..:: India Strategic ::. Indian Navy: N-powered INS Arihant set to sail

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Editorial

N-powered INS Arihant set to sail

Published: August 2013

New Delhi. India’s first nuclear powered nuclear armed (SSBN) submarine INS Arihant should sail for the sea by mid-August when the monsoons recede on the country’s eastern seaboard and the waters are a bit calm. According to a report in the Chandigarh-based newspaper The Tribune, the nuclear reactor of the submarine should go critical any time and that while it would be awhile for the nuclear-tipped missiles to be loaded onboard, they “are in place.”

For the Indian Navy, and the country, it will literally be a great achievement to launch the IAC-I INS Vikrant and INS Arihant around the same time. This August 15, India will also mark its 66th Independence Day anniversary.

“Around 95 percent of the harbour trials are over,” the newspaper quoted sources as saying and that once the submarine is out at sea, it will run on its 80 MW nuclear reactor, which is designed and developed by the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) with assistance from Russian engineers.

The pressurised water reactor (PWR) uses enriched uranium and light water. The Tribune reported that several tests would be conducted once INS Arihant is in the sea off Vishakhapatnam, its base, and that each test could take a couple of months.

“Each test will be conducted underwater for two months or more. This will include the Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) test.” Ten tests of the missile, code-named B05 have already been done using a submerged pontoon.

The Ministry of Defence’s DRDO (Defence Research & Development Organisation) has developed n-tipper missiles for the submarines with range from 700 to 3500 km. The timeline for INS Arihant to be fully operational is secret but once it does, it will be on deterrent patrol.

A couple of more submarines are also under construction. Initially called ATV (Advanced Technology Vessel), the nuclear submarine programme was launched in 1998 under Vice Admiral Promod C Bhasin as the Project Direrctor.