The Bangkok Post, December 9, 2019 reports the Thai Navy will monitor Myanmar's "new" ex-Indian Kilo submarine - due to become operational in the Myanmar Navy on December 24, 2019.
As India only transfered-gifted? this 32 year old submarine to Myanmar after mid 2019 it is likely that many Indian "advisers" will be aboard. Such Indian advisers (aka "mobile training teams") will be essential for command, control, sonar sensing, engine room operations, weapons handling, etc - just about everything.
The Thai interest is particularly because Thailand and Myanmar share the submarine's proposed operating area - which is the Andaman Sea. Bangladesh, which has some territorial issues with Myanmar might also use its 2 Ming-class submarines to monitor Myanmar's new Kilo.
As India only transfered-gifted? this 32 year old submarine to Myanmar after mid 2019 it is likely that many Indian "advisers" will be aboard. Such Indian advisers (aka "mobile training teams") will be essential for command, control, sonar sensing, engine room operations, weapons handling, etc - just about everything.
2 comments:
Hi Pete,
It is going to be very hard for Thailand to remain undetected in the Andaman sea, especially if the Indian Navy's sailors or officers are onboard that Burmese submarine. Especially after these
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/india-myanmar-sign-defence-cooperation-agreement/articleshow/70439116.cms?from=mdr
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/india-all-set-to-take-over-ops-in-myanmars-sittwe-port-after-chabahar/articleshow/67437859.cms?from=mdr
We can also assume there be somewhat intelligence sharing on the naval matter. If not impossible, it is not going to be easy. Indian subs would definitely be tailing Thai navy's Type 039 . Especially IN subs which coming out from Vizag.
Akula, both SSBN, 4 Sindhughosh, homeport of these subs are in Vizag. But Akula, future Akula, Arihant class, and futuristic SSN definitely move to INS Varsha as it gets ready, but still, it still be in Eastern Naval Command facing the Andaman Sea.
Hi Arpit Kanodia [at December 10, 2019 at 2:48 AM]
It may be 2023 before the first (still being built) Thai Yuan derivative "S26T" submarine is operational https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_039A_submarine#Export .
Without many Chinese advisers aboard (and there are sure to be many) the Thais indeed may operate this submarine in a noisy/unstealthy manner. The Andaman Sea is surprisingly deep at 1,100m average https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_Sea along with a SOSUS line being completed - may favour Indian submarine detection of opponent submarines in/near that Sea.
Despite closer India-Myanmar defence ties https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/india-myanmar-sign-defence-cooperation-agreement/articleshow/70439116.cms?from=mdr I would say China has stronger Myanmar ties than India (through Chinese debt trapping and maybe "commissions") see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%E2%80%93Myanmar_relations#Commercial_relations and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China%E2%80%93Myanmar_relations#Strategic_relations
Interesting India, like China, has a foreign country Indian Ocean port development strategy https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/india-all-set-to-take-over-ops-in-myanmars-sittwe-port-after-chabahar/articleshow/67437859.cms?from=mdr
5 years ago, when I wrote http://gentleseas.blogspot.com/2014/12/south-asian-submarine-issues.html INS Varsha was implicitly going to be ready soon... I think Varsha's program costs have unfortunately outrun India's defence budget ceiling.
Regards
Pete
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