Indian Navy - Third SSBN of Arihant Class - Shatrughana or Arinashak ?

INS Aridaman, India's second SSBN of Arihant Class will reportedly be ready for launch by end 2012, or the the first quarter of 2013. The boat is under outfitting now and is headed for a year-end launch.

Now the even more interesting news is that hull fabrication is on for the third SSBN of Arihant Class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. The second SSBN Aridaman is already in advanced stage of construction. There was a rumor doing rounds on the web that the third SSBN might be named as INS Shatrughana (meaning Killer of Enemy), based on mythological character of Prince Shatrughana from Ramayan.

However, defence sources dismissed the rumor by pointing to Indian Navy's tradition, where name of all the ships of the same class begin with the same alphabet. For ex - S for Sindhughosh Class of Submarines. V for Aircraft Carriers.

Image Courtesy - Bharat Rakshak Defence Forum.

So, it can be Arinashak but definitely not Shatrughana, guess we all would need to wait for the official confirmation on the name of the third SSBN of Arihant Class.

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First Scorpene Submarine for Indian Navy by 2015

India is expected to commission its first Scorpene submarine, being developed by French naval construction group DCNS, by 2015. "We are expecting the first submarine to roll out by 2015, we should have all the submarines by 2018. The total cost is little over Rs 20,000 crore," Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju said at a press conference.

Scorpene in action ( Image Courtesy - worlddefencenews )

As per the schedule, hulls of six submarines, considered as a critical part, should be manufactured by the end of 2012, he said.

( News Courtesy - deccanherald.com )

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Indian Navy inching closer to acquire SLBM for Arihant Class SSBN

Long shrouded in secrecy as a ``black project'', unlike the surface-to-surface nuclear missiles like Agni, the SLBM may now finally come out of the closet. Called different names at different developmental phases, which included ``Sagarika'' for an extended period, the SLBM in question is the ``K-15'' missile with a 750-km strike range. 

The annual awards function of the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) on Tuesday will see PM Mr. Manmohan Singh hand over the ``technology leadership award'' to a scientist, A K Chakrabarti of the Hyderabad-based DRDL lab, for the successful development of the country's first SLBM. Apart from India, this capability has been acquired only by four nations, the US, Russia, France and China. Now, the SLBM system is ready for induction,'' says the award citation.

K-15 SLBM ( Image Courtesy - indiandefence.com )

India's first indigenous nuclear-powered submarine, the 6,000-tonne INS Arihant, is still undergoing harbor-acceptance trials. The submarine will then undergo extensive sea-acceptance trials' and test-fire the 10-tonne K-15, which can carry a one-tonne nuclear payload, from the missile silos on its hump.

( News Courtesy - timesofindia.indiatimes.com )

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Another Naval Air Station Shibpur after INS Baaz

Today, Indian Navy has converted a sparing used Campbell Bay Airstrip to a full-fledged operational base by commissioning the facility as Indian Naval Air Station Baaz.

However, if you thought that this is all about the good news on the expansion spree of Indian Navy, then brace yourself as there is more to come. As per the sources, the commissioning of NAS Baaz on the southern tip of Great Nicobar island will be followed by an upgrade of Shibpur airstrip on the northern tip of the Andamans, converting it into another Naval Air Station.

The Shibpur airstrip in north Andamans will be extended from 3,200 feet to 12,000 feet to support all types of aircraft and night-flying operations.

First landing of the C130J Super Hercules at Car Nicobar Airbase in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

( Image Courtesy - newindianexpress.com )

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Construction started for fourth Russian SSBN of Borei Class

President Vladimir Putin will visit the Arkhangelsk Region in north Russia on Monday - July 30, 2012 to attend the ceremony of laying down Russia’s fourth Borei class (Project 955A) ballistic missile submarine, the Kremlin press office reported on Sunday.

The ceremony for laying down the Borei-class boat, named Knyaz Vladimir, will be held at Sevmash, the largest shipbuilding enterprise in Russia and the country's sole nuclear submarine builder located in the port city of Severodvinsk on the White Sea.

Yury Dolgoruky - Borei Class SSBN ( Image Courtesy - en.ria.ru )

The Borei class is set to become the mainstay of the Russian Navy's strategic nuclear deterrent fleet. Three other Borei class boats are at various stages of development at the Sevmash shipyard on the Kola Peninsula. Yury Dolgoruky is currently undergoing sea trials, whilst Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh are under construction.

News Courtesy - en.ria.ru

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Video - Mig 29 landing at INS Vikramaditya - Unconfirmed

There is a video of an aircraft lading at Aircraft Carrier doing rounds at the web. Neither I am sure, nor do I claim that this is indeed a Mig 29 K landing at INS Vikramaditya.

This video is too short, does not show much about the Aircraft Carrier, nor I see any arrestor wires moving. It might be Russian Aircraft Carrier Admiral Kuznetsov, as well.

Please do post a comment, if you have more information on this video.

A Figher Aircraft landing on an Aircraft Carrier ( Video Courtesy - youtube )

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Mig 29 first take off from INS Vikramaditya - First Photos

In a call with Flightglobal, the Indian navy confirmed that the landing had taken place, and that the aircraft had taken off again using the ship's 'ski-jump.'

Mig 29 ready to take off from INS Vikramaditya ( Image Courtesy - defence.pk )

Earlier, an RAC MiG-29KUB trainer operated by Russian pilots had landed aboard the INS Vikramaditya, becoming the first fixed-wing aircraft to land on the ship since its refurbishment.

News Courtesy - flightglobal.com

Mig 29 makes first landing on Indian Navy Aircraft Carrier - INS Vikramaditya

A Russian-built fighter jet has made the first landing on the INS Vikramaditya as part of comprehensive sea trials the aircraft carrier is undergoing ahead of its induction in the Indian Navy later this year.

A MiG-29KUB two-seat naval fighter jet landed on the Vikramaditya’s deck for the first time on Saturday after performing several touch-and-go approaches in the Barents Sea in the Russian Arctic, the Interfax news agency reported quoting a Russian defence industry source. The jet, built for India, was piloted by Russian Navy test-pilots Colonel Nikolai Diorditsa and Mikhail Belyaev.

INS Vikramaditya at sea trials ( Image Courtesy - defenceforumindia.com )

The former Soviet Admiral Gorshkov heavy aviation cruiser, rechristened Vikramaditya, has been extensive refurbished and upgraded to a light aircraft carrier at the Sevmash shipyard in the Russian city of Severodvinsk under a $2.3 billion contract with India. It had its flight deck extended and turned into a full runway with a ski jump and arrestor wires.

A MiG-35 jet will also be used for landings and take-offs from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier to test its new short-takeoff-but-assisted recovery (STOBAR) system.

The Vikramaditya is to be handed over to India in December. It will carry 16 MiG-29K fighter jets, which Russia delivered to India last year, and about a dozen Russian-built Kamov helicopters.

News Courtesy - thehindu.com

Indian Navy - New Naval Air Station - INS Baaz

India will on Tuesday formally open a key naval station, aptly named INS Baaz (Hawk), in the southern part of Andaman and Nicobar Islands that will boost its ability to keep an eagle eye on the critical maritime choke-point: the Strait of Malacca.

Location of INS Baaz in Indian Ocean ( Image Courtesy - en.newsbharati.com )

With navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma declaring the base open, the nation's southeastern-most fringe, which is closer to Indonesia than the Indian mainland, India will gain strategic supremacy in the area, an Indian Navy officer said in New Delhi.

The new base, which will also include an upgraded air base, will soon be operating heavier military planes from the Indian Air Force fleet like the just-inducted Hercules C-130J Super Hercules meant for special forces' operations.

News Courtesy - ndtv.com