ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY VESSEL

The Indian Navy leased a Russian 670 Skat (NATO: Charlie I) Class nuclear powered submarine for three years - from January 1988 to January 1991. In the Indian Navy, the vessel was referred to as the INS Chakra and was manned by a Russian crew who also had the task of training Indian submariners on how to operate the nuclear powered vessel. In addition to becoming a training ground, INS Chakra also acted as a design laboratory for developing and testing indigenous nuclear submarine technologies. The lease was not extended after January 1991 and the submarine was returned back to Vladivostock, Russia where it was decommissioned from Russian Naval service.

The Russian crew that trained the Indian submariners have now taken key posts, probably in the Indian Naval Design Organisation, to design India's nuclear powered submarine codenamed the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV). This top secret project has facilities in New Delhi, Vizag, Hyderabad and Kalapakkam. A Naval Wing of DRDO runs the organization and since 1985 has had a retired Vice Admiral in charge. In late 2000, the ATV project was given a new lease of life with the appointment of Vice Admiral R.N. Ganesh to take charge. An experienced submariner, he commanded the Charlie I Class {INS Chakra} submarine when she was leased to India.

The hull design is ready and the displacement is estimated to be at 6000 tons. The 190 MW miniature nuclear propulsion system has been tested ashore, possibly at the Kalapakkam atomic research centre. Given the degree of Russian technical assistance, the submarine could resemble the Severodvinsk Class and/or the Akula Class. Reportedly, the submarine will have VLS tubes capable of firing multiple weapons. Fabrication has already commenced at Vizag, but there are no indications as to when the vessel will be laid down or launched. The plan is for a class of five submarines fitted with long-range, nuclear-tipped missiles. A nuclear-capable missile (dubbed 'Sagarika' by the press) is reportedly under development at the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADE) at Bangalore, in southern India.