Indian Navy's Home Grown Nuclear Submarine To Undergo Missile Tests This Month

The Indian Navy's first indigenously developed nuclear submarine, INS Arihant is set to undergo Nirbhay and another missile tests later this month.

“The missile test from the nuclear-powered submarine is aimed at paving the path for handing over it to the Indian Navy during the International Fleet Review in Visakhapatnam in February next year,” Indian Media quoted unnamed defense ministry sources as saying Monday.

“Firing of Nirbhay missile from the submarine will be followed by firing of another type of missile. So far, all trials and tests have been held successfully from the nuclear submarine,” official sources claimed.

India plans to build at least two more Arihant-class nuclear-powered submarines. India had started building INS Arihant in the 1990s under its highly secretive ATV (advanced technology vessel) programme.

The INS Arihant was built as a ship submersible ballistic nuclear (SSBN) submarine capable of firing nuclear-capable missiles and will complete India’s nuclear triad. With the operationalistion of INS Arihant, India will have the capability of firing nuclear missiles from the sea as well apart from land and air.

“INS Arihant will go for deep sea diving this year and along with a series of tests, we would like to test B-05,” Director-General of Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Secretary (Research and Development), S Christopher had said to Indian media last month.

The submersible ballistic, nuclear (SSBN) submarine is capable of carrying medium range nuclear tipped missile ‘B-05’.

While Nirbhay is a long range subsonic cruise missile with a strike range of over 1,000 km, the next missile would be India’s first Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile, which has a range of about 700 km. More rounds of tests would follow.