what advantages SSN has over SSBN n why cant we use a SSBN as a SSN,,,,,?
rookie asking
just tell me how is a SSN any different from SSBN,other then the later ballistic abilty...
SSN are attack Subs and carry anti ship cruise Missiles
Eg INS Chakra which carries Klub N cruise Missiles
SSBN are meant for Nuclear Delivery and come equipped with Ballistic Missiles
Eg Ohio Class, Vanguard Class
SSN are meant to be more silent than SSBN
They are also intended to be smaller and cheaper
Eg Astute class SSN of Royal Navy weighs around 8000 Ton, and cost 1.2 Billion GBP,
But their next generation SSBN which will replace the Vanguard Class are expected to weigh around 14000 Tons and cost upwards of 4 Billion GBP each
This theory however is not valid for India
Indian Navy has projected the requirement for 3 SSBN and 6 SSN
I remember, reading an article in 2011, about the designs being proposed for the SSN
DRDO had proposed a 4500-5000 Ton design based on the Arihant class , which would have cost Rs 30000 Crore for a batch of 6 Subs
This was rejected by the Navy because , the Projected armament of just 8 Brahmos Cruise Missiles and 18 Heavy Torpedoes was well bellow what the navy wanted, also the navy wanted a more improved design with a much lower acoustic signature .
According to former Navy chief Adm Suresh Mehta " The design proposed by the DRDO did not offer much capability enhancements, apart from the endurance, over the Scorpene class already being inducted and the navy would like DRDO to incorporate the feedback provided by its personals operating the chakra, into the SSN design".
What that basically Meant was that Navy wants an SSN with the firepower of the Akula II and the stealth of the HMS Astute
This is what we are likely to see,
Since most rumours point out that the Nuclear subs which will follow the Arihant class will be 8000 Ton category subs capable of Carrying 16 Brahmos/Nirbhay and 24 Heavy Torpedoes