NEW DELHI: With India not too long ago commissioning its second nuclear-powered submarine INS Arighaat as a part of a plan to increase each the strategic in addition to typical underwater fight fleets, the Navy is now establishing a brand new superior facility to seamlessly talk with its stealthy predators out on long-range patrols.
The very low frequency (VLF) transmitting station at Vikarabad in Telangana is slated for inauguration by defence minister Rajnath Singh on Oct 15.”The strategically-important VLF facility, as soon as it turns into absolutely operational in two-three years, will present round the clock encrypted communication connectivity to submerged submarines throughout India’s whole space of curiosity,” a supply instructed TOI.
“VLF radio waves, which function in a frequency band of three to 30 Kilohertz, can penetrate seawater to a sure depth for such functions,” he added. Only some nations have such VLF capabilities, that are particularly essential for “command and management” of nuclear submarines deployed on long-range deterrent patrols.
The Navy has been working a VLF station at Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu since 1990. The brand new state-of-the-art VLF facility at Vikarabad is important for “sustaining 24x7x365 communication” for the deliberate induction of each diesel-electric in addition to nuclear submarines, with an eye fixed firmly on China’s rising naval forays into the Indian Ocean Area (IOR).
On Aug 29, India had inducted its second 6,000-tonne SSBN (nuclear-powered submarine with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles) INS Arighaat, which can also be able to carrying some 3,500-km vary Okay-4 missiles. Her forerunner INS Arihant is armed solely with the 750-km vary Okay-15 missiles.
India plans to induct the third SSBN, with a displacement of seven,000-tonne, as INS Aridhaman early subsequent 12 months, whereas a fourth can also be beneath building beneath the secretive superior expertise vessel (ATV) venture. There may be additionally a plan to finally construct 13,500-tonne SSBNs, with way more highly effective 190 MW pressurised light-water reactors, as reported by TOI earlier. Furthermore, the PM-led cupboard committee on safety on Oct 9 additionally cleared the long-pending Rs 40,000-crore ‘Venture-77‘ to assemble two nuclear-powered assault submarines (known as SSNs in naval parlance).
On the diesel-electric entrance, Navy will fee the sixth French-origin Scorpene submarine ‘Vagsheer’ in Dec beneath the over Rs 23,000 crore ‘Venture-75‘ underway at Mazagon Docks (MDL).
