The second Arihant-Class submarine, INS Arighaat, was commissioned in the Indian Navy on Thursday at Visakhapatnam. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who was present at the event, said 'Arighaat’ (Sanskrit for ‘Destroyer of the Enemy') will strengthen India’s nuclear triad (land, air, sea-based nuclear weapons), enhance N-deterrence, help establish strategic balance and peace in the region, and play a decisive role in the security of the country.
He touted it as an instance of ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence. He explained that Arighaat's construction was Indian — be it design and manufacturing technology, research and development, utilisation of special materials, complex engineering and highly skilled workmanship. It was conceptualised, designed, manufactured and integrated by the Indian scientists, industry and naval personnel. In terms of advancement of technology and capability Arighaat is a significant step ahead of its predecessor, Arihant.
Janes, a wesbite that tracks defence developments around the world, says the Arighaat, built at the Indian Navy's Ship Building Centre (SBC) in Vishakhapatnam, is powered by an 82.5 MW pressurised light water reactor (LWR) developed with Russian assistance. The submarine can achieve a top speed of 24 knots, and a surfaced speed of 10 knots.
Details On INS Arighaat's Firepower
It says the submarine is armed with 12 K-15 Sagarika submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) (range of 750 km) developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). In other words in order to hit a target 750 kms away the submarine has to position itself within that distance.
Janes says four large vertical launch system (VLS) tubes in the submarine carry these Sagarika SLBMs which is a hybrid propulsion, two-stage, solid propellant missile. The first stage lifts the missile to an altitude of about 4 km. Arighaat is built with Russian steel equivalent to US HY-80 grade. The submarine is divided into seven compartments, with main divisions for the propulsion and combat management systems, platform management centre, and the torpedo room.
Arighaat also features a double hull, encompassing ballast tanks, two standby auxiliary engines, and a retractable thruster for emergency power and mobility.
According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI, an independent entity, India “continues to develop the naval component of its nascent nuclear triad and is building a fleet of four to six SSBNs.”
.jpg)
It says that India’s third and fourth submarines are expected to be larger than its first two. They will reportedly have 8 launch tubes to hold up to 24 K-15s or 8 K4 missiles, which are in development. The K-4 is a two-stage, 3500-km range SLBM that is being developed by the DRDO.
The sea based nuclear deterrence assumes critical importance because it breaches the 5,000 km range that landbased Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles are capable of travelling, simply because nuclear submarines, being quieter and harder to detect, can range further before they fire their missiles.
