Tours India: 2009

Arihant is the newly launched Nuclear Submarine from India – all developed within India. India has launched its first nuclear powered submarine in a ceremony in southern port city of Vishakhapatnam on Sunday with Prime Minister inugrating the launch. With this event India has become one of just six nations in the world to have successfully built a Nuclear powered Submarine. It is part of India’s Advanced technology Vessel (ATV) project. In its independent history India has predominantly relied on Russian submarines till date. With unveiling the 367-foot long and 11 meters wide – Arihant (which means “destroyer of enemies” in Hindi) India has created a position in top military forces of the world. Manmohan Singh while inaugrating the sub has downplayed the attack capabilities by saying – “We do not have any aggressive designs… We seek an external environment in our region and beyond that is conducive to our peaceful development and the protection of our value systems.” Here are some of important facts about Arihant – India’s first indigineous Nuclear Submarine Submarine would be capable of carrying nuclear weapons 104 meters long 11 meters wide 85 MW Nuclear Reactor 44 KM / Hr (24 Knots) when submerged 12-15 Knots surface speed Crew 100 Armament 30 including 12 SLBM Based on Charlie 1 Russian Sub design The submarine, the first of five planned, is powered by an 85-megawatt nuclear reactor and can reach 44 kilometers an hour (24 knots) underwater, according to defense officials. The vessel will undergo two years of sea trials in the Bay of Bengal before being commissioned for full service. Still, it could take three to five years for India’s submarine to become operational, after undergoing sea trials and getting fitted with a nuclear reactor, surveillance equipment and ordnance.

Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur launched India’s first nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant , becoming only the sixth country in the world to do so.
The 6000 tonne INS Arihant submarine is powered by an 85 megawatt capacity nuclear reactor and can acquire surface speeds of 22 to 28 kmph (12-15 knots) and submerged speed upto 44 kmph (24 knots).
It has the capacity to carry a staff of 100 men and will be armed with torpedoes and missiles including 12 ballistic missiles.

INS Arihant is entirelybuilt in India with Russian assistance.
The Rs 30,000-crore secret nuclear submarine project was started in the 1980s though it was conceived by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the 1970s.
With the launch of the submarine India will join the exclusive club of US, Russia, France China and the United Kingdom.

July 16, 2009 - India's first nuclear powered missile submarine, INS Arihant (destroyer of enemies) will be launched on July 26 at Visakhapatnam by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's wife, reports India Today.The launch date marks the tenth anniversary of the conclusion of the Kargil War. The launch will involve floating the submarine in a completely-enclosed dry-dock called the Shipbuilding Centre (SBC) in Visakhapatnam. Later the submarine will be towed out to an enclosed pier for its harbor trials.The submarine is expected to stay in the enclosed dock possibly for several months as its nuclear power plant is started and tested. It will then cruise into the Bay of Bengal for sea trials.The ATV reportedly is equipped with 12 launch tubes of 2.4m diameter each. Initially, each missile tube will likely accommodate 3 0.74m diameter K-15 Saagrika missile. Later the tubes could accommodate the 2.0m diameter Agni IIISL (The submarine launched version of the Agni V / Agni 3+) missiles with MIRV capability.If all goes well, it will take between two to three years for the submarine to be commissioned into the Navy.L&T is reported to have completed hull sections of two more ATV at its Hazira facility which will be transported to the SBC for assembly after the Arihant vacates dock space.The submarine is believed to be using 10 meter diameter titanium hull, fabricated in Hazira, covered with rubber acoustic tiles.The hull diameter matches that of the Charlie II class submarine on which Arihant's design is reportedly based.