Indian Navy Submarine Force - Way Ahead

We have been exposed to German, French and Russian submarine design and build philosophy, therefore the need of the hour is to have an Indian design and build philosophy to take forward indigenous submarine building programme

THE SUBMARINE IS THE single most powerful piece of military hardware ever devised. Inside the hull of a single nuclear ballistic missile boat is more firepower than any other platform. Submarines have played a key role since their induction and deployment in World War 1, and in today's uncertain world they have an even more important role to play.

Role of Submarines

The essence of a submarine is their ability to silently cruise hundreds of feet below the surface of the water unseen and undetected. 'Stealth' conjures up images of futuristic aircraft that can evade radar, submarine development has been driven by a quest for stealth. In many ways, the submarine is the opposite of the surface ship. An aircraft carrier gains its strength from being visible, the submarine from being invisible. The carrier can show the flag, make a nation's presence known, act as a show of force, or display support via a friendly visit. The submarine, on the other hand, is discreet. It can be quietly dispatched to keep an eye on things or it can apply pressure without being overt. This stealth allows a submarine to put a massive amount of uncertainty into the mind of an enemy. The sinking of Argentine cruiser the General Belgrano by HMS Conqueror during the Falkland War in 1982, kept the Argentine fleet bottled up in port. Thus a modern submarine is a multi-role platform with its primary mission being of Sea Denial. They can conduct both overt and covert operations. It is an ideal platform for surveillance and information-gathering operations off hostile shores. Now modern submarines also have the capability to address targets ashore with Land Attack Missiles.

Submarine Building in India