Arihant-class SSBN - News & Discussions
- Thread starter Nick
- Start date
Propeller screw should have been covered like tubes cover.
Image from the tweet above by detresfa.
What is interesting is that, there are now 3 lines for nuclear subs. If we add 1 more line to the existing 2lines of SSKs ,which by the way should not be a problem, we can quickly ramp up the subsurface fleet.
SSKs being built under the Kalvari class. SSN and SSBN coming online in the Vizag.
What we definitely need is HSL being upgraded to manage overhaul of the Kalvaris. There needs to be 2 shipyards available for overhauls, one on each side of the country.
Hopefully, CSL will soon announce the follow-on Vikrant class AC. We should realistically forget a CATOBAR for the time being.
We should seriously be looking at drone carriers working together with the current CBG and move towards this. If each aircraft in the air from the Vikrant class has 4 drones for support from the Drone Carriers, then the force multiplier will be immense.
SSKs being built under the Kalvari class. SSN and SSBN coming online in the Vizag.
What we definitely need is HSL being upgraded to manage overhaul of the Kalvaris. There needs to be 2 shipyards available for overhauls, one on each side of the country.
Hopefully, CSL will soon announce the follow-on Vikrant class AC. We should realistically forget a CATOBAR for the time being.
We should seriously be looking at drone carriers working together with the current CBG and move towards this. If each aircraft in the air from the Vikrant class has 4 drones for support from the Drone Carriers, then the force multiplier will be immense.
I think Rambilli will have at least 2 drydocks for subs in the future. Sat imagery shows a massive pier building, It might be an Indian version of the naval station Norfolk.
3 lines for N subs would mean 2 at SBC Vizag & 1 at L&T Kattupalli?
SSKs already have 4 lines at MDL - 1+1 previously ( 1 mfg + I service / overhaul) which as of 2016-17 saw 2 more new lines in a freshly built workshop added for building the Kalvari class as of 2016-17, which in itself was delayed by 4-5 yrs. So that's 4 lines & recently the MDL chairman (?) went on record to say, they can build 5 subs simultaneously which means the old lines have been enhanced from 1+1 to 2+1 .
I'm sure L&T Kattupalli has a 2 line construction facility as well. HSL Vizag can be set up to build / service a sub line though I suspect they'd be retaining it for exclusively servicing the SSBNs & SSNs, a bit strange since the overhauls of a few Kilo class subs were undertaken there.
Where are the drones for such operations? You can safely assume such drones are at least 2 decades away. The LHD can effectively serve as a launch for such drones or the upcoming CATOBAR based INS Vishal we can expect to be constructed from 2030 onwards.
MDL has 4? Last had seen was of 2 operational. Good for us if there are 4! Though, I doubt all can be used for construction. MDL also manages the Shishumar class.
Regards to HSL no idea what they are up to, except that Kilos were maintained there.
Wrt the drone carrier. My logic is we are wasting time, if after 15 years we are still undecided on CATOBAR vs STOBAR. Get on with what is on offer now. And if we are back to the drawing board might as well look to future requirements. The CATOBAR carrier will also see at least 10 years of to and fro. Better we proceed with drone carriers.
Drones need not be only air-borne. They also include underwater autonomous vehicles and surface drones. The next 20 years will see a sea-change in the way we conduct naval battles.
For all of this, we need to go to the drawing board today. Don't waste R&D resources on a catobar when a force multiplier can be had at much quicker pace.
Rather than wait for drones from DRDO, we should talk to the Americans. We are anyways buying the Mq-9. This was supposed to have an aircraft carrier version. Build the drone carrier around this. Surface fleet drones are being tested by the navy as is with the DRDO. L&T is working on the underwater arm.
As we are painfully aware with the current 'lift saga' with the aircraft, better to get specs of all this in place at the earliest.
For submarine refit, we don't necessarily need shipyards. It can be done by dockyards with the support of shipyards. Just like surface vessels.
So I coincidently found a video of the Mumbai dockyard with two submarines on dry dock.
2 was the old 1+1 lines where 1 was used to mfg the Kalvari class & 1 was used to service / overhaul the existing subs . From what I understand this has been enhanced to 2+1, though this part isn't confirmed.
Back in the day before the new facility to build the Kalvari class came into being which is essentially a 2 line production unit , there was talk of utilising additional space near the original lines to set up an additional one .
I'm guessing they converted that space if the MDL chairman is referring to 5 subs being built at once capacity.
So it's 3 meters more long. I always thought 110 meters.
Image from the tweet above by detresfa.
MDL can start construction on 2 Kalvari at the same time and pre assembly activities like ordering of long lead items, fabrication of some blocks etc
So technically on the production line they will have only 2, but they are working on more ships.
This is what was explained to me pre COVID.
Isn't the SBC part of the same complex as the HSL ? I distinctly remember reading long ago that the SBC was carved out of the HSL for black projects leaving the latter with only 1 line (?) only for overhauling conventional subs . If I'm not mistaken the SBC now has 2 lines according to the same article.
You're actually expecting the Indian Armed Forces to be pro active when they're not even so reactive & this is the IN we're talking about the technically most proficient , systematically organised , pro MII service we're talking about who're relatively much better than the other forces.
Frankly , I'd put this idea of yours though interesting & definitely worth exploring , beyond them as they'd see it as premature & in all probability , will come into play in a piece meal manner with the LHD. From there on , you can expect this idea to see fruition in the form of a dedicated drone carrier which is a good 2-3 decades away as of now .
That's the new line you're talking about . That was commissioned around 2017 . I'm referring to both the old & new lines .
Arighat, India's second ballistic missile submarine (nuclear-powered submarines armed with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles or SSBN), could enter service by 2024, say reports.
Tweeted and deleted the tweet immediately. Just took screenshot....
same pic as posted above
What's the pic in the right all about ? Are we still following the Russian principle of building double hulled Submarines in the S-5 series ?