NAVY HAD WARNED GOVERNMENT ABOUT 'VULNERABLE' STATE OF SUBMARINES IN 2010-HIMALAI IAS
The Indian Navy had repeatedly warned the government since 2010 that the poor state of its submarine division, both operationally and in terms of number of vessels, leaves India very vulnerable to attacks by sea.
In a confidential report to the Prime Minister's Office and the Defence Ministry, the Navy had expressed concern that by 2015, India would be at its lowest submarine capability ever. This means that by next year, India's sub-surface strength and anti-access capability in the Indian Ocean region will be its worst ever.
The Naval Headquarters, sources said, has reiterated that every year, but nothing has moved on new acquisitions.
India's current submarine strength is precarious - it has only seven conventional subs. It needs a full fleet of at least 15 subs, including new vessels and older ones refitted.
As of now, even if matters are fast-tracked, the country can only begin acquiring news subs by the end of 2015 or early 2016, sources said. Six Scorpene submarines are being built at Mazgaon Docks but the first one will be available only by 2015-end or early 2016 at the earliest.
In more worry, even as this critical capability has eroded, there has been an increase in both submarine strength and capacity of the Pakistan Navy and that of the Chinese PLA Navy. The sorry state of India's submarines was tragically illustrated this week when two officers were killed and seven sailors injured in a fire on the 25-year-old INS Sindhuratna while it was being sea tested after being refitted without replacing the old batteries
Navy chief Admiral DK Joshi, in an unprecedented move, resigned the same evening, taking moral responsibility of this and a series of other accidents that took place on his watch.
In August last year, a dockside blast had killed all 18 sailors aboard another submarine, the INS Sindhurakshak. There have been eight other mishaps, mostly minor, involving Navy assets in recent
In a confidential report to the Prime Minister's Office and the Defence Ministry, the Navy had expressed concern that by 2015, India would be at its lowest submarine capability ever. This means that by next year, India's sub-surface strength and anti-access capability in the Indian Ocean region will be its worst ever.
The Naval Headquarters, sources said, has reiterated that every year, but nothing has moved on new acquisitions.
India's current submarine strength is precarious - it has only seven conventional subs. It needs a full fleet of at least 15 subs, including new vessels and older ones refitted.
As of now, even if matters are fast-tracked, the country can only begin acquiring news subs by the end of 2015 or early 2016, sources said. Six Scorpene submarines are being built at Mazgaon Docks but the first one will be available only by 2015-end or early 2016 at the earliest.
In more worry, even as this critical capability has eroded, there has been an increase in both submarine strength and capacity of the Pakistan Navy and that of the Chinese PLA Navy. The sorry state of India's submarines was tragically illustrated this week when two officers were killed and seven sailors injured in a fire on the 25-year-old INS Sindhuratna while it was being sea tested after being refitted without replacing the old batteries
Navy chief Admiral DK Joshi, in an unprecedented move, resigned the same evening, taking moral responsibility of this and a series of other accidents that took place on his watch.
In August last year, a dockside blast had killed all 18 sailors aboard another submarine, the INS Sindhurakshak. There have been eight other mishaps, mostly minor, involving Navy assets in recent
INDIA SUBMARINE CAPABILITIES –HIMALAI IAS
The Indian Navy currently operates 14 diesel powered submarines, which are based at Visakhapatnam on the east coast and Mumbai on the west coast.[1] An additional west-coast base is also being constructed at Karwar.
[2] The 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 Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) in Germany. While the first two vessels from the Shishumar-class were built at HDW in Germany, boats three and four were constructed at the Mazagon Dock in Mumbai from packages supplied by HGW.
[3] All four of the Shishumars have undergone refit since they were commissioned and together they form the 10th submarine squadron based at Mumbai.
[4] The fleet's remaining vessels consist of two aging Foxtrot-class boats, which are currently being used for training purposes. In addition to the 14 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.
[5] On August 14, 2013, a series of explosions tore through the INS Sindhurakshak, the ninth of India's ten Sindhughosh-class submarines. As a result of the blasts, which were caused by unintentional weapons detonations, a fire broke out onboard, and the submarine sank at its berth. The boat had recently returned from an extensive upgrade in Russia and was docked in Mumbai at the time of the accident. Eighteen sailors perished after being trapped in the submerged hull of the vessel.
[6] Official sources have stated that it is "highly unlikely" that the Sindhurakshak will be repaired and returned to service. The accident has added to the Indian Navy's concerns regarding the depletion of its aging submarine fleet. More than half of India's subs have completed 75 percent of their operational lives and some are even serving beyond their maximum service lives. By 2014-2015, only 9 of the total 14 diesel-electric vessels will be operational, due to necessary overhaul and repair processes.[7] In addition to its fleet of diesel-electric submarines, India is also in the process of developing an indigenously built nuclear-submarine capability. While India discussed the potential of nuclear powered submarines as early as the 1960's, the development of the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) submarine program didn't begin until 1984.
[8] Nonetheless, in July 2009 India launched its first ATV submarine, the INS Arihant, at the Ship Building Centre in Vishakapatnam.
[9] Codenamed the S-2, the INS Arihant is expected to begin sea trials in mid-August 2013 and will subsequently be inducted into the Indian Navy.
[10] The Arihant is the first of four Arihant-class submarines that will perform a strategic nuclear role. The second, the INS Aridhaman, is also being constructed in Vishakapatnam, and is expected to be launched by the end of 2013 or the first quarter of 2014.
[11] The vessels are likely to carry 12 Sagarika (K-15) submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBM) with a range of around 700km.
[12] Ultimately, the INS Arihant may carry long range 4 K-4 (3,500km) SLBM's in lieu of the 12 K-15 delivery systems.
[13] In addition, the INS Arihant will carry torpedoes and submarine launched cruise missiles (SLCM)
[14] India's nuclear powered submarine program is under the management and operations (M&O) of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), and the Indian Navy at Visakhapatnam.
[15]The Indian Navy's area of operation includes the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Bay of Bengal. These waters include numerous sea lines of communication (SLOC) chokepoints, such as the Strait of Hormuz, Bab El Mandeb, and the Malacca Straits. Almost 97% of India's foreign trade by volume and 60% of the world's sea-borne trade and energy resources are transported through these strategic bottlenecks. This share of critical global trade is likely to be amplified by the growing energy demands and industrial exports of East and Southeast Asia.
[16]Consequently, one of the Indian Navy's fundamental tasks involves the establishment of sea control to protect its vital SLOCs. It has traditionally paid particular attention to Pakistani Navy developments, as India and Pakistan have had numerous hot and cold conflicts over the years. Gradually, though, the focus of the Indian Navy is shifting to the Chinese Navy, as acknowledged in the recently publicized Indian Maritime Doctrine. This document reiterates earlier calls for a stronger deterrent capability against foreign intervention by non-littoral navies.
[17] With this in mind, India has been modernizing its fleet and has been continually interested in procuring nuclear attack and diesel submarines, establishing two aircraft carrier groups, and developing new cruise missiles.
[18] Indian officials have repeatedly indicated their concerns over China's progress on nuclear submarine construction.
[19] Deterrence against non-littoral navies is not limited to China, however. The recent and planned acquisitions of naval vessels by a number of ASEAN nations are also mentioned in the doctrine.
[20] In addition, the deployment of a US carrier task force to the Bay of Bengal during the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war is unlikely to have been forgotten. As such, the continued US presence at Diego Garcia and Bahrain may represent a concern to the Indian Navy.
[21]Aside from sea control and denial roles, the Indian Navy executes counter-terrorism, anti-drug trafficking, and anti-piracy operations within its area of interest. These roles are complicated not only by the large amount of shipping traffic, but also by the size of India's exclusive economic zone of 2.02 million square kilometers, to which 1.5 million square kilometers will be added in 2004 in accordance with international treaties.
[22] The aforementioned choke points, in particular, represent attractive targets for potential terrorist attacks. In addition, various territorial disputes with India's neighbors remain unresolved and could lead to renewed tensions. For instance, oil and gas exploration is underway in the Sir Creek Estuary, the boundary of which is debated by Pakistan. Bangladesh and India have also both laid claim to New Moore/Purbasha Island (or South Talpatty as it is known in Bangladesh).
[23]India's ambitions for a sea-based nuclear deterrent were acknowledged in 1998. After executing a number of nuclear tests, the government declared that its future minimum nuclear deterrent (MND) would be based on a triad: a combination of airborne, naval, and land-based platforms. India's maritime doctrine further clarifies this statement by specifically calling for the establishment of a submarine-based MND.
[24] The triad could be completed with the successful conclusion of India's ATV program, a lease of nuclear submarines, or perhaps, to a lesser extent with the acquisition of air-independent propulsion (AIP) submarines.
[25] India has had experience leasing a nuclear-powered submarine: from 1988 to 1991 it leased a Project 670 Skat (NATO name Charlie I) class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine from the Soviet Union, the K-43 (renamed Chakra while in Indian service). The reactors were operated by a Soviet crew and the vessel was returned to the Soviet Union.
[26] In order to gain further experience operating nuclear submarines, India has begun the ten-year lease of a Russian Project 971 Schuka-B (NATO designation Akula II) class vessel, a deal costing the country an estimated USD 920 million.
[27] In preparation for the lease, around 300 Indian personnel underwent training at a special facility in Sosnovy Bor, near St. Petersburg. On April 4, 2012, Defense Minister A K Antony commissioned the K-152 Nerpa into the Indian Navy, rechristening it the INS Chakra II.
[28] The Chakra II is armed with 300-km Klub missiles, unlike the Russian Navy's Shchuka B submarines, which carry cruise missiles with a striking range of 3,000 km.
[29]Given the various tasks and increasing role assigned to the Indian Navy, earlier strategic reviews and the Project 75 procurement plan have allegedly called for the procurement of 24 submarines to "maintain adequate operational force levels." These boats should be comprised of two locally built submarine classes.
[30] On October 6, 2005, India signed a contract with France's Armaris (a joint venture between France's DCN and Spain's Navantia, formerly Izar) for six Scorpène-class vessels with an option for an additional six units, to be constructed at the Mazagon Shipyard in Mumbai. Armaris are to provide technical advisers and supply the combat and command systems, underwater sensors and communications. The six vessels will carry Exocet SM 39 missiles supplied by MBDA.
[31] It was initially planned that DCN would deliver the first Scorpene in 2012, with the other vessels to follow over five years. However, complex procurement procedures and a failure to renew contracts have led to significant delays; it is now expected that the first boat will be ready for commissioning no sooner than late 2016. India is reportedly considering the installation of MESMA, the French AIP system, in the last two vessels.
[32] New Delhi has also announced plans to issue a tender for six additional submarines. There are several possible contenders for the bid: DCNS with the Scorpène; Germany's HDW with the Type 214; Russia's Rubin Design Bureau with its Amur 1650; and the Spanish shipbuilder Navantia, with the S-80A.
[33]In 2004, Italy's Fincanteri entered a joint venture with Russia's Rubin Naval Design Bureau to develop a new diesel-electric submarine, the s1000, based on the Amur SSK and featuring AIP technology.
[34] India was the first country to receive a briefing on the new submarine and it reportedly considered an Italian offer to built six boats for $3.5 billion but there was no subsequent purchase agreement.
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