India strengthens the marine component. A submarine and frigate were incorporated into service

Polish Navy The Republic of India (Bhāratīya Nau Senā) has grown by two important ships representing two different but equally important segments of naval forces. A new strategic nuclear submarine carrying ballistic missiles entered the service and a further Nilgiri rocket frigate was officially incarnate in parallel.

This is further evidence that New Delhi has consistently developed both the marine component of nuclear deterrence and the submarine fleet.

Submarine INS Aridhaman In Service

As Tomasz Grotnik describes in ZBIAM portal, INS entered the service Aridhaman – Indian strategic nuclear-powered submarine designed to carry ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads. Although the Indian side did not make the event public, Minister for Defence Rajnath Singh was to strongly suggest this fact on social media and participate in a short ceremony in Wiszakhapatnam.

Today, the ATV program brings out another, clearly larger sub-series of Indian strategic submarines. According to the information quoted by Tomasz Grotnik, after two earlier units about the buoyancy of about 6000 tons the time came for INS Aridhaman, which is expected to displace about 7,000 tons and have eight ballistic missile launchers. The ship measures 130 metres long and its propulsion is based on the national CLWR-B1 nuclear reactor.

New ATV unit

The author in his text indicates that from the INS launcher Aridhaman You can fire eight K-4 ballistic missiles with a range of 3,500 kilometres or K-5 with a range of up to 8000 kilometres. Alternatively, the unit can carry up to 24 K-15 missiles Sagarika. The ship is to be subject to the Strategic Forces and form part of the Indian nuclear triad.

Interestingly, the program does not end with this unit. According to the author, the construction of the fourth sub-series is already underway – Arisudan. This unit is to be close to Aridhaman and according to unofficial reports, it was due to launch sea trials in December last year.

New ATV unit

According to information collected by Tomasz Grotnik, the INS launcher Aridhaman You can fire eight K-4 ballistic missiles with a range of 3,500 kilometres or K-5 with a range of up to 8000 kilometres. Alternatively, the unit can carry up to 24 K-15 missiles Sagarika. The ship is to be subject to the Strategic Forces and form part of the Indian nuclear triad.

However, the program does not end on this unit. According to the author, the construction of the fourth sub-series is already underway – Arisudan. This unit is to be close to Aridhamana And according to unofficial reports, she was scheduled to start sea trials in December. Last year.

The frigate also entered service INS Taragiri

On the same day, the frigate of INS officially entered service Taragiri (F 41). It is the fourth Nilgiri type unit, i.e. project 17A, and the third built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. Its launching took place in September 2022.

The name refers to an earlier British frigate of the Leander type, which served under the Indian flag from 16 May 1980 to 27 June 2013. In practice, this means combining the continuation of tradition with the construction of a new generation of ships. vessels.

India parallels the development of submarines and submarines

The Indian fleet already has four frigates of this type from seven ordered. Just a few days earlier, the second of the shipyards involved in the construction of this series – Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Ltd – also handed over another unit of the program to the Navy, i.e. INS Dunagiri. Soon, she too is to begin her ministry.

From a strategic perspective, this country is a major move. Bhāratīya Nau Senā is today not limited to the expansion of one fleet segment, but is developing both the submarine component and the classic water forces in parallel. This direction shows that New Delhi thinks of its navy not only in regional terms, but as a tool for the long-term projection of force.

Source: ZBIAM, Tomasz Grotnik