fatman17
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India’s Current Submarine Force, and Rival Navies
Pakistan currently owns 8 submarines. They acquired 4 French Daphne submarines (Hangor Class) and 2 French Agosta 70 submarines (Hashmat Class) from the French Navy during the 1970s, and modified the submarines to fire Harpoon missiles in 1985
. Two updated Agosta 90Bs (Khalid Class) are also in service, and were commissioned in 1999 and 2003 respectively. The third submarine will add a MESMA AIP, and the other two Agosta 90Bs may be refitted for the propulasion system later.
Two of Pakistan’s Hangor Class are due for decommissioning soon, and the age of the Daphnes and Agosta-70s will make maintaining their current submarine force level a challenge.
China currently owns 74 submarines; 33 of them are Type 033s, a Chinese copy of the 1960s-era Romeo class (which in turn was based on 1944 U-Boat designs). None of those are expected to remain in service past 2010, but projections indicate that by the time India’s Scorpenes begin to enter service, the Chinese will probably have 58-61 submarines.
If one leaves out the problem-plagued Type 091 Han Class SSNs and old, updated-Romeo Type 035 Ming Class SSKs entirely, China’s attack sub force is still projected at about 30 subs by 2010, including 4 Type 093 Shang Class SSN and 8 Kilo (Project 636) & Advanced Kilo Class (Project 877) SSKs.
The submariner blog Ultraquiet No More points out that India currently operates 14 submarines. Based on additional research, DID has revised that total to 16 submarines, of which 9-13 are currently operational:
•4 German Type 209 SSK submarines, known in India as the Shishumar Class. They were delivered between 1984 – 1994; S44 Shishumar has been refitted, and one submarine (probably S47 Shankul) is currently undergoing a refit. The vessels are expected to reach their end of service life between 2016-2024.
The United News of India (UNI) reported on Sept 6/04 that Siemens of Germany has offered the Indian Navy an upgrade for the Shishumar Class submarines, which will involve the installation of their Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system. India is said to be cautious about the technology, and especially the dangers of storing hydrogen on shore.
•10 Russian Kilo Class/ Project 877 SSKs, known in India as Sindhu Class and built (1986-1991, 1997, 2000) under a contract between Rosvooruzhenie and the Indian Defense Ministry. They are considered to be one of the world’s quietest submarines, but there are reports that the Indian Navy considers them underpowered. Several of these subs have received mid-life refits, but the quality of those refits has been a subject of dispute. Based on the timing of mid-life refits and statements by India’s Navy, it seems likely that India’s Kilos will begin reaching the end of their service lives and entering rolling decommissioning around 2012. Even so, the spacing of their original delivery ensures that they will remain in service for many years to come.
•Bharat-Rakshak adds that 2 Foxtrot class subs delivered in the mid-1970s are still technically in service. S40 Vela is said to be undergoing a refit of some kind, which may or may not ever be completed. S42 Vagli is based in Mumbai, and is unlikely to remain in service for very much longer.
GSOrg
Pakistan currently owns 8 submarines. They acquired 4 French Daphne submarines (Hangor Class) and 2 French Agosta 70 submarines (Hashmat Class) from the French Navy during the 1970s, and modified the submarines to fire Harpoon missiles in 1985
. Two updated Agosta 90Bs (Khalid Class) are also in service, and were commissioned in 1999 and 2003 respectively. The third submarine will add a MESMA AIP, and the other two Agosta 90Bs may be refitted for the propulasion system later.
Two of Pakistan’s Hangor Class are due for decommissioning soon, and the age of the Daphnes and Agosta-70s will make maintaining their current submarine force level a challenge.
China currently owns 74 submarines; 33 of them are Type 033s, a Chinese copy of the 1960s-era Romeo class (which in turn was based on 1944 U-Boat designs). None of those are expected to remain in service past 2010, but projections indicate that by the time India’s Scorpenes begin to enter service, the Chinese will probably have 58-61 submarines.
If one leaves out the problem-plagued Type 091 Han Class SSNs and old, updated-Romeo Type 035 Ming Class SSKs entirely, China’s attack sub force is still projected at about 30 subs by 2010, including 4 Type 093 Shang Class SSN and 8 Kilo (Project 636) & Advanced Kilo Class (Project 877) SSKs.
The submariner blog Ultraquiet No More points out that India currently operates 14 submarines. Based on additional research, DID has revised that total to 16 submarines, of which 9-13 are currently operational:
•4 German Type 209 SSK submarines, known in India as the Shishumar Class. They were delivered between 1984 – 1994; S44 Shishumar has been refitted, and one submarine (probably S47 Shankul) is currently undergoing a refit. The vessels are expected to reach their end of service life between 2016-2024.
The United News of India (UNI) reported on Sept 6/04 that Siemens of Germany has offered the Indian Navy an upgrade for the Shishumar Class submarines, which will involve the installation of their Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system. India is said to be cautious about the technology, and especially the dangers of storing hydrogen on shore.
•10 Russian Kilo Class/ Project 877 SSKs, known in India as Sindhu Class and built (1986-1991, 1997, 2000) under a contract between Rosvooruzhenie and the Indian Defense Ministry. They are considered to be one of the world’s quietest submarines, but there are reports that the Indian Navy considers them underpowered. Several of these subs have received mid-life refits, but the quality of those refits has been a subject of dispute. Based on the timing of mid-life refits and statements by India’s Navy, it seems likely that India’s Kilos will begin reaching the end of their service lives and entering rolling decommissioning around 2012. Even so, the spacing of their original delivery ensures that they will remain in service for many years to come.
•Bharat-Rakshak adds that 2 Foxtrot class subs delivered in the mid-1970s are still technically in service. S40 Vela is said to be undergoing a refit of some kind, which may or may not ever be completed. S42 Vagli is based in Mumbai, and is unlikely to remain in service for very much longer.
GSOrg