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Russia has built ten Kilo class submarines for
India. Only two of them — the INS Sindhugosh
and INS Sindhuvijay — have reportedly been
equipped with the Club-S (SS-N-27) cruise missiles
to date.
"The new missile system will be installed
on the INS Sindhuratna, INS Sindhuraj, INS Sindhushastra,
and INS Sindhuvir. The retrofit will be carried
out at Indian shipyards," according to a
shipyard statement.
"Zvezdochka will finish this work in the
next five years," it said.
The Club-S subsonic cruise missile is designed
for launch from a 533 mm torpedo tube, or a vertical
launch tube. It has a range of 160 nautical miles
(about 300 km). It uses an ARGS-54 active radar
seeker and Glonass satellite and inertial guidance.
In addition, Zvezdochka is getting ready to overhaul
another Indian Kilo class submarine, the INS Sindhurakshak,
under a deal which is expected to be signed in
spring 2010.
The submarine will be delivered to Severodvinsk
in June 2010.
Russia agreed in 2001 to upgrade all the10 Indian
Kilo class submarines and has previously overhauled
four of them at the Zvezdochka shipyard.
The upgrade program involves a complete overhaul
of the submarines, including their hull structures,
as well as improved control systems, sonar, electronic
warfare systems, and an integrated weapon control
system. The upgrades are reported to be costing
about $80 million.
Russia's Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines
have gained a reputation as extremely quiet boats,
and have been purchased by China, India, Iran,
Poland, Romania and Algeria.
(RIA Novosti)
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