Indian Nuclear Submarine Plans: INS Aridhaman will be Lead Class Submarine, New S5 Class Submarines

Sandeep Unnithan. Exec Editor, India Today who was first broke stories on development of INS Arihant and development of K-15 and K-4 Submarine Launched Ballistic missile has revealed, more about India’s Nuclear Submarine Plans and has confirmed that INS Aridhaman which will be India’s Second Ballistic Missile Submarine will be stretched Arihant Class ship which has double the Missile carrying capabilities and is unlikely to be called Arihant sister ship rather will be known as Aridhaman lead ship of a new SSBN Class . Sister ship of Aridhaman which will be similar to the lead ship Aridhaman currently is designated as S4 and another follow on Sister Class dubbed as S4* (Plus) will make up Three Aridhaman Ballistic Missile Class Submarine fleet of Indian Navy. Unnithan also confirms that India Navy already has started working on the successor of Aridhaman Ballistic Missile Class Submarine at least a decade ago and new larger Ballistic Missile Class which will be designated as S5 and will be as big as Ohio class nuclear-powered submarines currently used by the United States Navy. It is unclear how many S5 sister class ships will be developed at this point in time but the construction of the new class of SSBN is yet to commence and it is likely will go on the floor for nearly a decade from now. Last year Indian Navy was given go head to start design work on the development of Six new Nuclear attack Class Submarines which will be developed in parallel to the Ballistic Missile Class Submarine Fleet so that work on both the projects will continue independently. Unnamed Six Nuclear attack Class Submarines are required to be much stealthier to do sneak attack and surveillance roles and it is reported that construction of Scorpene class Diesel attack submarines in India has helped Naval Design Bureau a lot in obtaining technical know how to better understand and develop stealthier hull.