INS Aridhaman
A conceptual drawing representing the Arihant Stretch design | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| India | |
| Name | INS Aridhaman |
| Builder | Shipbuilding Centre (SBC), Visakhapatnam, India[1] |
| Laid down | 2018[2] |
| Launched | 23 November 2021[3] |
| Commissioned | April–May 2026 (expected)[4] |
| Status | Sea trials completed[5] |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | Arihant-class ballistic missile submarine |
| Type | Ballistic missile submarine |
| Displacement | 7,000 tonnes |
| Length | 130 m |
| Beam | 11 m |
| Draft | 9.5 m |
| Installed power | 1 x CLWR-B1 Compact Light-water reactor,[6][7] 83 MW[8] |
| Propulsion | 1 × propeller shaft, nuclear propulsion |
| Speed | Surfaced: 12–15 knots (22–28 km/h) Submerged: 24 knots (44 km/h) |
| Range | Unlimited except by food supplies |
| Endurance | Unlimited except by food supply and maintenance |
| Test depth | Between 300 m (980 ft) to 400 m (1,300 ft)[9] |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
INS Aridhaman (SSBN 82) (lit. 'Perpetually Victorious') is a nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, and the third of the Indian Navy's Arihant-class submarine. It is designated S4 Strategic Strike Nuclear Submarine. The 7,000-tonne vessel was built under the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project at the Ship Building Centre in the port city of Visakhapatnam. It is an upgraded variant of the Arihant-class submarine.[11][12][13]
The submarine was quietly launched in 2021 and little has been publicly announced about its capabilities and current status.[14]
Description
The boat will have one seven-blade propeller powered by a Compact Light Water Reactor (CLWR). It can achieve a maximum speed of 12–15 knots (22–28 km/h) when on surface and 24 knots (44 km/h) when submerged.[15][16][17] The CLWR is an upgraded form of the one that powers INS Arihant. The CLWR has exceptionally lower acoustic signature than the previous generation making it harder to detect by enemy vessels along with longer endurance.[18]
The submarine has eight VLS tubes in its hump, as compared to four on her predecessors—INS Arihant, the lead ship of the class, and INS Arighaat. She can carry up to 24 K-15 Sagarika missiles (each with a range of 750 km or 470 mi), eight K-4 missiles (with a range of 3,500 km or 2,200 mi) or K-5 missiles (with range of 6,000 km or 3,700 mi).[8][19][20]
Construction and career
INS Aridhaman was launched on 23 November 2021.[3] As of February 2025, the submarine was undergoing trials and was expected to be commissioned in 2025 itself.[21]
On 2 December 2025, the Navy chief, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, announced that the submarine had entered the final stages of trials and would be commissioned soon.[22] By late December, the boat had completed sea trials.[5] On 19 February 2026, an NDTV report indicated that the submarine is ready for induction between April and May in the year.[4][23]
References
- ^ S. Anandan (14 January 2012). "Second nuclear submarine headed for year-end launch". The Hindu. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
- ^ "A bigger nuclear submarine is coming". www.thehindu.com. The Hindu. 2017. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ a b "India Quietly Launches 3rd Arihant-class Nuclear-powered Submarine, Can Carry 8 Ballistic Missiles: Report". News18. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 31 December 2021.
- ^ a b "India's 3rd Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine To Enter Service Soon". NDTV. 19 February 2026. Retrieved 19 February 2026.
- ^ a b "CHAKRA EXCLUSIVE: India's fourth SSBN sails out for sea trials". chakranewz. 29 December 2025. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
- ^ "Founder's Day Speech, Director, BARC" (PDF). Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ "DAE Excellence in Science, Engineering & Technology Awards 2010" (PDF). BARC Newsletter (322): 33. September–October 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
- ^ a b "A peek into India's top secret and costliest defence project, nuclear submarines". India Today. 7 December 2017. Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
- ^ "Arihant-class Asfaq submarines". Defence News. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "Needed, a nuclear triad". Sunday-guardian.com. Archived from the original on 3 May 2014. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
- ^ General, Lt. "Indian Navy's Capability Perspective – SP's Naval Forces". Spsnavalforces.net. Retrieved 23 June 2013.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ "India To Construct Two More Arihant Nuclear Submarines For Navy". Defence Now. 28 February 2012. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2013.
- ^ "Second Arihant-Class submarine 'INS Arighaat' commissioned into Indian Navy in the presence of Raksha Mantri in Visakhapatnam". Press Information Bureau. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
- ^ "INS Arighaat: How a second nuclear submarine boosts India's strategic reach". India Today. 31 August 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ "India to commission second Arihant-class submarine in 2021". Default. 22 December 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ "How Refined 83 MW PWR on INS Arighat Boosts its Stealth and Endurance Compared to INS Arihant". Defence.in. 8 September 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
- ^ "INS Arihant returned yesterday from 20-day deterrent patrol". India Today. 5 November 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
- ^ "'Nuclear-capable ballistic missile tested from INS Arighaat'". The Times of India. 28 November 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
- ^ "Third Indian N-powered ballistic missile submarine to be inducted this year". www.deccanherald.com. Deccan Herald. 3 February 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
- ^ Sharma, Shivani; Negi, Manjeet (2 December 2025). "Navy to get INS Aridhaman, third Indian-made nuclear submarine". India Today. Retrieved 2 December 2025.
- ^ "India's third nuclear ballistic submarine set for induction: Why INS Aridhaman matters". Moneycontrol. 19 February 2026. Retrieved 19 February 2026.