Posted on 11/04/2004 8:12:56 PM PST by spetznaz
November 1, 2004: Normally, a test of India’s Prithvi short-range (300 kilometers) ballistic missile would not draw notice. However, a recent test launch near Chandipur was notable – not for occurring, but from where the Prithvi was launched – underwater.
At present, five nations have ballistic missile submarines: The United States (14 Ohio-class SSBN), Russia (7 Delta IV-class SSBN and 2 Typhoons), France (a total of four SSBNs between the L’Inflexible and Le Triomphant classes – the latter are replacing the former), the United Kingdom (4 Vanguard-class SSBN), and the People’s Republic of China (one Xia-class SSBN). With the successful underwater launch of the Prithvi, India has now cleared a major technological hurdle in its effort to join this club.
Building a SSB or SSBN is difficult. First, one has to be able to build submarines. India has been working on this for a while – with their construction of six French-designed Scorpene-class diesel-electric submarines. One must also have reliable ballistic missiles – India has two in the Prithvi and the Agni. Another problem is to launch the missile successfully from underwater. The last requirement is the most important – submarines rely on stealth. Surfacing to launch a missile is a good way for a submarine to get spotted and sunk. The Prithvi will probably not be the candidate for submarine use due to its short range. Instead, the Agni-II is a more likely component, since its range is comparable to that of the Polaris A-1 (2000 kilometers to the 2200 of the Polaris).
One of India’s last major obstacles to deploying ballistic missile submarines is integrating the underwater-launch technology with a submarine design. One possible candidate is a stretched version of the Scorpene-class submarines India is building. That will only be a first step – the best nuclear deterrence submarines are nuclear-powered, which means they will not only be quiet, but they will never have to surface or snorkel to recharge their batteries. India has to be able to build both those SSBNs and the SSNs to protect them – and that will take time.
Despite those obstacles, India is well on the way to having a portion of its nuclear deterrence force in submarines.
As an aside: Israel has submarine launch capabilities, but the missile type is basically a cruise type (a tweaked popeye turbo). The Indian missiles are true SLBMs ....submarine launched ballistic missiles.
Anyways, this should be quite interesting. Once the Agni SLBM is fully functional it will have a 2000km range, which should be quite effective when it comes to India's sphere of influence.
Moreover India is not satisfied with just developing its own indigenous systems (which it does with Israeli and Russian assistance). It is also leasing an Akula SSN from Russia (for the enxt 10 years). The Akula is able to launch up to 12 Granat type cruise missiles, each with a range of 3,000 miles and able to deliver a 200kt nuclear warhead. But the Granat is still a cruise missile system, albeit an advanced one.
India developing SLBM capability is a huge step, and one that goes to show that in India we have an ally that is more than able to carry its own weight. And an ally that in the future (together with Russia) will be invaluable to us as we face a super-power China.
Ping.
I presume the US knows exactly where all opfor and "friendly"
boats are at all times.
... and China doesn't (nor does India).
Does it have a Slurpee machine?
RFOL
"We can hit you anywhere, now, too".
India could already hit Pakistan anywhere.
China invaded India in 1962 and has taken territory from India up in the Himalayas. Not again.
India could already hit Pakistan anywhere.
China invaded India in 1962 and has taken territory
from India up in the Himalayas. Not again.
Another interesting point is that India can basically fight on even terms with China in terms of a war of attrition--they both have populations of approx. 1 billion...
ping
so this is what you were telling me about when I asked you about subs, etc
Instant insurance policy that guarantees Pakistan would be incinerated if they got too frisky.
Capitan A'Puh to the bridge, please!
Unless they use Air Independent Propulsion. Then they will be at least as quite as a nuke, and will have plenty of submerged endurance for the SSB mission. They also don't need nearly the range for their missiles, since their principal target would be Pakistan, a country no part of which is far from the sea, and China, which is also for the most part not far from the sea.
China will be shaking in its boots now...
A link:
http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/type_212/
The propulsion system combines a conventional system consisting of a diesel generator with a lead acid battery, and an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, used for silent slow cruising, with a fuel cell equipped with oxygen and hydrogen storage. The system consists of PEM (polymer electrolyte membrane) fuel cells, providing between 30 and 50kW each. Submarines equipped with those systems are capable of long-distance submerged passage to the area of operation.
Well the Indian armed forces on a whole are technically & capability vice ahead of the PLA(which is larger).The problem is that the PLA has had an insurance policy for over 40 years to India's East-Pakistan,which recieves most of it's conventional & nuke weapons from the Chinese.Everytime India has fought or come close to fight Pakistan,it would always leave a big chunk of it's air & land assets on it's Eastern Front to guard against the Chinese,thereby blunting it's massive edge against Pakistan.The only way India could potentially commit it's entire military to face China would be by nuking Pakistan out of the equation or hoping that the Taiwanese ,Japan & Vietnam(both of whom are developing strategic ties with India) stand up against China,which is easier said than done.
Between the Russians and the French, there are only 13 Ballistic subs left?
I bet everyone one of them has a US attack sub tagging along behind in the baffles.
You should also add the 1 Xia class sub of the PRC,though it rarely leaves Chinese waters.The Chinese are building a new class of SSBN called the type-94 which can carry 16 JL-2 ICBMs(with MIRV capability) & has infinitely better acoustics than the Xia-the number of those boats could go up to atleast 4 & once deployed,they don't even need to venture into the Pacific to launch their weapons.The Russians too are building a new class of SSBN ,now called as the 'Borei' class which will carry a new ICBM,which will be variant of the land based Topol-M.
The new Chinese boats will hit the waters by around 2006 ,while the Russian boats can be expected by 2008-09.
Hi sukhoi.
Yes, I agree for the moment that India has the technical lead. But China is modernizing at a frightening rate...
The main point of my post was (given the nuclear missles
as a topic) that China has always counted on its massive population to 'ride out' an exchange compared to smaller countries such as the US. It can't do that with India.
PS Why don't you name yourself after US equipment? It's just plain better ;-)
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