Sea trials soon of India's indigenous n-submarine

NEW DELHLI: The sea trials of India's indigenous nuclear submarine INS Arihant are scheduled in a few months from now and it is likely to be inducted into the navy by the end of 2012, when it will lurk in the deep seas awaiting its prey.

Indian Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said at the force's annual press conference Friday ahead of Navy Day on Dec 4 that the process of readying the nuclear-powered submarine was "on track".

"By and large we are on track. A firm date can be given when we go for sea trials that will hopefully happen in a few months from now," Verma said when he was asked about his last Navy Day promise that INS Arihant will go out on high seas patrols by 2012-end.

India had launched the 6,000-tonne submarine into the waters at Visakhapatnam Naval Dockyard on July 26 in 2009. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur were present on the occassion.

INS Arihant has been built under the navy's advanced technology vessel (ATV) programme at a cost of $2.9 billion. The vessel is critical for India possessing the capability to launch nuclear weapons from an underwater platform.

With India's declared "no first use" policy on nuclear weapons, the country's weapons system must survive a first strike for retaliation. To that effect, INS Arihant's primary weapon is stealth as it will be able to lurk in ocean depths of half a kilometre or more and fire missiles from under the sea.

The submarine is powered by an 85 MW nuclear reactor and can acquire surface speeds of 22 to 28 kmph or 12 to 15 knots, apart from a submerged speed of 44 kmph or 24 knots.

With a crew of 95, it will be armed with torpedoes and missiles including 12 ballistic missiles. Four more nuclear-powered submarines of this class have already got government's nod, adding to navy's underwater combat potential in the years to come.

On the safety of the nuclear submarine, the navy chief said there was a requirement of a regulatory authority and Baba Atomic Research Centre will play a major role in this.

He said the issue was not about nuclear safety while the vessel is at port but while it is at sea and hence the modalities for that and basing of specialist on board the vessel are under consideration.

Source:ET

Indian Navy to induct 24 long-range reconnaissance aircraft

Indian Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma told India Strategic defence magazine (www.indiastrategic.in) in an interview that the force was satisfied with the progress of the first eight Indian P-8Is being built by Boeing under a 2009 order and that a second order for four more aircraft was being processed to be placed within the current fiscal ending March 2012.

At a later date, it was being planned to acquire 12 more LRMR aircraft for offshore surveillance and protection of the Indian waters and interests, bringing the total to 24.

The exact type of the 12 additional aircraft would be worked out later.

India's coastline exceeds 7,500 km, besides which there are several island territories and economic interests off the east and west coasts.

Hitherto, the Indian Navy has been using old, Soviet-vintage maritime reconnaissance aircraft. But, after the 26/11 terror attack on Mumbai, the government cleared the first eight P-8Is within three months of the horror. Four more were cleared earlier this year.

In fact, it was Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself who had asked the defence ministry to ensure the navy's modernisation after the 26/11 attack, in which 10 Pakistani terrorists easily managed to infiltrate into Mumbai and killed 166 people and injured more than 300.

It may be noted that there had been a virtual paralysis in the government on defence modernisation after the V.P. Singh government instituted an inquiry in 1989 over the controversial Bofors gun deal with Sweden. The Kargil War over Pakistani occupation of strategic Himalayan heights inside India triggered the first round of modernisation and 26/11 the second.

Verma said that the P-8I is the most advanced LRMR platform with a capability to observe even small boats and destroy hostile submarines. India is the first export customer for this aircraft, and the advantage is that India will benefit from the hi-tech systems being developed for the US Navy, which has ordered 117 aircraft.

Most of the specifications of the US and Indian navies are reportedly common but details are understandably being kept secret.

There would be some Indian components though, thanks to the offsets and transfer of technology requirements. India's Bharat Electronics Ltd has already started supplying its Data Link II system to facilitate the P-8I's communications with Indian space, naval, and land based-assets.

The US aircraft, designated the P8-A poseidon multimission maritime aircraft (MMA), has the capability of broad-area surveillance and launching Harpoon anti-ship and land attack missiles, depth charges and torpedoes against submarines and underwater unmanned assets. The aircraft can also perform electronic intelligence (ELINT) missions with its highly sophisticated Raytheon APY-10 radar and Northrop Grumman electronic warfare (EW) systems.

The first Indian P-8I, which first flew on Sep 28 in the presence of Indian Navy officers, is due to be delivered in January 2013. The first US Navy P8-A flew in April 2009 and is due to be delivered mid-2012. Indian Navy officers periodically visit the Boeing factory at Renton in Washington state to monitor the progress of the project and installation of specified systems.

India Strategic quoted Verma as saying that he expected all the P-8Is to be delivered in about six to seven years but did not give the planned schedule.

The P8 aircraft is a next-generation military version of the Boeing 737-800 fuselage with wingtips from the 737-900. The engines are also from the same CFM family used on commercial 737s but more powerful, permitting the aircraft low level cruise over the waters and launch sonobuoys to detect submarines.

There are five stations for systems and weapons operators, and the aircraft can remain in the air for several hours.

According to a Boeing statement, "All sensors contribute to a single fused tactical situation display, which is then shared over both military standard and internet protocol data links, allowing for seamless delivery of information while simultaneously providing data to everyone on the network."

Source: IANS

Presidential Fleet Review on Dec 20 off Mumbai coast

New Delhi, Nov 22 (PTI) A majority of 90 naval ships participating in a fleet review by President Pratibha Patil on December 20 off the Mumbai coast will be of Indian origin, demonstrating growing indigenisation in the Navy. "Out of the total 90 ships and submarines participating in the Presidential Fleet Review (PFR), a total of 63 vessels have been built in India. Since the first PFR, when the naval strength comprised British vessels, this is a significant indication of growing naval indigenisation," Navy officials said here today. Along with the indigenously built warships, the PFR will showcase the Navy's only aircraft carrier INS Viraat, 40 different aircraft, submarines, a training sail ship, Mhadei. Patil, after a 21-gun salute, will sail past the warships, including indigenously built destroyers INS Delhi and INS Rajput, lined up off the coast Mumbai in the Presidential yacht. Kilo-class and HWD-class submarines will also participate. The newly-inducted MiG-29K fighter jets will lead the Navy's aviation wing's fly-past during the three-and-a-half hour long ceremony. It will be followed by different flying formations of Sea Harrier fighter aircraft, Tupolev maritime patrol and anti-submarine warfare aircraft and number of helicopters. "PFR is an event to showcase the readiness of naval power of the country which is reviewed by the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. Mumbai harbour will turn into a fortress during the ceremony," the officials said. The last such review of the naval fleet was in held in 2006 off the Visakhapatnam coast when A P J Abdul Kalam was the President.

Source:IBN

The Vikramaditya aircraft carrier will be handed over to India in December 2012

For everyone who is engaged in giving the finishing touches to the Vikramaditya aircraft carrier or is a member of the Indian Navy’s group of observers at the Sevmash plant, this week began with a comprehensive inspection. According to the press service of the Russian largest defence shipyard, on Monday 19 September, a delegation from the Indian Navy’s joint staff, led by Rear Admiral Nadela Niradzhan Kumar, chief of the shipbuilding and procurement department, arrived at Russia’s biggest naval shipbuilding enterprise, in Severodvinsk.

Together with Roman Trotsenko, President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation, which includes the best-known Russian shipyards, he looked at how work on the ship was progressing. Sevmash chief engineer Alexei Alsufyev briefed him on advances since the previous inspection. Taking part in discussing aspects of production and organisation were deputy general directors of the enterprise Mikhail Budnichenko, Sergei Novosyolov and Andrei Monogarov and head of the Indian Navy group of observers Mr. Swaminatan.

The chief of the Indian delegation, Vice Admiral Kumar, expressed satisfaction with the progress in modernising the aircraft carrier, considering the ship to be more than 85% ready. This was made possible by the efforts of the management of the plant and the United Shipbuilding Corporation, he is quoted as saying by the shipyard’s press service. “I am very grateful to Mr. Trotsenko for directing the shipbuilding process, to Rosoboronexport, to the Nevsky Design Bureau and to Sevmash contractors.”

Roman Trotsenko responded with a serious commitment. After thanking the customer, the Indian Navy, for their confidence and understanding of the problems that have cropped up at various stages during the fulfillment of the contract, he said that the final stage of the modernisation would be carried out with the utmost thoroughness, in strict accordance with the technology and particular attention to quality.

“Today, the work is going ahead on schedule,” Trotsenko confirmed. “The technical problems that arise are resolved, largely thanks to Rosoboronexport, which always supports us. I am sure that the ship will be delivered to the customer in December 2012.”

Note
Sevmash got a new General Director three months ago. In June 2011, Andrei Dyachkov, who formerly worked at the Severodvinsk shipyard and knows it well, was appointed to the job. His production experience will be augmented by the organisational skills he acquired during the two years he served as General Director of the Rubin Central Design Bureau (St Petersburg). Mr. Dyachkov is currently combining the two jobs.

Source:Russia and India REPORT

PICTURE: India's first 737-based P-8I nears flight debut

Boeing is close to conducting the first flight of a 737-800-based P-8I maritime patrol aircraftfor the Indian navy, with its first example having emerged at the manufacturer’s Renton Field assembly site in Washington.

Photographed by AirSpace user Brandon Farris earlier this month, the aircraft has already been painted in Indian markings and assigned the registration IN320. It is the first of eight P-8Is on order as replacements for the navy’s current Tupolev Tu-142 turboprops. The aircraft was last pictured as it entered final assembly in June.

© Brandon Farris

Derived from the P-8A Poseidon now in development testing for the US Navy, India’s next-generation maritime surveillance aircraft will enter use from early 2013.

India’s examples will differ from the USN’s aircraft through the addition of a belly-mounted radar, which once combined with other sensors will afford the aircraft a 360° surveillance capability against airborne targets.

Another key piece of equipment for the P-8I will be its Raytheon Mk54 lightweight torpedoes. New Delhi signed an $86 million deal in June for an initial 32 of the weapons.

Boeing performed the first flight of a production P-8A for the USN from Renton Field in July. India is the first and so for lone export buyer for the 737 derivative. Test and acceptance activities will be performed from Boeing’s Seattle Field site in Washington.

SOURCE:Flightglobal.com

Indian Navy plans three aircraft carriers

The Indian Navy plans to acquire at least three aircraft carriers in the next five to seven years in addition to other procurements.

It plans to acquire sea-based assets for littoral warfare, landing platform docks, and long-range maritime surveillance aircraft.

An Indian Defence Ministry news release said quoting Defence Minister A.K. Antony who asked the Navy to increase Navy-to-Navy contact with the littoral countries of the Indian Ocean. This move comes five years after the service incorporated preparation for littoral warfare as part of the Navy’s long term doctrine.

Addressing top Indian military commanders at a meeting in Delhi on Oct. 27, Antony said, “The complex maritime security environment in our region requires the Navy to maintain a state of perpetual readiness operationally. You must factor in the need to be ready at all times prominently, while planning for the future. At the same time, we need to maintain, and even increase, the momentum of our Navy-to-Navy contact with the littoral countries of the Indian Ocean. Such contacts strengthen professional ties and mutual trust, and streamline interoperability issues.”

Antony said New Delhi is committed to the continued deployment of ships and aircraft to improve surveillance off the coast of Maldives and Seychelles to ensure maritime security from piracy.

Antony said, “We also need to engage like-minded African states in the Western Indian Ocean Region, such as Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya, to enhance our strengths and contribute to peace and stability, not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but also in the entire Indian Ocean Region”.

Source: www.indiandefence.com