UK-based Janes Defence Weekly, citing satellite imagery sources, India has
quietly launched its third Arihant-class nuclear-powered missile submarine
at the secretive Ship Building Centre (SCB) in Visakhapatnam.
In its December 29 report, the magazine declared that the submersible ballistic nuclear submarine
(SSBN), known simply as S4, was launched on November 23
and had been ‘relocated’ to near the ‘fitting-out wharf’ that was presently occupied
by INS Arighat, the second such nuclear-armed missile submarine.
The Indian press had not reported the S4 SSBN’s launch.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes why India's new S4 ballistic missile submarine
would be the most powerful arrow in its quiver?
Let's get started.
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The Arihant class meaning for the 'Slayer of Enemies' is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic
missile submarines being built for the Indian Navy under the Advanced Technology Vessel project.
Developed jointly by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO),
the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), select Indian Navy personnel and Russian
scientists and technicians, this class of the submarine will form the third leg
of India's 'nuclear triad' which is the ability to launch nukes from land, air and sea.
INS Arihant is the first vessel of this class
and it is India's first indigenous Ballistic Missile Submarine.
It displaces around 6,000 tonnes and has a length of 365 ft (111 m). It is powered by an 83
MW nuclear reactor that drives a single seven-blade propeller.
Because of nuclear propulsion,
it has unlimited range & endurance limited only by essential supplies.
The submarine has a maximum speed of 12–15 knots (22–28 km/h) when surfaced and 24 knots
(44 km/h) when submerged. It is thought to be able to operate at depths of 1150 ft or 350 m.
INS Arihant has four launch tubes and is able to carry 4 K-4s or 12 K-15
nuclear-capable Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles.
The British publication further reported that satellite imagery had confirmed that at
7,000-tonnes, the S4 SSBN was ‘slightly larger’, with a loaded waterline measurement of 125.4m
compared with 111.6m of the 6,000-tonne INS Arihant, the lead boat in this class.
It categorized the S4 – and successive boats – as ‘Arihant-stretch’ variants.
The magazine went on to infer that the satellite imagery indicated that the newly launched boats’
additional length ‘accommodates expansion of the
submarine’s vertical launch system which has doubled to support eight launch tubes’.
This, it said, would enable the SSBN to carry eight K-4
submarine-launched ballistic missile missiles or alternately 24 K-15 SLBMs
Submarines of this class have six 533 mm torpedo tubes
for launching torpedoes. However, these are intended primarily for self-defense.
Ballistic missile submarines are not meant to proactively hunt enemy ships and submarines but
their mission is to lay low and provide the enemy as little a chance as possible to detect them.
K-4 is one of the two underwater missiles that were being developed by the Defense
Research and Development Organization of India, the other being the smaller K-15
The K series missiles are named after Indian scientist and former Indian President, Dr. A P J
Abdul Kalam. Viewers may note that he is called the ‘ Missile Man of India'
as he made major contributions to India’s missile programs.
K-4 SLBM is currently under development and its pontoon launch is anticipated
whereas the K-15 missile was fully operationalized in August 2018.
K-4 and K-15 SLBMs have strike ranges of 3,500 km or
2,175 miles and 750 km or around 470 miles respectively
None of these missiles are MIRV (Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicle) enabled as of now.
Both can carry a single nuclear warhead with a yield equivalent to 200-250 KT of TNT.
For comparison, Hiroshima’s “Little Boy” bomb had a yield of 13-18 kilotons
whereas Nagasaki’s “Fat Man” bomb had a yield of 20–22-kilotons of TNT.
In Now 2018, INS Arihant successfully completed its first deterrence patrol.
Hailing INS Arihant's achievement, Indian Prime Minister Modi had said:
"a credible nuclear deterrence is the need of the hour”.
India plans on eventually fielding at least four such SSBNs,
with an option to build two more, to add maritime strike capability
to its existing land and aerial-based capacity in delivering strategic weapons.
The fourth boat of this class is already under construction sometimes referred to as S4*.
India faces a dual-threat from Pakistan and China - both of the countries are nuclear-armed and
possess different kinds of nuke delivery options. The ballistic nuclear submarine of Arihant class
armed with K series missiles will be the most survivable leg
of the triad and the ultimate nuclear deterrence since they provide the second strike option
as it is almost impossible to take them all out in a first strike.
Hence, the progress of S4 has strategic implications.