on the akula.

 

but still i have tears of happiness ,for me it defines national accommplishment

 

some data

Type:SSBNDisplacement:5,500 – 6,500 tons (Est.)Length:104m (341.2ft) (Est.)Beam:15m (49.2ft) (Est.)Draft:9m (29.5ft) (Est.)Propulsion:PWR using 40% enriched uranium fuel (80MW); one turbine (47,000hp/70MW); one shaft; one 7-bladed, high-skew propeller. (Est.)Range:unlimited except by food suppliesTest depth:300 m (984.2ft). (Est.)Complement:100 officers and men

[Silverbolt 104]

well, congratulations to your country....here we still researching to do our...(eh, more than 20 years)

[MigBuster 2,876]

well well - good luck with that - theres a bit on here too

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arihant_class_submarine

[+ghostrider883 526]

India launches the Arihant, its first homegrown nuclear submarine

Jeremy Page in Delhi

 

Pakistan warned today of a new nuclear arms race after India launched its first homegrown nuclear submarine, joining only five other countries that have developed such vessels.

 

Salman Ali, a spokesman for Pakistan’s navy, said that yesterday’s launch of the 6,000-tonne Arihant or “Destroyer of Enemies” could destabilise the entire Indian Ocean region.

 

The Arihant is the first of five planned submarines that are designed to give India the capability to launch nuclear missiles from the sea, as well as from land and air.

 

It is part of a multi-billion-pound programme to modernise India’s armed forces, in large part to try to catch up with China — the dominant Asian military power, which already has at least 10 nuclear submarines.

 

But it also gives India a strategic advantage over Pakistan, its traditional enemy, with whom it has fought three wars since the two countries won independence from Britain in 1947.

 

Manmohan Singh, India’s Prime Minister, hailed a “historic milestone in the country’s defence preparedness” at a ceremony marking the submarine’s launch in the southern port city of Vishakhapatnam.

 

“The sea is increasingly becoming relevant in the context of India’s security interests and we must re-adjust our military preparedness to this changing environment,” he said.

 

“We do not have any aggressive designs nor do we seek to threaten anyone ... Nevertheless, it is incumbent upon us to take all measures necessary to safeguard our country and to keep pace with technological advancements worldwide.”

 

India currently has 16 diesel-electric submarines of Soviet and German origin, which are all 25-40 years old, according to defence officials. Pakistan has 11 diesel-electric submarines.

 

India and Pakistan conducted tit-for-tat nuclear tests in 1998 and both countries have since developed ways to fire nuclear weapons from aircraft and land vehicles. Until yesterday, however, neither had a platform from which to fire one at sea.

 

That capability is especially important for India as its “no first strike” policy means that it needs to be able to respond to a nuclear attack that could destroy its nuclear sites on land.

 

India launched a secret programme to develop nuclear submarines in the 1970s, but met a series of technical obstacles and has relied heavily on assistance from the Soviet Union and Russia ever since.

 

It leased Charlie-class nuclear submarines from Moscow between 1988 and 1991 and has agreed to lease another from Russia for 10 years, starting later this year or early next.

 

But it has now finally joined the exclusive club of countries that can build their own nuclear submarines, alongside the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.

 

The Arihant is only about half the size of the other five countries’ nuclear submarines, at 112 metres long and 11 metres wide, and can carry a crew of 95 as well as up to 12 Indian K-15 ballistic missiles, which have a range of 440 miles.

 

However, the K-15s will eventually be replaced with K-X missiles, which have a range of 2,190 miles. The submarine is powered by an 85-megawatt nuclear reactor, and can reach 44 kph (24 knots) underwater.

 

Defence officials say that it will undergo two years of sea trials in the Bay of Bengal before being commissioned for full service, but analysts say that the trials could take three to five years

[JediMaster 451]

Pakistan's comments are funny, because traditionally nuke subs are LOUDER than diesel/electric subs. They have long range and can stay out a long time, meaning you can lose track of them for a long period, but while it's a big technical achievment they're not as stealthy as the ones moving on batteries (which cost far less).

[Abhi 3]

though it is not a pathbreaking thing but still something is better than nothing.

the sub will be operational by 2011 i think

 

regarding diesal electric subs india is purchasing scorpene class subs

 

i also think they are better bcoz they require less investment only drawback is they have to come to surface to charge their batteries

Edited July 28, 2009 by satish

[JediMaster 451]

Right, that's why diesel subs are better for short-range missions, and frankly India needs them close. It doesn't need subs in the Atlantic or Pacific, it doesn't even need to send them to the furthest extents of the Indian Ocean.

In short, this is more about the technological ability and prestige of a nuke sub versus the actual combat utility of one.

[Abhi 3]

i came around a newspaper article which says arihant is based on the russian charlie class subs

 

in my opinion 6o diesel subs must be enough for india instead navy should procure asw helicopters

[JediMaster 451]

Well it certainly looks like an Akula, but I wouldn't know a Charlie if it ran me over.

 

Perhaps Pakistan is unaware that a nuke-powered vessel is not a nuclear armed vessel by definition!

[Abhi 3]

they are just so idoits

 

oops spelling mistake