![]() ![]() While China operates 65 submarines, the Indian Navy’s fleet of attack submarines-all diesel-powered-has come down from 21 in the 1980s to just 16 at present. Now, the plan is to have 18 diesel-powered submarines and six SSNs (nuclear-power subs). The plan was to induct 12 diesel subs by 2012 and another 12 submarines by 2030, but repeated delays forced the Navy to rejig the plan. Ideally, the Navy needs at least 24 submarines to meet its 30-year submarine-building plan, which was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 1999, months after the Kargil conflict. A few months ago, Japan’s Kawasaki Heavy Industries handed over to MoD the world’s first submarine equipped with lithium-ion batteries.Ī section in MoD is of the view that while waiting for Project-75, the Navy should acquire additional Scorepene class submarines to fill the requirement gap. Thirdly, while some argue that the requirement of AIP would be obsolete (it will take at least 10 years to get the first submarine after finalising the firm) when lithium-ion battery turns out to be better for a submarine, as it allows it to stay under water much longer than with a lead-acid battery. For instance, the AIP being developed by the Navantia group of Spain will be ready only by 2025-26. Secondly, the inserting the ‘proven AIP’ clause could be seen as a premature decision when many nations are still developing the technology. Russia also pulled out of the Indian Navy’s tender terming it ‘unrealistic’. However, the stringent clause of proven AIP system forced the French and Spanish companies out of the race. Initially, TKMS from Germany, Navantia from Spain, Daewoo of South Korea, Rosoboronexport/Rubin Design Bureau from Russia and France’s Naval Group were in the race. ![]() Project-75 was initiated way back in November 2007 and ran into rough weather due to certain specifications demanded by the Indian Navy, which were not amenable to submarine manufacturers. Two of these were put together at MDL in 19 while the other two came from Germany. India had sourced four submarines from Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) of Germany in the late 1980s. MDL will be responsible for constructing and delivering the submarines. (Photo: ANI)Īs per the “non-binding and non-financial” MoU, TKMS will contribute to engineering and design of the submarines as well as provide consultancy support. activity had been illegally conducted.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with his German counterpart Boris Pistorius. Moreover, though the collision occurred in international waters, Moscow felt the U.S. The incident was a major political disaster for the United States, as it exposed that Washington was still keeping close tabs on Russian military activity. The Kostroma’s sail was dented on the front section. ![]() submarine had only a single hull, which if ruptured would have taken on water. ![]() It could have been far worse, as the U.S. The American boat received heavy scratches and a torn ballast tank. The 9,000-ton Sierra-class boat struck the Baton Rouge as it was preparing to surface about 12 miles from shore.īoth subs sustained damage, but fortunately, there were no casualties. USS Baton Rouge was on an intelligence-gathering mission and had reportedly been trailing the Russian sub, but each lost contact with the other prior to the collision. Navy continued to track the movement and communication of the Russian Navy, and even tapped into Russian communication cables as part of “Operation Holy Stone.” More Than a Close Call Submarine Collided With a Russian Sub: The Cold War was over, and the Soviet Union had ceased to exist just months earlier, when on February 11, 1992, the United States Navy’s Los Angeles-class nuclear-powered attack submarine USS Baton Rouge collided with the Russian Navy’s Sierra-class B-276 Kostroma near the Russian naval base at Severomorsk.Įven though the Cold War was over, the U.S. ![]()
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