Pakistan Aheading To Purchase 8 Submarines From China

Pakistan‬ will procure eight ‪submarines‬ from ‪China‬ to further strengthen its defence. The National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence was informed today during its meeting in Islamabad that a contact was made with France for the supply of new sub marines which declined their supply while it has already supplied these submarines to ‪India‬. It was informed that contact was also made with countries for the purchase of these sub marines but the Chinese submarines were found more feasible to meet requirements of our Navy.

 

The Committee was also informed that the Government is also in contact with ‪France‬, ‪‎UK‬ and ‪Germany‬ to purchase used sub marines. It was also disclosed in the meeting that contacts have been made with various countries to sale JF-17 Thunder fighter plane besides other defence technology. The committee was also told that defence ties with ‪‎Russia‬ are improving gradually.

Indian Navy's Floating Coffins!

According to the News report by India’s Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) on the submarine fleet revealed that the operational availability of the existing boats was “as low as 48% .The CAG report also warned that more than 50% of submarines have completed three-fourths of their operational life and some are already beyond their maximum service life, compelling the navy to deal with the challenges of handling an increasingly obsolete fleet safely.

 

An Indian navy submarine Sindhurakshak with about 18 sailors on board caught fire after an explosion.While the exact cause of the explosion on-board Sindhurakshak is still to be determined, but it puts a spotlight on the spate of incidents involving naval vessels. Since 2005, at least 10 serious incidents have been reported. Among them five are related to the Sindhughosh-class of submarines, of which Sindhurakshak is the one. Like in April 2006 INS Prahar Naval Patrol vessel, which was on return journey to Mumbai from Goa, sank at a Distance of 20 nautical miles from the coast.

In January 2008 INS Sindhu-gosh, with a large foreign-owned cargo ship in the Arabian Sea last could have meant a cold watery grave for the 53 sailors on board the underwater vessel. The 16-year-old Russian-made submarine, INS Sindhurakshak, also suffered an explosion in 2010 that killed one sailor and injured two others. The Indian navy said that accident was caused by a faulty battery valve that leaked hydrogen, causing an explosion in the vessel’s battery compartment.

While these incidents may reflect training and safety lapses coupled with an ageing fleet. Safety is, doubtless, a paramount concern not only in the running of conventionally armed submarines, which presently operate out of bases surrounded by densely populated cities and even more so in the case of the nuclear-armed submarine. If there were to be a similar incident with the nuclear-tipped missiles, it would be catastrophic not only for the crew but for the nearby population centers as well.

India Forces Pakistan To Indigenously Build Nuclear Submarine

Maverick Report

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been forced to build its own nuclear submarine, as India is building its own nuclear submarines besides acquiring nuclear submarines from Russia, defence sources have said.

Under this project, India launched its first indigenously built nuclear submarine in 2010 and it is presently undergoing trials and is expected to be fully operational by the end of the current year, the sources requesting anonymity.

“India has already initiated work on second such type of submarine and it is envisaged that India would be operating three nuclear submarines by 2015, providing her a clear edge over Pakistan in the strategic realm,” the sources added. 

 

Pakistan Navy Active Duty Submarines:

The sources said although Pakistan does not want to involve itself in an arms race with India, such a huge disparity in conventional and nuclear submarines needs to be given a thought to keep some balance of power in the region. They said if the challenge of building a nuclear submarine is given to Pakistani scientists, engineers and technicians, they would not disappoint the nation and would once again prove they could show miracles for the national defence. 

 

INS Arihant

“Pakistani scientists, engineers and technicians have already proven their skill and dedication by testing indigenously made nuclear bomb and by testing nuclear capable Shaheen and Babar cruise missiles, etc,” they pointed out. “Pakistani experts are capable of giving the Pakistan Navy a nuclear submarine for test and trial within six years, i.e. by 2018 or even earlier, after they are given a go-ahead signal while India took about 20 to 25 years to build a nuclear submarine.” 

The Qing Class, Which Will Be The Base for Pakistan's Nuclear Submarine:

Submarines pose immense threat to an adversary as these vessels can remain submerged for a prolong duration without detection through radar or naked eye. Owing to submarine’s stealth features and long endurance, these vessels can operate close to the enemy waters hence can destroy or damage severely the enemy shipping, particularly close to her ports. By virtue of its characteristics, the Arabian Sea poses many challenges vis-à-vis detection of the underwater vessels and is known to be heaven for submarines, elaborated the sources.

They said the conventional submarines are run with the help of batteries and such vessels are required to break the water surface and expose herself to induct air for running the engines to recharge the batteries, thus becoming vulnerable for detection by the enemy. The nuclear submarines are run with the help of a nuclear reactor and do not require to recharge their batteries, thus remaining submerged for months without exposing themselves to the enemy. “Owing to this very capability, countries possessing the nuclear submarines are said to have assured second-strike capability,” the sources said.

Presently, India has at least 14 active submarines whereas Indian Navy has contracted France for six modern submarines, the sources said. These submarines are being constructed in Indian shipyard and are likely to be inducted in the Indian fleet by 2018. The Defence Committee of India has also approved procurement of six more conventional submarines in addition to the six already being built with the help of France, thus it is envisaged that by 2025 India might have around 30 conventional submarines.

“On the contrary, the Pakistani Navy current has five active submarines and so far the disparity in numbers was somehow balanced through induction of modern weapons and sensors, however, with the induction of such a large number of submarines India will have a clear edge over the Pakistan Navy in the field of conventional submarines,” they said.

INS Chakra, SSN. Leased from Russian Navy for next 10 years.

Beside conventional submarines, India also embarked upon the programme of acquiring nuclear submarine and as a first step acquired CHAKRA class nuclear submarine from former Soviet Union in 1987 on 10 years lease so it was returned to Russia in late 1990s, the sources recalled.

Later, they said, India signed a contract with Russia for lease of two AKULA class nuclear submarines. They said one of the two leased vessels has been handed over to India and is likely to join the Indian Fleet this month. “With the induction of this submarine, India has acquired the assured second-strike capability shifting the strategic balance in the region in her favour,” the sources commented.