Submarine Matters has kept abreast of Indian SSBN developments over the years. Most recently at Update on India's SSBN and SLBM Evolution of January 21, 2019, which in part reported:
"The K-5 and K-6 [SLBMs] are reportedly planned for follow-on SSBNs, displacing more than twice that of the Arihant class.
“The 13,500 ton SSBNs of the so-called S-5 class are to carry twelve of the 5000 km range K-5 – development of which started in 2015, with no tests done to date – or a similar number of the 6000 km range K-6” which is to have MIRVs. The longer-ranged K-5 could replace the K-4 on the Arihant class to enhance its effectiveness and flexibility.
“the Arihant class is a relatively modest vessel by the high standards set by the five larger nuclear powers which operate much more potent vessels.
“In fact, it might have been expected for India to develop an SSN – like the Akula class submarine currently leased as the INS Chakra. By opting for an SSBN, it is clear India allocated priority to the Arihant project with plans for six SSNs being left for the future.”"
H I Sutton at Covert Shores, September 2, 2019 has published a most interesting article Indian Next Generation S-5 SSBN revealed which states in part:
Diagram of Provisional India's S-5 Next Generation SSBN. The distinctive hump seems to owe much to Russia's Delta class SSBNs. (Diagram courtesy S I Sutton at Covert Shores, September 2, 2019)
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H I Sutton at Covert Shores, September 2, 2019 has published a most interesting article Indian Next Generation S-5 SSBN revealed which states in part:
"Indian Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu tweeted
photos from his August 28 [2019] visit to the Naval Science & Technological Laboratory
(NSTL) to celebrate its Golden Jubilee. NSTL is part of DRDO (Defence Research
and Development Organization) in Vizag, Andhra Pradesh.
A yellow hydrodynamic
test model of a submarine, partially visible in one of the photos may provide
new insights into India's next generation ballistic missile submarine program,
the S-5 Class. 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 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....”
Read the FULL EXCELLENT REPORT by H
I Suttom of Covert Shores including photos of the provisional S-5 yellow submarin model.
Hi Pete
ReplyDeleteI'm Surprise, India's next SSBN model looks similar to either Russian Delta-class submarine
Hi Nicky
ReplyDeleteYes I think all those $Billions equivalent India gave/paid the USSR/Russia for surface navy ships, an Akula SSN rebuild and 2 SSN leases, for Russian advisers on India's SSBNs and submarine reactors, included some secret items for India, eg:
- Delta submarine designs
- pressure hull samples/formulas
- Agni IRBM-ICBM rocket series designs/samples/formulas, and
- even nuclear weapon test data and some designs.
India would be crazy if it developed all the above from scratch.
No country, not even the US, developed its nuclear weapons without foreign help.
Regards
Pete
hopefully a MIRVed K-5 or K-6 is test fired soon along with perfecting the locally made varunastra torpedo,
ReplyDeletegood to see a Le Troimphant size (14,000 tons nearly) proper boomer being made finally.
May the blighters in charge hurry up the process and hopefully the SSN project starts on a parallel track once the S-5 class reactor gets tested sufficiently.
PS: what do you think of Israeli military complexes' underwater sonar and combat suite solutions? I am hoping some of the quieter low frequency passive flank sonars and some of the other solutions are part of the USHUS-2 sonar pack made in India.
Hi GhalibKabir
ReplyDeleteWhen I looked at India's first MIRVs in 2012 I thought they would one day start with 2 or 3 RVs per missile.
I think a politician showing an S-5 model is more a political and PR act than an assurance it would be operational in 2030.
Yes Indian SSNs (not just INS Chakra) are sorely needed. Otherwise Chinese SSNs may jump India's SSBNs.
Am I right in thinking there is some development (part booster and guidance?) correlation between Agni 4, 5 and 6 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agni_(missile) development
and K 4, 5 and 6? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K_Missile_family#K-4_Missile
I would say Israel borrows heavily from German sonar/combat system developments given Israel buys TKMS subs. Also Israel would get official and unofficial tips from the US and France on mobile sub and fixed undersea sensors.
Regards
Pete
Sorry for the delayed reply. I was in Syd-Melb the last 10 days. About the S-5, I assume 2029-30 for the first one to get into trials.
ReplyDeleteSSNs are needed, but the reactor needs fixing for the rapid power bursts that SSNs need
The K series certainly borrow from aspects of the Agni, though is there stage by stage mapping, I don't know.
I know one thing for sure, the launching mechanism of the K-4 was taught by the Russians.
Hi GhalibKabir
ReplyDeleteThanks for your views. Hope you enjoyed Sydney and Melbourne, Australia.
So the S-4 may begin trials 2029-30. Hopefully K-5s and K-6s of all-China-encompassing range will be ready by then. Also K-5s or K-6s will have a better chance of destroying hostile SSBNs in the China seas or western Pacific.
Enough money to Russia may expedite development or cloning of a reactor capable of the rapid power bursts SSNs need. Maybe the Yasen's KPM PWR of 200MW? Or even French K15?
Yes the K series - Agni series sharing is likely and I suspect Russian (and maybe even French) assistance.
So the COLD "launching mechanism of the K-4 was taught by the Russians"?
Regards
Pete
I enjoyed Australia thoroughly thank you (liked Melb better)
ReplyDeleteThe S-5 should trial by late 2020s. The S-3 should trial next year hopefully as it is just a replica of Arihant (S-3 Arighat launched 11/2017), the 7,000 ton S4 and S4*, I really don't know if they will be constructed.
Some say, the S4 keel has been already laid and it is under construction. I am not so sure. I think the 6,000 ton Arihant and Arighat will serve as good training platforms before the 13,000 ton S-5 with the K-5 or K-6 MIRV SLBM take over as the sea leg of India's N-Triad.
Yasen class lease and related help has already been turned down by Russia. Chakra-3 Akula lease was instead offered and accepted. Considering the perennial French struggle with LEU reactors and their perceived drawbacks, I think India will try to or is already possibly duplicating the HEU 190MWt OK-650B Akula reactor for its own SSN.
As far as I am concerned, the bigger focus should be on the SSN combat suite and sonar capability, where I think India should put its experience with TKMS and DCNS to good use.
Especially the low frequency cylindrical array passive sonar etc. which are useful in hunting enemy SSNs. But an fully Indian SSN is unlikely before 2035 as things stand.
The older videos of the Layner SLBM launch by Russia are clear proof imho that the K-4 Cold launch technique was taught by Russia to India. I don't think the French gave any missile or reactor related help. Their consultancy I assume (ongoing) is for non-reactor/missile design aspects of subs (probably SSNs under the garb of the Scorpene project). This is conjecture at best and very likely the French 'help' way more limited than the Russians.
ReplyDeleteHi GhalibKabir
ReplyDeleteThanks for your 2 comments above.
I'll turn these and some of your previous comments into an Update on Indian Nuclear Submarines on Tuesday 1st October.
And yes - Melbourne is much more relaxing city than high pressure Sydney :)
Regards
Pete
https://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/pub/techfocus/2017/TF_Mar_2017_WEB.pdf
ReplyDeleteContains plenty of hints of indigenous sonar design efforts in India and what would have gone into the USHUS-2 and 1 systems (Arihant has the USHUS-1 sonar suite)
On a related note to get an idea of Chinese efforts, the book by Qihu Li dating to 2012 (the weighty tome costs excess of AUD 400) on Digital Sonar Design is another well written book that gives hints on Chinese advances into low frequency passive flank sonar etc. on their newer SSNs.
http://cimsec.org/indias-submarine-arm-returning-even-trim/30777
ReplyDeleteOne more very good write up on the upgrades ongoing as of 2017. sorry for pelting you with so many posts
Thanks GhalibKabir
ReplyDeleteFor DRDO's TECHNOLOGIES FOR UNDERWATER SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS at https://www.drdo.gov.in/drdo/pub/techfocus/2017/TF_Mar_2017_WEB.pdf .
Thanks also for the reference to the book by Chinese author Qihu Li on Digital Sonar Design (at A$400 I'm hoping the Australian Government and Naval Group can afford one or two :)
I disagree with http://cimsec.org/indias-submarine-arm-returning-even-trim/30777 when it claims "SSBNs are inherently noisy. Consequently, smaller and equally speedy but much quieter SSNs"
SSBNs rely more on quietness than SSNs. SSBNs are not as "speedy" or stop/start reactor and hydrodynamic flow noise making as SSNs.
But the CIMSEC reference is good on Arihant and nuclear propulsion eg.
"Consequently, for [India's next SSBN] the Arindham, there is a clear need to upgrade the reactor. The Arihant has an 85-MWt reactor (≈17 MWe, since in a naval reactor, roughly 5 MWt = 1 MWe). The one for the larger and heavier Arindham will need to be somewhere between 160-190 MWt (32-38 MWe) and this is an upgrade that is ongoing."
and "in February 2015, the Modi government accorded political approval for six SSNs."
Cheers
Pete
I agree with you on the SSBN quietness bit. That is the whole point of the SSBN - quiet and strike only when the unthinkable has occurred...plus considering the rail mobile ICBMs and India's land mass, the sea triad is likely a supplementary 'worstiest of worst' case fall back option. (though realistically a strike that takes out India's land N arsenal will be so large as to cause a fatal global nuclear winter and a holocaust of humanity ending proportions)
ReplyDeleteThe reactor the Vice-Admiral alludes to, closely matches the OKBM Afrikantov 190MWt PWR
OK-650B which I strongly suspect is being duplicated even as we discuss... the Indian SSN will need a good power source if it comes in at the suspected 7,000 - 8,000 tons size range and be capable of 30+ knots speed...
Hi GhalibKabir
ReplyDeleteA Pakistan-India or China-India nuclear war causing a global nuclear winter sounds no good at all.
Future use of the Russian designed OKBM Afrikantov 190MWt PWR OK-650B also seems logical given India's use of the Russian design and Russian advisers for the 83-90MW reactor used in INS Arihant and Arighat.
Regards
Pete