exacerbates nuclear woes

India conducted its first ‘peaceful’ nuclear test explosion, dubbing the operation ‘Smiling Buddha.’ But Buddha himself would at best have smiled sardonically at seeing his name tied to such an experiment.

After the test, India vowed never to weaponise its nuclear assets, a pledge that seems to have gone unheeded.

A decade later, the country again set out to test its nuclear capabilities in the Operation Shakti tests - five nuclear tests conducted over three days. Pakistan soon followed suit. It has long been clear that India intended to go back on its non-nuclear weapon pledge. Indeed, an early indication was the commencement of the construction of a nuclear submarine after the 1974 nuclear test. Nuclear drills, meanwhile, were reportedly being taught to every Indian naval officer as early as the 1950s by officials from the Bharat Atomic Energy Centre (BARC) in Mumbai, where India converts fissile material into nuclear weapon cores.

In 1976, Dr Homi Nusserwanji Sethna, the chairman of the Indian Atomic Energy Commission at the time, created the Diesel Propulsion Research Team (DPRT), an apparent subterfuge for designing a nuclear propulsion plant for India’s first nuclear submarine. A team of four naval officers led by Indian Navy Capt. PN Agarwala and Capt. Bharat Bhusan were inducted into the DPRT.

Many Indian Naval officers at the time were also trained in nuclear engineering at the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and subsequently transferred to the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s classified nuclear submarine project, which was called the Advance Technology Vehicle (ATV).

Indian Navy to Install AIP System on Scorpene Submarines

The Indian Navy is considering a proposal to equip Scorpene submarines, which are under construction, with an air independent propulsion (AIP) system to overcome the risk of detection.

The system, which is being built at Mazagon Dock, enables the boats to stay underwater without having to surface for more than three weeks.

DCNS CEO Patrick Boissier said the company was in talks with the navy and that the system could be integrated into the fifth and sixth submarines in 2018.

The navy is also looking at an indigenous AIP system, which is being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation, according to Hindustan Times.

The first Scorpene submarine is expected to enter service in 2015 and the remaining within a span of three years.

India is constructing six Scorpene submarines with transfer of technology from DCNS under a Rs187.98bn ($4.16bn) programme called Project 75. (Source naval-technology)

Navy to acquire AIP technology for Scorpenes

The navy’s Scorpene submarines are likely to have increased operational range and also do away with surfacing to access atmospheric oxygen, thanks to the new Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology.

The submarines, under construction at the Mumbai-based Mazagon Docks Limited, are likely to get the AIP technology that will increase their operational range without having to surface to access atmospheric oxygen.

The navy is considering various options available with it to fit the last two of the six submarines under the project, codenamed P75, with the AIP including the proposal made by French defence company DCNS.

DCNS Chairman and CEO Patrick Boissier, who is part of French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s delegation to India, told reporters here that his firm has made an informal proposal to the navy in this regard.

“We have made an informal proposal to the navy for AIP technology in the last two of the Scorpenes that will be built at MDL. Now it is up to the navy to take a call on this proposal. We have held informal discussions in this regard,” Boissier said.

“The navy is considering the proposal and will take a call on it. We have some options, apart from the DCNS one, including an indigenous AIP system that is under development,” a navy officer, unwilling to be named, said here.

AIP encompasses technologies that allow a submarine to operate without the need to surface or use a snorkel to access atmospheric oxygen and it usually excludes the use of nuclear power, but is about augmenting or replacing diesel-electric propulsion system of non-nuclear vessels.

Several countries in the world currently adopt the AIP technology in the submarines that they build and these include the US, Russia, France, Germany, Spain and Sweden.

Though the Scorpenes, being built with DCNS and Tales help at MDL, did not envisage AIP for the six submarines under the P75 project, the navy’s second line of six conventional submarines, called P75I, which were recently approved by the government, will incorporate the technology.

Talking about P75, Bossier said DCNS was in charge of major transfer of technology (ToT) to MDL for the building of 6 Scorpene submarines.

Russia offers Amur class submarines to India

 Amur-1650 class submarine. Source: ITAR_TASS

India is vying to purchase six non-nuclear submarines to boost up its undersea warfare capability. The deal may be expanded by acquiring the know-how to build more such submarines at Indian shipyards, DNA reports.

The Indian Navy has already sent requests for technical specifications to a number of countries including Russia, Germany, Spain and France who have already shown interest in the deal. Russia's biggest arms trader Rosoboronexport said it would bid for the tender.

As part of project 751, Indian Navy proposes to have a undersea force of 24 submarines by 2015. India already has 10 Kilo-class submarines and has set up a line to manufacture French Scorpene Submarines at Mazagoan docks in Mumbai, the first of these submarines are expected to roll out by 2012.

Rosoboronexport is offering the Amur class submarines, which are an upgraded version of Indian Navy's Kilo-class submarines. With the speed of 20 knots, the Amur is designed for both anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare. Its armaments include 16 tube launched torpedoes and also has a capability of launching cruise missiles .

The Amur 1650 submarine has been developed by the Rubin Central Design Bureau of Naval Technology on the basis of the Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines, the most low-noise submarines in the world.

The sonar signature level of the submarines of this class is several times lower in comparison with Kilo-class submarines. These submarines are equipped with radio-electronic weapons of the newer generation created on the basis of the latest achievements in the field of radio-electronics.

DCNS to help accelerate submarine production in Indian shipyard MDL

 DCNS – with 300 years’ experience in naval shipbuilding

DCNS has clarified that a statement of its CEO Patrick Boissier regarding “breach” in submarine production at Indian shipyard MDL was in the context of the shipyard not receiving submarine orders over the past 17 years. A DCNS spokesperson said, “Patrick Boissier has never blamed India’s state owned shipyard MDL for the delays (in submarine production)”.

      “This observation, based on facts, was to explain where MDL shipyard was coming from in the production of submarines. MDL shipyard had to go through new learning stages, update its competences and modernize its shipyard. Delays occurred due to teething issues, which are now solved”, the spokesperson added.

      DCNS was deeply involved with MDL in producing submarines at an active pace, the spokesperson said drawing attention to Boissier’s comment made during his visit to MDL earlier this week, “we are today conducting a deep transfer of technology (ToT) from the first submarine onward. Through this ToT, MDL will produce submarines at an active pace, and have autonomy for their maintenance. We hope to make significant contribution through our global experience and expertise to MDL”.

      Vice Admiral H.S. Malhi, Chairman, MDL has been quoted as saying during the DCNS chief’s visit, “The ToT has helped us immensely in acquiring expertise in manufacturing pressure hulls. I am sure outfitting phase followed by integration will go off well too. Our MDL team is highly motivated and our partners too. We are all very eager to meet the aspirations of our customer, the Indian Navy”.

India’s oldest sub retires

India’s precariously low submarine strength further nosedived on Thursday with the decommissioning of the Navy’s oldest foxtrot class submarine, INS Vagli that retires after 36 years of service.

Commissioned in August, 1974, INS Vagli was commanded by 23 officers in all major tactical exercises off both sea-boards and in the high seas. With its retirement, the naval submarine strength has come down to 14 ageing vessels out of which only 8-9 are operational at any given point of time. The depletion in the submarine strength is one of India’s biggest strategic weaknesses straining the blue water ambitions. “For 17 years, we did not commission a single submarine. It remains one of our biggest weaknesses,” Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma admitted. In 1999, the Cabinet Committee on Security decided to create two production lines for submarines with foreign vendors to achieve an indigenous design and manufacturing capability. While the first line to produce six French Scorpene submarines is operational at the Mazgaon Dock, the second line too received government approval recently.

Naval forces get ready to operate N-submarine

The navy is firing on all cylinders to get a headstart on operating nuclear submarines, the most complex machines to be ever built. Indian submariners will get a chance to get into the belly of HMS Talent when the British nuclear submarine pulls into Indian waters off the western coast in June.

A senior navy officer said, “The British hunter-killer submarine is armed with the world’s most advanced sonar gear and weaponry. Our crews are looking forward to getting hands-on experience in operating nuclear submarines”

The 280-foot long Talent carries a crew of 122.

The navy hopes to induct its first indigenously-built nuclear submarine, INS Arihant, by the end of 2011. Arihant will complete the sea-leg of India’s nuclear triad and give it enduring nuclear strike and counter-strike capabilities. India can carry out nuclear strikes with fighter planes and land-launched missiles.

The navy is also on the verge of commissioning the K152 Nerpa Akula-II nuclear submarine being leased from Russia for 10 years. The US, Russia, the UK, France and China are the only countries that can deliver nuclear warheads from a submarine.

The officer said, “We’d like to gain as much experience as we can in operating these complex machines. Working alongside other navies helps.” hindustantimes

BrahMos ready for launch from submarines

The Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos cruise missile is ready for launch from underwater platform to enable it to be used in a submarine, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

Defence Minister A K Antony, in a written reply, told the House that the missile, which can hit targets 290 km away, had recently proved its capability to be launched vertically from a naval warship and manoeuvred to hit the target ship, thereby meeting the Navy's requirements.

BrahMos, the world's only supersonic cruise missile that touches speeds of 2.8 Mach, was developed initially as an anti-ship version for launch from ship-to-ship for the Indian Navy and inducted into service, he said

Later, land-to-land version was developed for the Army and Air Force, he said, noting that this version was already inducted into the Army and is under production for both the Army and Air Force.

ptinews 

After long delay, India moves to expand strategic Karwar naval base

NEW DELHI: India is finally going in for a major expansion of its newest naval base at Karwar in coastal Karnataka, which provides it "strategic depth" on the western seaboard and will house aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines in the future.

This comes after a long delay since the ambitious `Project Seabird' to build the futuristic Karwar naval base was first approved by the government way back in 1985 at an initial cost of Rs 350 crore.

Budgetary constraints derailed the project for a decade before a truncated Phase-I was approved in 1995, with the work finally commencing in 1999 with a Rs 2,500 crore fund allocation.

"Phase-I is now fully complete. We have 10 warships based there. Now, the detailed project report for Phase-II is in the final stages. After approval by the Cabinet Committee on Security, construction will begin next year,'' Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma told TOI.

Navy will be able to berth 25 to 30 big warships at Karwar after Phase-II gets over by 2017, he added. The base will also house a wide variety of smaller ships, including 10 of the 80 fast-interceptor craft of Sagar Prahari Bal, the specialised force being raised for coastal security after the 26/11 terror attacks on Mumbai.

Pakistan has already built its new Gwadar deep-sea port with China's help in Baluchistan, which will help the two countries gain a crucial foothold in the Gulf region.

Admiral Verma, on his part, said, "Our maritime perspective plan takes into account the threats we may face in the future.''

With Navy keen to operate two carrier battle groups around 44,570-tonne Admiral Gorshkov and 40,000-tonne indigenous aircraft carrier by 2014-2015, the Karwar base is critical for its blue-water operations in Indian Ocean and beyond. The eventual aim is to make it capable of handling as many as 50 frontline warships.

The 130-warship Navy also currently has three destroyers, six guided-missile frigates, six submarines, two fleet tankers, four anti-submarine corvettes, six survey vessels, six fast-attack craft and a sail training ship under construction. Moreover, it's on course to order another four destroyers and seven frigates, among other warships.

Karwar, spread over 4,480 hectares on a 26-km stretch along the coastline at present, is being developed into a major naval base after Mumbai and Visakhapatnam for three main reasons.

India's Scorpene submarine programme delayed

India's controversial Scorpene submarine programme was first hit by technical delays, then it faced allegations of kickbacks, and later a CBI probe. Now, it's confirmed that the Rs 18,000 crore defence deal signed in 2005 will not be available to the Indian Navy before 2014.

"We have had delays due to various reasons. I expect the first submarine to be delivered in four years time. That is 2014 - 2015. That's a delay of 2 - 2/12 years. There were certain issues to be addressed with the government and the owner. These issues have now been sorted out and we are placing orders for various equipments," said Retired Vice Admiral H S Malhi, Chairman and MD, Mazgaon Docks Limited.

The impact of the delay could be serious because by 2012 the Indian Navy will be left with only nine of its 16 submarines; the others would be too old to use.

And that's not all. The makers of the Scorpene, the Mazgaon Docks Limited, say the delivery of the first of the six submarines is dependent on when they get the various equipment they are still to order for. If that is delayed then for the Indian Navy and the country, it's going to be a long and tense wait.

ndtv 

India launched INS Arihant nuclear submarine Movie

Source : IBNLinve.com

Scorpene deal: PAC slams defence ministry

Slamming the Defence Ministry over the nine-year delay in awarding contract to French firm Thales to build six Scorpene submarines in Mumbai, a Parliamentary Committee on Wednesday said the indecisiveness resulted in cost overruns and undue favour to the vendor, besides adversely impacting Navy's operational preparedness.

Referring to a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report for 2008 that rapped the Ministry for the delay, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) also noted that this led to a cost escalation of the submarines by more than Rs 2,800 crore.

The CAG report had observed that "despite the Indian Navy's depleting force level, the Ministry took nine years to finalise a contract for the construction of the six submarines." The PAC report in this regard was tabled in both Houses of Parliament today.

The committee noted that due to the delay in the finalisation of the contract for as long as three years from 2002 to 2005, there had been an escalation in the price of submarines by more than Rs 2,800 crore and an additional Euro 27.05 million commitment on the procurement of missiles for the naval vessel.

"Such indecisiveness and systemic flaws on the procurement of submarines led to time and cost overrun and undue favour to the vendor besides adversely impacting Navy's operational preparedness," the report said.

The report said the cost overrun was primarily due to escalations of exchange rate variations and increase in cost of missiles, despite a discount of 1.03 per cent by the vendor.

Seeking an explanation from the defence ministry for the delay in finalising the contract and for cost overruns, the PAC also expressed astonishment over its "inability" to quantify the exact financial loss from the Scorpene deal, also known as Project-75.

Putin to cement Russia's partner No. 1 status during India visit

Israel and US may be cornering major chunks of the lucrative Indian defence market but Russia still reigns supreme. This will be driven home when Russian PM Vladimir Putin comes visiting here next week, with a flurry of defence deals and joint projects slated for finalisation.

The contracts range from the fresh $2.34 billion deal for refit of aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov and the $1.2 billion deal for 29 more MiG-29K maritime fighters to the joint development of the stealth fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) and the multi-role transport aircraft (MTA), say officials.

Plans are also afoot to procure an additional 40-45 Sukhoi-30MKIs to add to the 230 of these fighters already contracted in deals worth $8.5 billion, as also more regiments of the Smerch MLRS (multiple-launch rocket systems) in addition to three already raised.

Putin's visit is also likely to see the finalisation of the commissioning of the K-152 Nerpa Akula-II nuclear-powered submarine in Indian Navy by May-June, under a 10-year lease flowing from a secretive deal inked in 2004.

The fresh agreement on Gorshkov, rechristened INS Vikramaditya by India, will however be the emblem to pronounce `all is well' in the bilateral defence relationship.

INS Sindhurakshak fire mishap due to explosion in battery: Indian Navy

 

The Indian Navy submarine INS Sindhurakshak

The fire mishap on INS Sindhurakshak in Visakhapatnam that left a sailor dead and two others injured was caused by an explosion in its battery compartment, Navy officials said here Saturday.

Sindhurakshak, a Russian-origin Kilo class submarine, was in the Visakhapatnam harbour for a routine maintenance when the mishap occurred last evening.

"It was due to a defective battery and Leading Electrical Technician Kump Dand was killed," the official said.

India had bought the 2300-tonne submarine from Russia as part of an early 1980s deal and commissioned it in 1997. It is the ninth of the 10 Sindhugosh class diesel-electric powered vessel that the Navy has in its 16-vessel submarine fleet.

Sindhurakshak is scheduled for a major mid-life refit later this year as part of a programme for this class of vessels which began in 1997 with Sindhuvir.

First nuke-sub undergoes trial

India’s first nuclear submarine, ‘INS Arihant’, has gone to the high-seas for an extended trial, indicating that the boomer is on course to be inducted by the Navy by 2011.

One of India’s top secret defence projects for over three decades, ‘INS Arihant’ with a 80 Mwe nuclear reactor at its core, was launched in the water in last July. The sea trial, which began a few months ago, will be carried out for more than a year in different conditions to test the endurance and performance of the nuclear submarine, which is capable of staying under water for months, sources told Deccan Herald.

Once inducted, ‘INS Arihant’ will be the third leg of the nuclear triad enabling India to have retaliatory second strike capability from the sea. At the defence research and development organisation’s annual awards function attended by Defence Minister A K Antony, DRDO chief V K Saraswat mentioned ‘INS Arihant’ as a significant technology achievement.

For obvious reasons Saraswat did not mention anything about the two other nuclear submarines, which DRDO is constructing at the moment.

The hull of the second boomer is under construction at an L&T facility in Gujarat. The Visakhapatnam shipyard was recently brought under the defence ministry to secretly carry out the construction activities.

India tested AUV ( autonomous underwater Vehicle)

Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

A wireless robotic sea-vehicle that can map the seafloor.

By Vantika Dixit, February 2010

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Researchers at Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute (CMERI) - the apex R&D institute for mechanical engineering under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – have developed India’s first indigenous autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The robotic vehicle is expected to complete the final sea trial by August 2010. The mega system can fulfill tasks such as seafloor mapping, coastal surveillance, mine countermeasure, and oceanographic measurements during adverse weather conditions.

Sponsored by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MES), the AUV has been built to operate 150 feet under the sea (see Specifications) to map the seafloor and collect sensor-based data. With no physical cable connection to the surface control station and possessing on-board intelligence and energy supply, the vehicle, designated as AUV-150, has much to boast about.

Arihant to be armed with ballistic missiles

The man steering India’s highly classified nuclear-powered submarine programme has acknowledged for the first time that the warship will be armed with ballistic missiles.

Vice-Admiral D.P.S. Varma (retd), Director General, Advanced Technology Vehicle (ATV) project, told HT at DEFEXPO-2010, “The K-15 submarine-launched ballistic missiles jolly well be there on INS Arihant when it is inducted into the Navy. The N-sub should hopefully be with the Navy by the end of 2011.”

The K-15 missile, a closely guarded DRDO secret, is capable of delivering a nuclear warhead up to 700 km. With 12 ballistic missiles in its arsenal, the Arihant will complete the sea-leg of India’s nuclear triad and give it enduring nuclear strike and counter-strike capabilities. India can carry out nuclear strikes with fighter planes and land-launched missiles.

Asked how work on Arihant was shaping up, Varma said, “We are on track. But the proof of the pudding lies in the eating. So we will know when the Navy inducts it.”

The usually tight-lipped Varma said India’s submarine fleet should have five to six nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. He said plans were afoot to build two more nuclear-powered submarines to reinforce India’s strategic deterrent force at sea. He said, “We have to cross a certain milestone before going into specifics.”

India to spend further $200b for arms

While Pakistani leaders and judiciary are locked in an unending internal battle and the armed forces are engaged in an ongoing treacherous terrorism network Pakistan’s arch rival India has embarked on a huge armament programme that is seen as genuine threats to both Pakistan and its strategic ally China.

According to a latest report New Delhi has planned to spend as much as US$ 200 billion on defence acquisitions over the next 12 years acquiring state-of-the-art war planes, sophisticated helicopters, tanks and nuclear-propelled and nuclear-arm submarine.

An India Strategic defence magazine has reported that nearly half of the Indian defence funding, or $100 billion, will go to the Indian Air Force (IAF) which would need to replace more than half of its combat jet fleet as well as the entire transport aircraft and helicopter fleet.

According to a study the Indian army had the largest requirement of helicopters while the navy needs both combat jets, helicopters, and a fleet of nearly 100 carrier-borne combat jets.

The details of the study is due to be published in March but according to a brief report released in India Strategic’s DefExpo show daily published Monday India’s plans to acquire surveillance aircraft, lesser in capability though the IAF’s Phalcon AWACs and the navy’s P8-I Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) are also being worked out while pilotless intelligence aircraft (drones) generally called UAVs, including those armed, are also on the top of the list of the three arms of the forces.

The briefing noted that India’s “three services as well as the Coast Guards and paramilitary organisations needed satellites and net centricity.”

The report further added that IAF has a plan to build 45 combat squadrons (about 900 aircraft), up from its maximum effective strength of 39.5 squadrons a few years ago. Many of its aircraft have been phased out due to simple ageing.

Indian Navy Ships,Planes,Submarines

Rosoboronexport at Defexpo India International Exhibition 2010

The Defexpo India International Exhibition is the major venue for arms exporters in the Asian Pacific Rim. The exhibition takes place biennially in New Delhi under the auspices of the Indian Ministry of Defence and Confederation of Indian Industry. This year’s exhibition is organised by the Defence Exhibition Organization of the Indian Ministry of Defence.

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Since the first Defexpo in 2000 Russian defence enterprises have always been participating in these displays of land and naval defence systems, offering the best products of the Russian defence industry.

Years of strategic partnership

Russia is a long-standing dependable strategic partner of India. The history of military technical cooperation between the two countries starts in November 1964 when the first agreement on the delivery of the MiG-21 aircraft to India was signed, later on followed by light tanks and helicopters. For a long period of time India has been taking up almost one third of the Russian arms exports. As a result, arsenals of the Indian military services have been up to 70% complete with Soviet/Russian-origin weapons. Total amount of the Russian military sales for the entire period of the military technical cooperation between the two countries has reached 50 billion US dollars.

Since then our countries have been constantly strengthening their strategic partnership, developing new forms and directions of mutually advantageous cooperation. Even though India is now actively diversifying its arms acquisitions, it still remains Russia’s major strategic partner. In fact, during the last three years our country has won 75% of all finalised Indian tenders.

Among major projects being implemented these days, one can find the T-90S tank and Su-30MKI aircraft licensed production, and delivery to the Indian Air Force of the Mi-17 type military transport helicopters. Russian enterprises are implementing the Indian orders on delivery of the MiG-29K/KUB ship-based fighters and Ka-31 radar picket helicopters.

The Russian-Indian Military Technical Cooperation Programme in 2001-2010 is nearing its completion. The new Military Technical Cooperation Programme for the period of up to 2020 has been signed during the recent visit to Moscow of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. No similar document has been signed yet by India with any other major arms exporter.

In recent years the new trend becomes more and more pronounced, showing increased participation of the Indian industry in the development and production of Russian military equipment procured for the Indian Army and Navy. Our bilateral cooperation is now transitioning to a qualitatively new level: from deliveries to India of Russian finished military-purpose products to joint research and development, Russian-origin technology transfers and organisation of licensed production in India. This answers strategic interests of both states.