Hello, Warriors. Having passed deep sea drilling and launch tests, India’s first nuclear-armed submarine, INS Arihant, is now ready for complete operations. The deep sea and launch tests had been going on for the last five months and the submarine is now ready for its induction into the Indian naval fleet.
Here is all you need to know about INS Arihant and this development:
- India’s first of five nuclear-armed submarines is now ready for full-fledged operations, having passed several deep sea diving drills as well as weapon launch tests over the past five months off Visakhapatnam port.
- INS Arihant was accompanied by the Russian rescue ship Epron which is a Prut class submarine rescue vessel – a vital requirement during weapon firing tests which India lacks.
- INS Arihant will become India’s first nuclear submarine of its own production.
- It is a 6,000-tonne nuclear powered submarine and is 112 metre long.
- It will be armed with 12 short range K-15 missiles or four K-4 ballistic missiles with a range of over 700 kilometres and 3,500 kilometres respectively.
- Once inducted, the submarine will complete the country’s nuclear triad, giving it the capability to respond to nuclear strikes from sea, land and air-based systems.
- The submarine’s design is based on the Russian Akula-1 class submarines and its 83 MW pressurised water reactor has been built with significant Russian assistance.
- Nuclear submarines have the capability to stay out at sea longer, and don’t need to surface for a long duration.
- Conventional diesel-electric submarines have to come up to the surface at regular intervals for charging their batteries.
- It is powered by 83 MW pressurised light water reactor built with Russia’s help. This reactor generates tremendous heat, driving a steam turbine.
- Presently, Indian Navy operates the INS Chakra, a nuclear-powered submarine which is leased for 10 years from Russia in 2012.
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At present, work is already in progress on two more Arihant class submarines at the Ship Building Center (SBC) in Vishakhapatnam which will be larger and more advanced than the first boat. The navy is also accelerating work on INS Varsha – a new strategic naval base with underground pens on the Eastern Coast near Kakinada – where the nuclear assets would be based.
The plan is to build at least six nuclear-powered attack submarines in India, with financial sanction given last year for the project that could cost upwards of Rs 90,000 crore.
