Sister ship or India’s Second Gen SSBN?
INS Arighat, the Indian Navy’s second nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, will be commissioned into the Indian Navy in the next few months as it has completed much of its user sea trials. INS Arighat is often called Arihant’s sister class ship due to external similarities with the lead Arihant class submarines but Arighat is way ahead of Arihant class in terms of technological leap the submarines technology has made in India after years of working on the Arihant class submarine.Arighat features almost in every department enhanced indigenous content that is upgraded or next-generation technology that was used on the first nuclear submarine. Arihant was often called Technology demonstrator for India’s ship submersible ballistic, nuclear (SSBN) program and Arighat is a much more refined submarine that has enhanced capabilities.It’s no hidden fact that the Navy plans to use Arihant as a Training vessel for the training of future crew to operate nuclear-powered submarines when bigger S4 and S4* joins the fleet and later prepare for induction of the larger S5 class of submarines. S4 and S4* will be first-in-class submarines that will enable the Indian Navy to carry bigger China-specific nuclear ballistic missile-like K5 (5000km) and K6 (8000km). Present Arihant class is limited to Pakistani specific nuclear ballistic missile-like K-15 (1000km) and K4 (3500km).
SOURCE: NARAYAN APTE/ FOR MY TAKE / IDRW.ORG
