Do these 12 Nuke Submarines consist of only SSN's or will they be a combo of both SSN & SSBN and if so what's the configuration going to be like?
6xSSNs and 6xSSBNs with much higher payload of missiles with far longer range. We have to develop a nuke reactor for these SSBNs and will take about 15 yrs.
Frankly 15 years for a 190 MWt from date seems a long time. That means the first sub will enter waters only in the 2040's.Btw - how many of the Avinash class SSBN's are we planning to build? Besides, if we are planning for 3 AC fleet, isn't 6 SSN's a small no? Shouldn't we be planning for anyway between 12-18 SSN by 2035-40 timelines?While on the subject, What about our indigenous SSK's? Will we ever be pursuing the programme or is it officially now on the back burner of not shelved?
We have no idea as to when we will reach three Aircraft Carrier Operation. Vikky is supposed to retire in 2040. IAC-2 is not even finalised. Even the keel has not been laid. We might go for 2xArihant class reactors for larger boats. This is very much on cards.
As of now IN is concentraiting on IOR only and for that these projections of sub fleet are adequate.
It's not credible.
Kilo is more afforable. If it is also more silent, why ordering Scorpene?
My opinion is that this news is BS.
I am not quoting news. But user.
Maybe, I should have used stealthy instead of silent. But, thats about it. Actual words, 'once silent, its miles ahead of the Kalvari, but there are other benefits' I do not know what those benefits are, will ask when I meet the person.
This is based on what have been told. Someone like @vstol Jockey or @Falcon will be better equipped to answer why Scorpene and why not Lada/Amur.
Russian have actually chosen 636.6 Kilos over Lada again. Their recent order of 6 more of Kilos , and not 6 more Lada does prove that Lada ain't as good as it's poster may say.
And then their is AIP issue.
If we want AIP, then Russians are straight out of the game. Its between NG(Scorpene) , SAAB(A26) and TKMS/HDW(Type214/216) only.
And then their is AIP issue.
If we want AIP, then Russians are straight out of the game. Its between NG(Scorpene) , SAAB(A26) and TKMS/HDW(Type214/216) only.
Maybe it's why it is supposed to be so silent... But at such an extent is very, very surprising !
I had long back posted here that one of our Kilo class had to surface to clear hydrogen build up in Persian gulf. The area was infested by many surface combatants of USN. They just bottomed out and no one was able to detect them. Our submariners have some tricks up their sleeve which western world does not have.
couple of years back, USN brought one of their highly classified sub for anti sub operations in Bay of Bengal for excercise against Kilo class. Their sub was detected and sunk in simulations even before they could find IN sub. It was even publicised. We have some of the top notch guys who command our subs. And you can't beat them in the game.
Kilos by the virtue of their design are extremely silent. USN subs are nuclear powered. Once submerged, a diesel runs on batteries while a nuc boat needs to keep the reactor going. Steam noises from the reactor pump get picked up nicely if you are facing a sub with a decent sonar and a trained crew.
Taking a guess, the sub mentioned by @vstol Jockey would be a Virginia class?
It was an exercise in which a USN officer was onboard the Kilo and an IN officer was onboard US sub. It is not about the Akula class.
I was asking if the US sub was a Virginia. The Indian one as you mentioned was a Kilo
USN is strangely not on top on mine warfare and anti sub warfare from surface ships (from sub it's another thing), so it's not very surprising.
Remember the chinese sub going on surface very near a US carrier.
The answer was that USN hope to relay on NATO frigates to do so.
The USN SSN are big, and made for blue water operations. In a littoral operation, they are in trouble against a smaller sub.
Some nuclear subs are able to use natural convection at very low speed so as to shut off the reactor pumps. I don't know if US SSN can do that.