2025 before India could lease Chakra III nuclear submarine

 

INS Chakra ("II") (rebuilt using Indian money) when handed over to India (in 2012) for ten year lease. Chakra III would look very similar but would only be leased by India around 2025 if India and Russia rapidly agreed on its re-building. 

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For several years the Indian Government has been considering leasing "Chakra III" a second derivative of the Akula nuclear propelled attack submarine.  Chakra III would supplement INS Chakra (the Akula derivative India leased last year). 

 

As new Akulas are no longer in production (in Russia's Amur and Sevmash Shipyards) India would be looking to have an existing Akula hull to be rebuilt. India and Russian focus appears to be on the Iribis Akula hull, which is sitting in Russia's Amur Shipyard.

 

India would also consider buying a rebuilt existing hull (Iribis) less expensive and less politically problematic than buying a new build Russian submarine such as the Yasen. Russia might also be reluctant to sell its latest attack submarines to India - in part due to the risk that the West (including the US) and China might get too good an opportunity to examine a completely new Russian submarine.

 

Iribis was laid down for the Russian Navy in 1994, but due to lack of Russian money (and altered post Cold War strategic requirements) Iribis was only 60% complete when work was stopped. As Iribis was never launched it would be sitting on stocks - probably in poor shape.

 

Once, or if, India and Russia do agree to use the Indian money that would be essential in the rebuilding of Iribis there would be at least a 10 year delay - perhaps until 2025 - before Iribis is ready for India to lease.

 

The Indian Express, July 3, 2013, reports http://www.indianexpress.com/news/india-may-take-another-nsub-on-lease/1136876/ :
 

"India may take another n-sub on lease

India has expressed interest in leasing another nuclear attack submarine from Russia to supplement the Akula class hunter-killer that was inducted last year and the two sides are now ready to start negotiations on the project, the head of the top Russian design bureau for nuclear submarines has said.

Tentatively christened INS Chakra III, the new submarine will be a variant of the Akula class of stealthy nuclear-powered submarines that are capable of spending months under water but is likely to be equipped with more lethal weaponry, including a vertically launched Brahmos missile system.

If the project goes through, this would be the third Russian nuclear submarine to be operated by India. The first being the original INS Chakra that was taken on a three-year lease in 1988 and the second was inducted last year after a four-year delay. It too has been named the INS Chakra.

Vladimir Dorofeev, head of the [Russian] Malachite Design Bureau, which is the main centre for nuclear attack submarines in Russia, has said that the negotiations that India and Russia did during the 2012 lease of the Chakra would help in a smooth process for the acquisition of the new submarine. He also told The Indian Express that India has expressed an interest in acquiring the submarine and both the Russian design bureau and the shipyard that will construct it are ready for negotiations.

The submarine is likely to be reconstructed round the hull of the Iribis, a Russian Akula class submarine that was never completed as funds ran dry after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Dorofeev said that the new submarine could also benefit from the design efforts that Russia had put in its latest class of Yasen nuclear-powered attack submarines.

"The fourth generation of Yasen class submarine has been tested successfully, including the firing of a cruise missile from the submerged vessel. We can use that experience for the second Indian submarine. The launch was done using a new vertical launch system that can be used for the next submarine," Dorofeev said

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From http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=82793 "

[Further details on the proposed Chakra III] The universal [vertical] launch system that has been tested can launch several types of missiles from a submerged vessel and can carry four to five missiles per salvo. However, [Vladimir Dorofeev, head of the Russian Malachite Design Bureau] refused to go into details of the project, saying that technical requirements for the next submarine will be discussed after India comes up with a set of technical requirements.

"If a political decision is taken then we as an industry should have no difficulty in delivering what is agreed to," he said. He expressed confidence that the matter will be discussed in future talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who meet once a year [maybe in Dec 2013 based on last year's schedule] for top level confabulations.

He, however, refused to comment on Russian assistance for the indigenous INS Arihant class of submarines that India is constructing in Vizag (Andhra Pradesh). Joint cooperation or technology sharing would depend on political negotiations between the two nations, he said.

In April 2012, the Eastern Fleet that is tasked with patrolling some of the most sensitive waters around India, formally inducted the INS Chakra, a stealthy nuclear-powered submarine acquired from Russia on a 10-year lease.

The Akula II class submarine — renowned as one of the stealthiest in the world is an attack submarine — is nuclear-powered but does not carry nuclear missiles on board [Pete's Comment - but nuclear tipped Klub cruise missiles could be fired through the horizontal torpedo tubes...]."

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In other Indian submarine news http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2013/06/15/india-faces-delays-with-new-submarines/ :

"The Indian Navy’s efforts to update its 1980s-era submarine fleet – aside from one semi-refurbished Akula nuclear submarine [INS Chakra "II"] on lease from Russia – is encountering significant bureaucratic delays, according to the Times of India. The plan to buy six French-designed Scorpene diesel-electric attack submarines, which was approved by India’s government in September 2005, has been delayed by problems attributed to the challenges of technology transfers, with the first boat now scheduled to be in the water in November 2016 at the earliest.

Meanwhile, the Finance Ministry has returned the Project-75I [mainly looking at additional AIP Scorpenes or HDW 214s] next-generation submarine file to the Defence Ministry for “clarifications”, delaying that program by at least three years."
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Pete

India's Decision To Field A Wide Range of Submarines

The Arihant ATV - testbed for India's future SSBNs and SSNs with the range to approach Chinese targets in greater open-ocean safety.
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The following are excerpts from an article from Nuclear Threat Initiative. The article provides some details about India's Submarine types, capabilities and objectives.
India Current Capabilities - Updated October 2010

"The Indian Navy currently operates 16 submarines, which are based at Visakhapatnam on the east coast and Mumbai on the west coast. An additional west-coast base is also being constructed at Karwar.
[- Ther backbone of the fleet is formed by ten Kilo-class Type 877EM - or Sindhugosh-class - units that are being progressively retrofitted to accommodate the Klub/3M-54E Alfa cruise missile system.
- India also operates four Shishumar-class Type 209/1500 vessels designed by ...HDW.
- two aging Foxtrot-class boats, which are currently being used for training purposes.
- In addition to the 16 active submarines, however, India is also
- in the process of constructing six Scorpène-class boats that are being indigenously built at the Mazagon Dock in Mumbai, albeit under the supervision of French technicians.
- India expects to float a tender on six more diesel submarines within the next year...requests for information are already believed to have been issued to DCNS, for additional Scorpenes; HDW in Germany, for the Type 214; Russia for the Amur 1650; and Spain's Nevantia for the S-80A.]...WHOLE ARTICLE"
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PETE'S COMMENTS
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The wide range of foreign sourced submarines (Russian and western) certainly reflects India's evolutionary non-aligned status.

Reasons for the wide selection probably also reflect political motivations - not just the search for subs with the best performance at the time.

Wide selection probably also reflects India aim to transfer technology to its ATV project. The more foreign designs and testbeds (including Nerpa/Chakra) the better.

However wide selection also brings with it technical and managerial inefficiencies, leading to delays and cost overruns.

A special problem for India is the Straits of Malacca and other narrow waters obstructing Indian submarine access to China. India may well be restricted to the short-medium range K-15 as its SLBM for 20 years. Placing China's northeasterly major cities in SLBM range may require Indian submarine positioning in the South China Sea or Western Pacific. Chinese submarines, including China's more advanced (than India) SSNs, may block the narrow straits to China. China may also have deployed under-water sensing (SOSUS type) arrays in these straits - warning of Indian submarines approaching. [Seabed or thethered sensing is even more opaque a subject than the daily movements and confrontations of submarines in the oceans around us!]  All this may mean Indian submarines may need to get in adequate range of China by moving through relatively open waters via the southern Indian Ocean-south around Australia's Southern Ocean-South Pacific to China. This long voyage (if unrefueled) would require nuclear endurance - one reason for India's interest in SSBNs and SSNs.
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"Invalid" commented on January 31, 2011 3:47:00 AM

"SOSUS networks in Straits of Malacca is useless or not feasible because of heavy traffic in there to generate enough noise in the straits for a sub to sneak in."

At 16.50 January 31, 2011 concening possible capabilities of Integrated Undersea Surveillance Systems (IUSS) Pete commented

"Hi Invalid

You appear to have fairly determined views. What is your database?

Modern digital equipment permits descrimination between ship, submarine and natural sounds. Such equipment can also filter out much distortion/noise.

However sound/sonic sensing is just a small part of the spectrum of sensors (probably) available to seapowers and their allies. It is significant that the US no longer describes its network as merely "SOSUS" - rather the broader term Integrated Undersea Surveillance System (IUSS) has been more recently used.

[If one looks at the sophistication of visual spectrum networks, for example closed circuit TV (CCTV) in Beijing or London, one can get an idea of the network centric possibilities of IUSS. CCTV can detect a particular face amongst millions and follow that person across a city.] In addition to sound IUSS may well include visual spectrum, nightvision, magnetic anomoly, active sonar, infrared sesors, robotic undersea vehicles used to follow slower SSKs in particular and pressure/ripple sensors.

Undersea sensors would be just one component of a sensor network against submarines which for India would include "spy" satellites, sigint ground stations, surface ships, SSKs, aircraft and tracking information from allies (possibly the US, Russia and Singapore etc). If a Chinese SSN entered the Indian Ocean all these sensors and alliances would watch and probably handover intensively. [Information sharing may well occur amongst those countries that see China as a potential threat.]

The funneling dictated by the geography of the Strait of Malacca would assist in triggering or "scripting" the many sensor platforms available.

Regards

Pete

Nerpa Nuclear Submarine Almost, Nearly, in Indian hands

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Strategypage December 30, 2009, has written a well rounded report on India's new Nerpa/Chakra (Akula II) submarine. "Chakra" can be translated as "spinning wheel like weapon" or "force centre" :
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"Cursed Boat Heading For India - December 30, 2009: The Russian Akula II SSN (nuclear attack submarine) Nerpa, built for India, has finally completed its sea trials and was accepted into Russian service. But this will be temporary, as India is supposed to take possession in five months.
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The Indian crew for the sub has been ready for over a year now, Most of the delay arose 13 months ago, when, while undergoing sea trials, there was an accidental activation of the fire extinguisher system. This killed twenty sailors and civilians, and injured more than twenty. There were 208 people aboard the sub at the time, most of them navy and shipyard personnel there to closely monitor all aspects of the sub as it made its first dives and other maneuvers. The source of the fatal accident was poor design and construction of the safety systems on the sub. This accident led to sailors and shipyard technicians being fearful of going to sea on the boat. So the sea trials were delayed, even after repairs were made. -
Once in Indian service, the Nerpa will be called the INS Chakra (the same name used by the Charlie class Russian sub India leased from 1988-91). The post-accident modifications on the Nerpa cost $65 million. The lease arrangement has India paying $178,000 a day, for ten years, for use of the sub.
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The 7,000 ton Akula IIs requires a crew of 51 highly trained sailors. It was Indian money that enabled Russia to complete construction on at least two Akulas. These boats were less than half finished at the end of the Cold War. This was another aftereffect of the collapse of the Soviet Union. Several major shipbuilding projects were basically put on hold (which still cost a lot of money), in the hopes that something would turn up. In this case, it was Indians with lots of cash. The Indian crew was, apparently, to take possession of the INS Chakra last Summer [July 2009], and take it back to India. But this won't happen until May.

Traditionally, when a new ship losses lots of people during sea trials, it is regarded as "cursed" and unlucky. Sailors can be a superstitious, especially when there are dead bodies involved. It's not known if India will have any problems with this."
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Comment
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Not only will Nerpa/Chakra be a new addition to the Indian Navy and training platform it will also provide an opportunity to transfer technology and operational lessons to India's indigenous Arihant submarine project. The Arihant was launched in 2009. As reported in this blog, four more submarines (perhaps two more SSNs and two larger SSBNs) in the Arihant Class (or having some commonlaity with the Arihant) may be launched by 2020.
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The extreme expense that India has gone to in financing completion of two Russian Akula IIs (Nerpa and another) followed by the high expected daily lease cost for a 10 year period reinforces the technology transfer expectation of this project.
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Pete

Nerpa Accident Sets Back Indian Submarine Program

Monday, November 10, 2008

 

Possible location of the accident in the Nerpa's bow.

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Late Breaking News - It was reported Nov 21, 2008 that the Nerpa would now not be leased to India but would join the Russian Navy. The tragic accident aboard the Russian Akula II submarine Nerpa is a further problem in weapon acquisition relations between India and Russia.

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The Nerpa's construction was partly financed by India in preperation for a long lease to India (10 years) together with a Russian training program on how to operate and maintain Akulas.

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It is likely that the 3 nuclear subs under construction in India (Advanced Technology Vessels (ATVs)) are a development of the Akula - therefore India needs the Nerpa/Chakra as a training vessel. The accident is sure to delay availabilty of the Nerpa/Chakra.

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India has found Russia to be a difficult supplier in the area of tanks, jet fighters, over an aircraft carrier and submarines (including the conventional Kilo subs and now with the Nerpa/Chakra) . This is not to say that other suppliers (like the US) aren't unreliable at times.

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Apparently no Indian sailors were killed or injured - nothing about Indian technicians/observers yet.

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Nerpa/Chakra was covered in my post Indian Submarines Chakra & the ATVs Make Progress of August 27, 2008.

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The Times of India, November 9, 2008 reports:

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NEW DELHI: India's already-delayed project to lease a nuclear-powered submarine for a 10-year period from Russia, under a secret deal signed in January 2004 for an initial $650 million, seems to have taken a further hit.

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The new Russian Akula-II class attack submarine called ‘K-152 Nerpa', which met with an accident during sea trials in the Sea of Japan off Vladivostok on Saturday, killing at least 20 people and injuring another 21, is apparently the same vessel which was to be transferred to India in July-August 2009, sources said. "But no official confirmation from Russia has reached here till now.

Russian video report (in English) - with footage of Akulas

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Yes, Indian sailors have been training in Russia, in batches, for nuclear submarine operations but none of them were on board this one," said a source.

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While reports held that Nerpa's nuclear reactor was not damaged and there was no radiation leakage during the accident, which occurred due to "unsanctioned activation" of fire-fighting systems, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.

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The Russian sailors and workers from Komsomolsk-on-Amur shipyard who died were apparently in the sections near the submarine's bow, where the fire-extinguishing systems malfunctioned, and were suffocated by fumes from Freon and other coolants. The injured, with different degrees of poisoning, were evacuated to Russian Pacific Fleet hospital at Vladivostok for treatment, even as the 8,140-tonne Nerpa with 165 other personnel later limped its way back to its operating base in the Primorye region.

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...The sea trials of Nerpa, christened INS Chakra by India, had been launched only last month. Though its construction at Amur Shipyard had begun way back in 1991, it was halted midway after Russia was hit by a financial crisis. It was only after India pumped in money that Nerpa's construction had resumed, with the understanding that India would get the submarine on a 10-year lease.

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Interestingly, in January 2004, India had also signed the $1.5billion package deal with Russia for refit of decommissioned aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and 16 MiG-29K fighters. But with the package deal now being renegotiated, India might well have to pay another $2billion to get Gorshkov by 2012, with some indications that a part of huge cost escalation could be linked to Russia demanding more for Nerpa over the initial $650million.

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The delivery schedule of the nuclear-powered submarine [Nerpa] from Russia has already been revised a couple of times due to technical hitches. Now, after the accident, it looks that even the commissioning date set for August 15 next year might not be possible."

Indian Submarines Chakra & the ATVs Make Progress

As at Aug 27, 2008

2 Russian Akula IIs - similar (perhaps) to the final form of INS Chakra

Likely Plan of India's Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) which may be launched next year. This ".jpg" image originated here.

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On August 21, 2008, a confusing article from India Today stated (paragraphs reorganised to attempt to provide clarity):

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INS Chakra - Modified Akula II

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"India's strategic establishment has begun the countdown to two important milestones. In late June, a modified Akula-II class nuclear-powered attack submarine, the Chakra, began harbour acceptance trials at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur shipyard [inland about 1,000 kms northeast of Vladivostok] in the Russian far east.

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The Chakra is the Russian submarine, formerly [commissioned Nerpa in December 2000], which in the next few months will to sail into the Pacific Ocean off Vladivostok for full-fledged sea trials with a Russian crew.

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If the trials are successfully concluded, say officials, the Chakra will be commissioned at Vladivostok with an Indian crew who will sail it to India by August 15, 2009.

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Due to its design commonality with ATV, the Chakra is being leased primarily to train crews to man ATVs. With its cruise missiles and torpedoes, it will also be used for sea-denial missions [maybe] in the Indian Ocean.

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The under construction 12,000-tonne Chakra was to be completed and leased to India for 10 years under a $650-million deal signed in 2004. It was to be inducted into the navy on August 15 this year, but was delayed by a year, following technical snags."Project India", as the classified lease programme is called, seems to be back on track after being seemingly caught in last year's freeze in Indo-Russian defence ties over escalating costs of the aircraft carrier Vikramaditya's [ex-Gorshkov] refit.

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Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) - Modified Akula I

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On January 26, 2009, the sluice gates of an enclosed dry-dock in Visakhapatnam [naval base on India's east coast] are to be opened and the world will take its first look at India's first nuclear-powered submarine, the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV), as it enters the waters. [complete fitout, testing, crew training may take 4 or 5 years before the first ATV is operational].

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...The aim is to field three [ATV] submarines equipped with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles-the so-called third leg of the nuclear triad comprising air, land and sea-launched weapons-on "deterrent patrols" (to deter a potential adversary from launching a nuclear first strike) by 2015.
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India's ATV is based on the Russian Akula I class [first launched 1986] submarine, but is powered by a single indigenously-built nuclear reactor and equipped with 12 K-15 ballistic missiles or 16 of the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.

-Background

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naval-technology.com provides the most comprehensive description of the Akula I's and II's that I've seen:

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Data for Akula II:
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Crew 73
Surfaced Displacement 8,140t
Displacement, Submerged 12,770t
Overall Height 11.3m
Hull Cross Section 13.6m x 9.68m
Diving Depth 600m
Run Speed Surfaced 10kt
Speed Submerged 35kt
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Full Specifications
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The Russian Navy has 14 Bars Class project 971 submarines known in the West as the Akula Class nuclear-powered missile attack submarines (SSN). A unknown number of Russian Akula class submarines are deployed in the Pacific and (perhaps) Indian Ocean region.
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The submarines were built by the Amur Shipbuilding Plant Joint Stock Company at Komsomolsk-on-Amur [far eastern Siberia] and at the Severodvinsk shipbuilding yard [near Archangel in nothwestern Russia].
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Seven Akula I submarines were commissioned between 1986 and 1992, and three Improved Akula between 1992 and 1995.
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Three Akula II submarines, with hull length extended by 4m and advanced machinery-quietening technology, have been built.
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[Hence main differences between Akula Is and IIs may be the hull extension and some new equipment.]
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The first Akula II named Viper, was commissioned in 1995, the second, Nerpa, in December 2000 and the third, Gepard, in August 2001. The Akula II are 110m long and displace up to 12,770t.
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DESIGN
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The submarine has a double-hulled configuration with a distinctive high aft fin. The hull has seven compartments and the stand-off distance between the outer and inner hulls is considerable, reducing the possible inner hull damage [due to pressure surges and kinetic punctures?]. The very low acoustic signature has been achieved by incremental design improvements to minimise noise generation and transmission – for example, the installation of active noise cancellation techniques [and the double hull].
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The retractable masts viewed from bow to stern are the periscopes, radar antennae, radio and satellite communications and navigation masts.
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MISSILES
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The Indian fitout is likely to be 16 Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles first then eventually (say 2015?) replaced or augmented by 12 K-15 ballistic missiles.
The dimensions of the BrahMos missile (8.3 m x 0.6 m) suggest it could[?] be cold launched by torpedo tubes. This would allow eventual simultanous installation of K-15 ballistic missiles and avoid the need to convert vertical launch tubes from BrahMos use to K-15 use.
India test fired a K-15 from a pontoon on February 26, 2008, two-stage, solid fuel, range 700 kms, length 11 metres, 0.7m wide [?]
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Work on the K-15 started around a decade ago under a highly classified programme earlier called Sagarika (Oceanic). Development ran parallel to the Indian navy's 25 year programme to build the ATV.
A news report estimated the future K-15 "payload" as 500kg. - Comment received: with a 500kg warhead, the range of the Sagarika will be 1800 km. India finds it convenient to understate the range of its missiles though. Having weaponry that can reach Europe causes diplomatic friction.
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Regarding yield, the 250 kg warhead (in a 500kg RV for a K-15 ) may be 200-300kT - this is based on better known calculations for the Agni series warheads. The warheads developed for the Prithvi are smaller (20kT) and lighter (<200kg>20kT. For larger yield (200-300kT) they may use thermonuclear designs. It doesn't appear that India has large fission or Sloika/Joe 4 type designs. These tend to be heavy and difficult to deliver.
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TORPEDOES-
The submarine has eight torpedo launch tubes, four 650mm and four 533mm tubes. The Improved Akula and Akula II have ten, with six 533mm tubes. The four 650mm tubes can be fitted with liners to provide additional 533mm weapon launch capacity. The torpedo tubes can be used to launch mines instead of torpedoes. The Akula can launch a range of anti-submarine and anti-surface vessel torpedoes.
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SENSORS
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The Akula's surface search radar is the Snoop Pair or the Snoop Half. The surface search radar antennae are installed on the same mast as the Rim Hat radar intercept receiver.
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The submarine is fitted with the MGK 540 sonar system which provides automatic target detection in broad and narrow-band modes by active sonar. It gives the range, relative bearing and range rate.
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The sonar system can also be used in a passive, listening mode for detection of hostile sonars. The sonar signal processor can detect and automatically classify targets as well as reject spurious acoustic noise sources and compensate for variable acoustic conditions.
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PROPULSION
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[Relevant to Chakra ] The main machinery consists of a VM-5 pressure water reactor rated at 190MW with a GT3A turbine developing 35MW. Two auxiliary diesels rated at 750hp provide emergency power. The propulsion system drives a seven-bladed fixed-pitch propeller.
[The single reactor for the ATV was reported in 2004 to be only 100MWt. Unless it has been uprated (or 2 reactors are now to be used) the ATV may be much smaller than an Akula or much slower.]
-The propulsion system provides a maximum submerged speed of 33kt and a surface speed of 10kt. A reserve propeller system, powered by two motors rated at 370kW, provides a speed of 3kt to 4kt. The submarine is rated for a diving depth to 600m.
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Comments
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The January 2009 viewing of an ATV hull may be strongly influenced by the need for good public relations - showing where the Rs Billions spent on a delayed program have gone. Until the ATV hull can be viewed in its entirety press releases about the ATV cannot be fully accepted. Will it basically be an Akula or a heavily modified boat - perhaps smaller?

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Complete fitout, testing and crew training may take 4 or 5 years before the first ATV is fully operational and ready to overawe Pakistan or counter China's SSBNs.

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With the eventual introduction of viable Indian nuclear powered small SSBNs (on top of current Russian and Chinese SSN's and SSBN's) Australia will need to deeply consider whether a conventionally powered Collins class replacement will cut it in a nuclear submarine region.
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We are not labelling Russia, China or India as friends or enemies. Military planning and acquisitions rely more on comparitive capabilities and needs.
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If we calculate that America will be by our side for only 25 years then we should go nuclear (propulsion and weapons). If the Australia-US alliance estimate is optimistic - up to 40 years we don't need to think about nuclear for 20 years - maybe, hopefully.
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