Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

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ShauryaT
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by ShauryaT »

Singha wrote:could be based off the akula reactor family which is still used for latest subs
http://gentleseas.blogspot.in/2015/10/s ... needs.html
I do not know Singha. I have asked the author and some others. Sounds suspicious to me. A higher powered reactor that we will use on S-4 (which the author mislabels as S-3 - which is Aridhaman). Why will we use such on an SSBN to start with? The last I know, BARC was pushing for an uprated version of Arihant to power the SSN project. So, at this time my ears are all up and seek validation.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by ashthor »

economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/navy-issues-request-for-information-for-procurement-of-234-helicopters/articleshow/60179615.cms

RFI for 234 choppers by the Navy.
The Indian Navy today issued global request for information (RFI) for procurement of 111 utility and 123 multi-role helicopters under the recently- launched strategic partnership model for defence procurement.

Official sources said the RFI has been issued to identify original equipment maker for both the utility helicopters as well as multi-role choppers which are being procured as part of the Navy's modernisation plan.

The procurement of both categories of choppers totalling 234 would cost the government in excess of USD 15 billion, according to experts who said that these two contracts could be one of the largest globally in recent times.

They said the defence ministry is likely to soon issue RFI to select the Indian defence manufacturer which will join hands with the foreign entity or entities (OEMs) for production of the choppers as mandated under the strategic partnership (SP) model.

The last date to respond to the RFI issued today by the Navy is October 6.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Viv S »

ShauryaT wrote:
Singha wrote:could be based off the akula reactor family which is still used for latest subs
http://gentleseas.blogspot.in/2015/10/s ... needs.html
I do not know Singha. I have asked the author and some others. Sounds suspicious to me. A higher powered reactor that we will use on S-4 (which the author mislabels as S-3 - which is Aridhaman). Why will we use such on an SSBN to start with? The last I know, BARC was pushing for an uprated version of Arihant to power the SSN project. So, at this time my ears are all up and seek validation.
The article from The Week references a S-3 Plus not S-3; likely a development project (similar to the S-1) feeding into the following vessels (S-4 & S-5).

The Arihant is a 6000 ton boat with four K-4 silos. The aim is field an SSBN equipped with 8-12 K-4 class missiles with a likely displacement over 10,000 tons.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Rakesh »

Indian Navy sets ball rolling to buy 234 multi-role, utility copters
http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-new ... dPFYK.html
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Rakesh »

Indian Navy looks for heavyweight torpedoes for submarines
http://www.financialexpress.com/india-n ... es/818181/
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by ShauryaT »

Viv S wrote:The Arihant is a 6000 ton boat with four K-4 silos. The aim is field an SSBN equipped with 8-12 K-4 class missiles with a likely displacement over 10,000 tons.
The truth is we do not know if follow ons to Aridhaman are 8000 tons or 10,000. But seriously, you expect BARC to build a reactor for this envisioned larger SSBN before building one for the SSN? How fast and to what end does the SSBN needs to go. I would say an uprated version of the Arihant reactor would do fine for the SSBN.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by sankum »

Failure to Launch

Despite recent reports that the two Western MRCBF competitors could operate from INS Vikramaditya in addition to the Indian Navy’s future carriers, this is simply not possible. The converted Soviet-era ‘aircraft carrying cruiser’ has two aircraft elevators that are located within the flight deck, instead of on the deck-edges, and both are too small to accommodate either the Super Hornet or the Rafale. The larger forward lift, beside the carrier’s superstructure, is 18.8 x 9.9 metres, while the Super Hornet’s wings fold to just under 10 metres and the Rafale’s wings, slightly less than 11 metres wide, do not fold at all. The aft lift is narrower, with an 8.6-metre width that is barely able to fit the MiG-29K’s 7.5-metre folded span.
The real ‘show stopper’ for the entire MRCBF requirement, however, is the configuration of IAC-1. Unlike Vikramaditya, and like most contemporary carriers, the aircraft lifts on IAC-1 are positioned on the starboard edge of the deck allowing longer aircraft to ‘hang out’ over the water with only their landing gear on the platform. But because the carrier was designed around an air wing of MiG-29Ks and Naval LCAs, the lifts were sized for wingspans no larger than eight metres. 10 x 14 metres, to be precise. While MiG-29Ks and N-LCAs can fit on these lifts with parts of their noses or empennages hanging over the edges, the Super Hornet and Rafale once again cannot.
Both Boeing and Dassault are apparently working on solutions to allow their aircraft to fit the lifts. Sources close to the programme said that Boeing is considering a system that would allow the Super Horner to sit canted on the lift, the tilt of the (folded) wings thereby resulting in a slightly shorter overall span measured parallel to the deck. With its fixed wings, the Rafale cannot offer such a solution, and Dassault is understood to be exploring a detachable wingtip, although this involves greater engineering and certification challenges.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Viv S »

ShauryaT wrote:The truth is we do not know if follow ons to Aridhaman are 8000 tons or 10,000. But seriously, you expect BARC to build a reactor for this envisioned larger SSBN before building one for the SSN? How fast and to what end does the SSBN needs to go. I would say an uprated version of the Arihant reactor would do fine for the SSBN.
Where does it say that the SSN can't be equipped with an uprated version of the Arihant reactor? Or if not, that the new powerplant can't be shared by the SSN class and the enlarged SSBNs? Seems to work for the Astute & Vanguard. And the Barracuda & Triomphant. And the Akula & Borei.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by chola »

sankum wrote:Failure to Launch

Despite recent reports that the two Western MRCBF competitors could operate from INS Vikramaditya in addition to the Indian Navy’s future carriers, this is simply not possible. The converted Soviet-era ‘aircraft carrying cruiser’ has two aircraft elevators that are located within the flight deck, instead of on the deck-edges, and both are too small to accommodate either the Super Hornet or the Rafale. The larger forward lift, beside the carrier’s superstructure, is 18.8 x 9.9 metres, while the Super Hornet’s wings fold to just under 10 metres and the Rafale’s wings, slightly less than 11 metres wide, do not fold at all. The aft lift is narrower, with an 8.6-metre width that is barely able to fit the MiG-29K’s 7.5-metre folded span.
The real ‘show stopper’ for the entire MRCBF requirement, however, is the configuration of IAC-1. Unlike Vikramaditya, and like most contemporary carriers, the aircraft lifts on IAC-1 are positioned on the starboard edge of the deck allowing longer aircraft to ‘hang out’ over the water with only their landing gear on the platform. But because the carrier was designed around an air wing of MiG-29Ks and Naval LCAs, the lifts were sized for wingspans no larger than eight metres. 10 x 14 metres, to be precise. While MiG-29Ks and N-LCAs can fit on these lifts with parts of their noses or empennages hanging over the edges, the Super Hornet and Rafale once again cannot.
Both Boeing and Dassault are apparently working on solutions to allow their aircraft to fit the lifts. Sources close to the programme said that Boeing is considering a system that would allow the Super Horner to sit canted on the lift, the tilt of the (folded) wings thereby resulting in a slightly shorter overall span measured parallel to the deck. With its fixed wings, the Rafale cannot offer such a solution, and Dassault is understood to be exploring a detachable wingtip, although this involves greater engineering and certification challenges.

Good read. It lays out clearly the issues with the lifts and design of the Vikramaditya and the Vikrant (this bugs me since this is our carrier and we could have designed it with future western aircraft in mind.)

I didn't like the insinuation that the NLCA was the main reason for the naval air tender though. The reason for the tender was problems with the MiG-29K not the NLCA. NLCA is a work in progress, the 29K was and is the main aircraft slated for those carriers. If it were any good, the IN would have quietly ordered more and wait on the NLCA.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by brar_w »

Unless it is determined that Catapult launches are a part of the INs future carrier aviation plan, I don't see either the SH or the Rafale as having a very good shot at this simply due to the integration advantages enjoyed by the MiG-29K. This is quite a small order so any aircraft and/or carrier changes will have a significant impact on unit price as evaluated which would be the case in a competition.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Philip »

If there is a naval variant of the MIG-35,better AESA radar,engines,etc.,"ruggedized" for tropical Indian conditions,at reasonable cost,below $50M,the IN might very well go in for it as "extras" and gradual replacements for first batch 29Ks that can't be rectified .There wouldcertainl;y be some penalties,etc. that the OEM would have to bear.

Meanwhile,the deal for extra Talwar/Grig.FFGs seems to be a done deal,as we recently had news of cab. approval for engines for two FFGs.
Two frigates of 11356 project to be finalized for Indian Navy

Military & Defense August 23,
Negotiations are currently underway on providing to India four project 11356 frigates

Project 11356 frigate© Anatoly Medved/TASS
KUBINKA /Moscow Region/, August 23. /TASS/. Two frigates of project 11356, which the Baltic shipyards Yantar began to build for the Black Sea Fleet will be finalized for the Indian Navy, the vice-president of the United Shipbuilding Corporation for naval shipbuilding, Igor Ponomaryov, told TASS.
"Two ships will be built for India and one, equipped with new gas turbine power plants, for the Russian Navy," he said, adding that the future of a second troika of project 11356 frigates being built at the Yantar shipyards was determined under a Russian-Indian inter-governmental agreement.

READ ALSO
Russia to offer MiG-35 planes at India’s tender for light fighter jets
Indian Navy content with Russian-made aircraft carrier
Russia and India sign military cooperation roadmap
Russia to sign contract with India on S-400 air defense missile system deliveries

"We hope that when this work is over (three ships of project 11356 - TASS) the Russian Navy will order at least another two frigates of this project," Ponomaryov said.
Currently negotiations are underway on providing to India four project 11356 frigates. Earlier the director of the Rostec corporation for regional cooperation and regional policies, Viktor Kladov, said the yet-to-be concluded contracts would be based on the two plus two formula: two frigates will be built in Russia and provided to India in finished form, while another two will be built at one of India’s shipyards. The federal service for military-technical cooperation later said the Yantar shipyards in Kaliningrad and India’s Goa Shipyard would be involved in the project.
Project 11356 ships have a displacement of about 4,000 tonnes, speed of up to 30 knots and endurance of 30 days. Three such ships have been built for the Black Sea Fleet already.This could go upto 12 if we build 4 at home which would be a preferred solution.

http://tass.com/defense/961521
A sensible acquisition,as all round strike capability per t is perhaps the highest of any warship in the IN's inventory.Eventually we will have 10 Talwars
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by brar_w »

If there is a naval variant of the MIG-35,better AESA radar,engines,etc.,"ruggedized" for tropical Indian conditions,at reasonable cost,below $50M,the IN might very well go in for it as "extras" and gradual replacements for first batch 29Ks that can't be rectified .There wouldcertainl;y be some penalties,etc. that the OEM would have to bear.
I don't think the IN would be very open to being the first operator for yet another aircraft/variant that does not actually exist, isn't operational with the primary operator and isn't being considered for such an application elsewhere. But this is just my guess.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Vips »

A lemon is a lemon is a lemon, call it by whatever name :)
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Karthik S »

Guys is the third P-15B also ready to be launched?

https://zoom.earth/#18.968596,72.8495,19z,sat
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Kakarat »

Karthik S wrote:Guys is the third P-15B also ready to be launched?

https://zoom.earth/#18.968596,72.8495,19z,sat
those are P-15A kolkata class and the images are very old
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Karthik S »

Thanks.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Manish_P »

sankum wrote:
Sources close to the programme said that Boeing is considering a system that would allow the Super Horner to sit canted on the lift, the tilt of the (folded) wings thereby resulting in a slightly shorter overall span measured parallel to the deck.
Very interesting. Any details/ideas on how they are planning to do this ?

It looks less risky than the Dassault way (which has risk of affecting flight characteristics)

Going by their records the Americans will try some uber cool looking way to do this rather than simply have independent variable height telescopic suspension type rear wheels system or an even simpler roll-on inclined plane (like the ones they have in garages)
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Singha »

how to you safely tilt such a large fighter ? this is not a gnat to manhandle. and attaching and detaching wingtips for each journey up and down the elevator is insane. who will certify the wingtips are fine after each cycle?

I am afraid we missed the boat.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by sudeepj »

The lift shaft is bigger than the lift platform size on the Vikrant. There is a 'lip' on the flight deck that covers the gap between the lift platform and the walls of the lift shaft. This lips makes the flight deck flush with the lift platform with no discernible gap.

One could make this lip movable with a hinge, so its removed to bring up the aircraft to the deck and after the lift is up moved back in place to stop things and people from falling into the shaft. This could gain a couple of feet of room for the wing.

Its jugaad time. :-)
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Pratyush »

Don't understand the lift related issue on the Vikrant. As the ship is not in service, It should not really matter I the lift is redesigned. More over, the lift should not be a part of the structural strength of the ship ( in the absence of a better word). So enlarging the same should not really effect the survivability of the ship.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Singha »

its doable to implement a fix now i think, since the ship is years away from IOC per CSL itself. the area around the lift shaft is unlikely to have anything much so cutting up the current walls and pillars supporting the flight deck on the rim and moving them by 1m is unlikely to need "high powered foreign consultants" to vet it.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Gagan »

Why did they have to make the lifts so small hain ji?
Just look at the lifts, even the Naval LCA - the smallest fighter in the world was to have its wings folded.

Indeed the designers have a love for dark narrow places onlee

They can probably enlarge the lifts, although it will need a lot of cutting and some engineering challenges, but it will be a less challenging effort to modifying the flight group.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by negi »

Folding wings mean additional actuators means more weight and then again implications on g rating . I think if all things are GREEN then yes re-sizing the lifts is the logical option .I mean look at Rafale M can it fold wings ? Did that handicap the French Navy in a major way ?
Last edited by negi on 24 Aug 2017 00:46, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by brar_w »

France designed its carrier to carry two aircraft side by side much the same way the lifts are sized on the Nimitz and the Ford class. This allows for an extremely large room for larger wingspan aircraft to be carried so lifts no longer remain the limiting factors as far as aircraft dimensions are concerned (for all practical purposes).
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by sankum »

The only logical choice with IAC 2 postponed indefinitely is naval AMCA to be on by 2030 with expected folded dimensions of 17.5m by 7.5m for compatibility with INS Vikramaditya and INS Vikrant.

In the mean time minimum 20nos upgraded Mig29k will have to be bought to take the total to 65 nos in absence of naval LCA to fully meet the reqirement of 2 carrier group for IN.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by negi »

Just some data points

Sea Harrier wing span is about 7.6 m
Mig 29K folded is about 7.8 ?
Tejas 8.2 m (NLCA has same figure ?)
Now
Rafale M has about 11m
and Super Hornet even with folded wings is much bigger than the Tejas .

So looks like we designed our lifts around the Sea Harrier/Mig-29k footprint ?
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Manish_P »

brar_w wrote:France designed its carrier to carry two aircraft side by side much the same way the lifts are sized on the Nimitz and the Ford class. This allows for an extremely large room for larger wingspan aircraft to be carried so lifts no longer remain the limiting factors as far as aircraft dimensions are concerned (for all practical purposes).
Would that be to carry AWACs aircraft ?
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Philip »

The point I made earlier."Small minds ,small lifts!" When designing a carrier,the naval architects should look back into history and examine how and why the longest serving carriers remained relevant,simply becos they could accommodate new naval aircraft when they arrived without too much of modifications. Given that a carrier is expected to last at least 4 decades,the navy in Q should anticipate at least 2,if not 3 future types of aircraft/UCAVs (in the current context) operating from the ship during its lifetime. The VikA ws a conversion with limitations but IAC-1 was not. However,to be fair to the designers ,it was at least two decades ago when the design was begun.The IN's carrier reqs. have dramatically changed since those days with the threat from China appearing so swiftly taking those non-prophetic minds by surprise.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by brar_w »

Manish_P wrote:
brar_w wrote:France designed its carrier to carry two aircraft side by side much the same way the lifts are sized on the Nimitz and the Ford class. This allows for an extremely large room for larger wingspan aircraft to be carried so lifts no longer remain the limiting factors as far as aircraft dimensions are concerned (for all practical purposes).
Would that be to carry AWACs aircraft ?
Actually, the E-2's folded wingspan is less than 9 m.

Image
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by negi »

I am waiting how fanboys will sell F-35 to the IN with it's folded wingspan being over 9 meters.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by brar_w »

The F-35C is not in running for the Naval aircraft acquisition program as far as I can tell. I don't think LM has even been included in the discussion. On a purely technical level the SH exceeds the F-35Cs wingspan.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Rakesh »

brar, that is an amazing gif. What is the folded wing span of the F-35C? I googled, but came up short. Also, how constrained will the MTOW be of the F-35C from a ski jump?
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by brar_w »

Rakesh wrote:brar, that is an amazing gif. What is the folded wing span of the F-35C? I googled, but came up short. Also, how constrained will the MTOW be of the F-35C from a ski jump?
F-35C -9.1 meters
F-18E - 9.32 meters

No idea on the STOBAR performance. It is something that only the OEM would be able to calculate besides the US Navy. My guess would be that much like other aircraft it would be be significantly below the CAT launch performance more so with the F-35C which is designed to carry 8000+ kg of fuel internally.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Viv S »

Rakesh wrote:brar, that is an amazing gif. What is the folded wing span of the F-35C? I googled, but came up short. Also, how constrained will the MTOW be of the F-35C from a ski jump?
It'd be hard-pressed to operate in a STOBAR profile IMO. All else aside, the thrust-to-weight ratio appears grossly insufficient for unassisted launches.

Super Hornet
Empty weight - 14.5 tons
Max thrust - 20 tons

F-35C
Empty Weight - 15.9 tons
Max thrust - 18.5 tons

And the baseline Super Hornet isn't exactly a rocket-ship to begin with.

The LM responded to the IN's previous RFI by conducting STOBAR simulations with the F-35C. That they didn't respond to this recent RFI issued in Jan, suggests that simulations had a negative result.

From Shiv Aroor, back in 2010 -
Lockheed-Martin plans to respond to the Indian Navy’s recent RFI for a new generation carrier-based figher with two parallel dockets on the STOVL F-35B and the carrier variant F-35C. While it was initially thought that the F-35B would be the variant offered (since it appeared a logical replacement for India’s Sea Harrier jump jets), Lockeed-Martin Biz Development (India) VP Orville Prins told me and a few other journalists today that Lockheed-Martin is conducting simulation and analysis studies to support the team’s supposition that the F-35C — built for a steam catapult launch off aircraft carriers — is also capable of short take-offs from ski-jumps. The simulation and analysis will take into account various stress and strain parameters.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Viv S »

In other news,

‘Aridaman’, India’s second nuclear-armed submarine, is ready for launch
By Manu Pubby - August 24, 2017

India’s second nuclear-armed submarine is now ready for launch, a critical step towards a planned quick induction into the Indian Navy to strengthen strategic deterrence. The ‘Aridaman’, which has been under construction at the secretive Ship Building Centre in Visakhapatnam, could be launched as early as in the next six to eight weeks.

Sources have told ThePrint that the submarine – larger, more powerful and better equipped than India’s first nuclear sub INS Arihant – has undergone all work required at the dry dock and will shortly be launched into water for further outfitting.

The launch ceremony is a critical milestone in naval shipbuilding, signifying that all major work including integration of heavy machinery and equipment is complete. The ceremony would also require political clearance. The 2009 launch of INS Arihant was a major media event by the UPA government.

The status and progress on Aridaman has been a tightly guarded secret, with no Indian official authorised to talk about the project. The nuclear submarine program is directly monitored by the National Security Advisor (NSA).

After the launch, which is basically a flooding of the dry dock followed by a gentle slipping of the submarine into the sea, the Aridaman will be moved to ‘Site Bravo’, a covered test area for further work. The launch is technically possible any time now but it will be a while – a year at the earliest – for the boat to be ready for sea trials.

BIG PROGRESS

Although INS Arihant is the first Indian nuclear armed boat, the long developmental period, testing and technological issues it faced has meant that it is more of a technology demonstrator. The Aridaman is set to be the first credible underwater nuclear weapon delivery platform, with shipbuilders and designers learning from the first construction.

Not only is the boat larger and equipped to carry more of the K-15 submarine launched missiles, it will also have a more powerful reactor than the 83 MW one on board the Arihant. More importantly, Indian shipbuilders have drastically cut down construction time on the boat.

Work on the Aridaman started in earnest after the Arihant was launched in 2009. While the Arihant took 11 years to reach the launch stage, Aridaman has got there within eight. The Indian Navy is hopeful that the time to induction will also be cut. Faced with technological challenges, it took the Arihant seven years to go from launch to induction – a quiet commissioning was done last year – but the Navy is believed to be looking at an ambitious two-year target for the Aridaman.

THE NEXT STEPS

After being moved under the power of harbour tugs to Site Bravo, the Aridaman will undergo several tests over the next year, including the crucial activation of the nuclear reactor. All major components that include the all-important missile launchers and torpedo tubes are already integrated and the submarine would be tested using external power.

After the systems pass all safety tests using external power, the nuclear reactor of the submarine – developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) – will be activated. After the nuclear reactor stabilises, the boat will again undergo safety checks for all systems before being moved to the stage of harbour trials.

Sea trials will subsequently commence to take the submarine through the rigours of combat duty. This will include submerged tests, high speed cruises and firing from torpedo and missile tubes. Indian Navy crews – who are also operating the INS Chakra nuclear attack submarine leased from Russia – will be transferred to carry out tests and the induction process for Aridaman.

Besides the plans for nuclear armed submarines, India has also cleared a project to construct a new line of nuclear-powered but conventionally-armed submarines (SSNs). The mammoth plan, expected to cost over $12 billion, is for six modern vessels to be made in India. First official comments on the plan came in 2015 with a senior Navy officer revealing that the design work had started on the project and the aim is to come out with a new class of submarines within 15 years.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Rakesh »

Viv_S & Brar: Thank you both. Greatly appreciated.
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Philip »

Forget the F-35C.Any IN Catobar CV will arrive post 2030! By then there may even be better alternatives to the F-35C.
The F-35B which the RN has chosen would be the best STOVL alternative.If the bird is affordable,around $100M,plus willingness by the US to sell it to us even in some reduced capability ,"export specs",it is worth serious consideration as it could operate from a sister ship of IAC-1,but with larger lifts,support facilities below deck,etc. This sister ship of a stretched design,say 50,000t+,could start construction in 2018/19 and be launched before 2025. The bird could still operate from the decks of the VikA and IAC-1 for "pit stops",though only above deck.

The IN's initiatives in the IOR to counter China.
http://www.defencenews.in/article/India ... ina-283860
Indian Navy silently tightens grip over Indian Ocean to counter China
Thursday, August 24, 2017
By: India Today

As countries like Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand keenly watch the outcome of the standoff at the Doklam in Bhutan between the Indian and Chinese armies; New Delhi has tasked the Indian Navy to silently spread its influence and further strengthen its grip over the Indian Ocean Region.

Besides, the immediate security concern, India's stand on Doklam is also influenced by the message the outcome of stand-off will send to these neighbouring countries.

For the last two and half months Indian and Chinese troops are engaged in face-off at the Doklam plateau in Bhutan. China wants to construct a road through the plateau. India objects to the road and has deployed army.

A LARGE-MULTI-LATERAL EXERCISE OF INDIAN OCEAN LITTORAL COUNTRIES

For the first time ever Bangladesh - which now heads the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) - with the help of India will be organising a large Naval exercise involving over a dozen countries.

The IONS is an India initiative to increase maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region. The IONS was conceived by the UPA government to get "friendly" navies of the region together to counter the increased aggressiveness of China in the Indian Ocean region.

The exercise - likely to see participation from over a dozen countries - is likely to be held in the Bay of Bengal. The IONS platform had become dormant in the past-few years, "we have decided to revitalize the platform," a senior Ministry of Defence official told India Today and added "a large exercise with the participation of several littoral countries sends a tacit but a clear message."

REACHING OUT TO THE NEIGHBOURS

While China has been reaching out with big bucks, India has decided to take a more benign approach. Indian Navy is launching the Sambandh initiative - Naval officers and cadets from smaller countries that do not have big navies will now be welcome aboard INS Vikramaditya -India's aircraft carrier- Kolkatta class destroyer- the state of the art stealth guided missile destroyer - INS Kalvari - Scorpene Class diesel- electric submarine etc.

"Cadets and officers of smaller navies will get flavour of blue-water navy and how big navies are organised," a senior officer said. Cadets and officers from countries like Bangladesh, Kenya, Oman, Tanzania, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam etc will soon be on these platforms. South Block has already given its clearance to the initiative.

MOBILE TRAINING TEAM

Apart from the Sambandh initiate the Indian Navy is reaching out to the neighbourhood extending his training out-reach programme. Training teams of the Indian Navy will now be going to neighbouring countries.

"Many countries aren't able to send their officers, cadets to a foreign country for training, this initiative will be plug that gap," a senior officer said.

Each Mobile Training Team (MTT) will comprise 8 to 10 officers and can train more of officers at their home bases the officer added. Bangladesh has already asked India to set-up its submarine naval training school.

Earlier, India had trained a group of its submarine cadets at the Visakhapatnam based INS Satavahana. The Navy has been approached by the countries Thailand, Sri Lanka, Myanmar for MTT.

MORE PERMANENT DEPLOYMENT OF INDIAN WARSHIPS

Indian Naval warships will now be permanently deployed at the Malacca Straits -the crucial strait connecting the Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean linking major Asian economies such as India, China, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea- and Indian warships will be more visible at Sunda Straits - a crucial passage that connects Indian Ocean to Eastern Asia.

About 70 per cent of the global trade by value passes through the Malacca and Sunda Straits.
brar_w
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by brar_w »

The F-35B which the RN has chosen would be the best STOVL alternative.
You mean besides the fact that it does not fit (wingspan > 10.6 meters) on any of the elevators, on either of the two carriers?
Philip
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Re: Indian Navy News & Discussion - 15 Dec 2016

Post by Philip »

Well,a sister ship of IAC-1 will arrive much faster than the first,5-7 years before any larger CV can be built and also be sued aboard our planned 4 amphibs!
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