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File image of nuclear powered ballistic missile firing submarine INS Arighat
The fourth SSBN, codenamed S4*, was launched on October 16, a day after Rajnath Singh inaugurated Very Low Frequency Naval Station.
New Delhi: Within the midst of a diplomatic spat with Canada, India quietly launched its fourth nuclear powered ballistic missile (SSBN) submarine at Ship Constructing Centre (SBC) in Visakhapatnam this week to power its nuclear deterrence towards its adversaries.
Whereas India’s second SSBN INS Arighaat was commissioned by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on August 29, 2024, the third SSBN INS Aridhaman can be commissioned subsequent yr. On October 9, the Cupboard Committee on Safety (CCS) cleared the Indian Navy’s plans for development of two nuclear powered assault submarines to discourage any adversaries within the Indo-Pacific.
Though the Modi authorities is tight-lipped on nuclear deterrence, the fourth SSBN, codenamed S4*, was launched on October 16, a day after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurated Very Low Frequency Naval Station in Damagundam forest space of Vikarabad district in Telangana for command, management and communications with strategic belongings of the Indian Navy
The newly launched S4* SSBN has practically 75% indigenous content material and is provided solely with 3,500km vary Ok-4 nuclear ballistic missiles, which might be fired via vertical launching programs. Whereas the primary of its class INS Arihant carries 750 km vary Ok-15 nuclear missiles, its successors are all upgrades of the earlier ones and carry solely Ok-4 ballistic missiles. With limitless vary and endurance, the SSBN is constrained solely by meals provides, crew fatigue and upkeep. Each INS Arihant and INS Arighat are already on deep sea patrols and a nuclear powered assault submarine of Russian Akula class is about to affix the power on lease in 2028.
INS Aridhaman Was Named S4*
Since nationwide safety planners named India’s first leased nuclear assault submarine INS Chakra as S1, INS Arihant was named S2, INS Arighat S3, INS Aridhaman S4 and therefore the newly launched one is the final of its class, S4* with the formal title but to be given. The following class of Indian SSBNs can be double the 6,000 ton displacement of Arihant class and can be carrying nuclear missiles upwards of the vary of 5,000 kilometers and past.
The main target of the Narendra Modi authorities on sea based mostly submarine deterrence towards highly effective adversaries akin to China is predicated on the truth that plane carriers are weak to lengthy vary PLA missiles like Dong Feng-21 and Dong Feng-26 and may very well be sitting geese in worst case eventualities. It’s for this very cause that the federal government has given precedence to nuclear assault and ballistic missile submarines over the third plane provider for the Indian Navy. The federal government has additionally stepped up standard submarine deterrence with the sixth of the diesel assault Kalvari class submarine INS Vaghsheer to be commissioned in December this yr.
Within the meantime, the federal government will give a go forward to the development of three extra superior diesel assault submarines at Mazagon Dockyards in collaboration with the French Naval Group. With 10-11 PLA warships within the Indian Ocean each month since final yr and provider based mostly lengthy vary patrols anticipated in 2025-26, strategic submarines are all set to play a significant position in defending India and dominate the Indian Ocean Area (IOR).
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