India is now working on its first-ever nuclear powered submarine dubbed as advanced technology vessel (ATV) to test the submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) under sea.
A top naval official on condition of anonymity disclosed that the first of the three 6,000-tonne ATVs will be âready to go to seaâ for trials by early 2009.
âIf the trials go well, it could be inducted into service within two years,â he said on Thursday.
The ATV would be Indiaâs first indigenous nuclear-powered submarine and Indiaâs first submarine able to fire nuclear-armed missiles.
<b>âNow three indigenous nuclear-powered submarines are being built at Visakhapatnam under the ATV projectâ he informed.</b>
As India doesnât have a nuclear-powered submarine and for that reason Pontoon (replica of a submarine) was used during the test of the SLBM K-15 last month. Though India has about 20 submarines but all are diesel-powered.
<b>Sources said when integrated with the ATV, the K-15 missile will give the country second- strike capabilities.</b>
âThough the ATV is designed to carry at least 12 vertical-launched nuclear- tipped SLBMs or SLCMs but it will take some time for the K-15 to be integrated with,â said a defence scientist.
Once the ATV is ready, India will finally achieve its long-standing aim to have an operational nuclear weapon triad because fighters like Sukhoi-30MKI and Mirage-2000s,which can be rigged to carry nuclear weapons already constitute the air-based leg.
This apart, in a joint collaboration with Russia, India has also produced the submarine launched version of the BrahMos cruise missile.
But it is waiting for a necessary platform (submarine) for trial because Indian navyâs Russian-made Kilo-class submarines and the German-designed HDW submarines do not have the capability to fire cruise missiles, the sources informed.
<b>Meanwhile, the DRDO has also developed extensive expertise in launching long-range missiles from mobile and railway launchers. This allows the missiles to be scattered all over India before being moved to a launch site by road or rail.</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>Where N-subs come to roost</b>
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April 12 2008
KOCHI
<b>Adding to the strategic import of South India, the Indian Navy is setting up its strategic nuclear base at Rambilli near Vishakaptanam in Andhra Pradesh.</b>
Work on this highly classified project is expected to be over by 2011. All submarines, conventional and nuclear, of the Indian Navy will be moved to this base once itâs completed.
Top sources told Express that Advanced Tactical Vessels, the Indian nuclear submarines expected to dive by 2010, will be the first residents of the base, where they will be moved from the nearby Shipbuilding Centre. The advanced sea trials of the ATVs will be controlled from the new base after the induction of the crew, who are currently undergoing simulator training, is done.
<b>The salient feature of this base will be its channel with enough depth to allow a submarine to remain submerged while approaching or leaving the base. This will thicken the cloak of secrecy covering underwater operations, crucial to inflicting a second strike in case of a nuclear war outbreak.</b>
Once complete, Rambilli will control all operations in the eastern theatre which is getting interesting with the fast modernisation of the Chinese Navy. China already operates 10 nuclear submarines, each carrying 12 missiles. The base is also crucial given the increasing Indian involvement in the east, especially its growing ties with Singapore.
More than the firepower it gives the Navy, Rambilli completes the South Indian role in Indiaâs future plans vis-Ã -vis deployment of nuclear assets. It also marks the first major futuristic naval initiative on the east coast with the Ezhimala Naval Academy and the Seabird base at Karwar, diagonally south of Rambilli, taking care of the west coast.
"But Rambilli will be bigger, much bigger, than Karwar. The latter will be home to mainline battleships berthed safely beneath several tiers of security including an e-fence as the first line of defence. Rambilli will house all nuclear-powered submarines," sources said.
With this South India will be home to two arms of the N-triad. The Air Force is already accelerating work on its base in Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, to be the first India Air and Space Base co-ordinating the second strike possibility. This apart, DRDO has already identified many sick State-owned PSUs in South India that it can enter into joint ventures with for fabrication and assembly of advanced weapons.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Minister of Defence responding to a question in Indian Parliament said that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) Review Committee constituted by the Government to suggest measure for improving the functioning of DRDO inter alia Ministry of Defence, and Services has submitted its report to the Government on 05th March 2008. It is under study of the Government.
There had been delays in some of the DRDO projects due to some genuine difficulties, like technical complexities, technological embargo/sanctions, non-availability of infrastructure within the country, extended and long lasting user trials, revision of systems specification during development phase, etc.
Besides many constraints, DRDO had equipped Services with state-of-the-art technologies in the field of strategic systems, battle tanks, electronic warfare and communication systems, armour and armaments, life support systems, naval systems, missile systems, aerospace systems, etc.
He also said that the DRDO is developing only defence âcritical / denied technologies and strategic systems. In this area, DRDO has ensured 100 % self â reliance.
As far as the tactical systems are concerned, DRDO is responsible for design, development, trials & evaluation as and when tasked by Government. Acceptance of DRDO developed systems and their subsequent production and induction depends on Users and identified production agencies, Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and Ordnance Factories (OFs).
Achieving self-reliance is a responsibility that has to be met through national effort by DPSUs, OFs, Private industries and DRDO jointly. DRDO works with the production agencies to resolve the major problems during the production.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->MCA was expected to make its first flight before 2009.[7] It will face direct competition from China's J-XX, whose prototype is expected to be flown somewhere between 2008 and 2010.[8] However MCA will be a strike fighter, so the F-35 may be more of a suitable competitor, as the J-XX refers to several possible fighter designs.
A single unsubstantiated report, based on comments attributed to a Mr. M Natarajan, has claimed that the plane might fly by March 2009. [9] However, given that MCA is in design conceptualization stage, the claims made in this report are improbable.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
BrahMos failed as US shut its eyes in the sky?
KOCHI: DRDO scientists have launched an investigation into the failure of the BrahMos army version missile, especially why its GPS system couldnât link onboard computers with hovering satellites eventually crippling its guidance system and keeping it frm achieving mission objectives.
The ambit of the probe will also examine why US satellites blinked during the test window, thereby denying the missile the crucial inputs needed for its guidance.
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The ambit of the probe will also examine why US satellites blinked during the test window, thereby denying the missile the crucial inputs needed for its guidance.
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They are testing using US system, ofcourse they will shut it down. Even I will do same DUD ???
