India's S5 Submarine Design Advances, Boosting Naval Capabilities

India's pursuit of a next-generation nuclear submarine fleet is gaining momentum, with the design phase of the S5 class nearing completion. This development marks a pivotal point for India's ongoing naval modernization efforts.

Speculation about the S5 program has persisted since at least 2019, fueled by observations of hydrodynamic scale models used to evaluate underwater performance. Recent observations point to a significant design evolution compared to earlier models. The missile compartment now appears seamlessly integrated within the hull, potentially stretching towards the rear. This design change hints at a possible increase in missile capacity.

Defense analysts theorize that this design focus could allow the S5 to carry at least 16 launch tubes. They speculate these tubes may support MIRVed K-5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), greatly expanding the S5's strike power.

Although progress seems promising, details about the final missile tube count, along with full design specifications and the project timeline, remain classified.

Regardless of these unknowns, the progress on the S5 class is potentially transformative for India's naval position. A larger and more advanced nuclear submarine fleet bolsters India's ability to deter regional rivals and project power throughout the Indian Ocean.

The international defense community closely monitors the S5 program's evolution. Revealing the finalized design and detailed capabilities will shed further light on this important addition to India's naval forces.

 

[PARTHAJIT JANA]

There were lots of noises regarding ssn programme few years ago. Now there is no news, complete silence.

 

[Ajath]

The article says attack subs and also says has humps for SLBM. No attack subs will carry SLBM. SSBNs do.

 

[desigandu]

Great…But what about the 190mw reactor that will power S5, Alpha SSNs and 3-4 of them for a 75k Ton nuclear carrier…Can India make operational 4-6 S5s, 6 Alphas and 2 nuclear propulsion carriers in the 2035-2040 timeframe…then we can convert the S4s into training ships and SSGNs…Jai Hind…Jai Bharat…we may also need about 4 nuclear icebreakers for artic and antarctic year round operations…

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

There were lots of noises regarding ssn programme few years ago. Now there is no news, complete silence.

Noise will come back when the time is ripe. Hold your horses for now.

 

[charminar_waale_ismail_bhai]

Hump in submarines is a Russian jugaad. I've heard missile hump on submarines have a negative effect on a submarine's hydrodynamics which make it much noisier.

I hope DRDO will ditch the Hump shell design when it finalizes the submarine's design.

 

[shivkumar sinha]

There were lots of noises regarding ssn programme few years ago. Now there is no news, complete silence.

S-5 is not SSN it is SSBN with displacement in excess of 12000 tonnes,meant to house 12-16 MIRVed K-5/K-6 missiles with nuclear warheads.

 

[INDIAN]

These are nuclear ballistic missile carrying nuclear missile submarines.
What need need urgently is nuclear attack submarines with long range cruise missiles to deter Chinese growing presence in Indian ocean.
Ballistic missile submarines will not deter China or Pakistan navy in Indian ocean , as ballistic missile submarines are only for deterrence ,perhaps it will never be used against anyone.
Its good to have but nuclear attack submarines should come first.

 

[Anant]

Great…But what about the 190mw reactor that will power S5, Alpha SSNs and 3-4 of them for a 75k Ton nuclear carrier…Can India make operational 4-6 S5s, 6 Alphas and 2 nuclear propulsion carriers in the 2035-2040 timeframe…then we can convert the S4s into training ships and SSGNs…Jai Hind…Jai Bharat…we may also need about 4 nuclear icebreakers for artic and antarctic year round operations…

Won't happen, Sir. By 2040, we might have 1-2 S5-class (assuming a lot of things go right), 3-4 P-75As, and IAC-II (Vikrant's sister ship). The other 2 S5s, remaining 2-3 P-75As, and IAC-III (Vikramaditya's replacement which is being touted as conventional powered but I have a feeling might have a nuclear propulsion system) won't happen until 2050 or so.

 

[desigandu]

Won't happen, Sir. By 2040, we might have 1-2 S5-class (assuming a lot of things go right), 3-4 P-75As, and IAC-II (Vikrant's sister ship). The other 2 S5s, remaining 2-3 P-75As, and IAC-III (Vikramaditya's replacement which is being touted as conventional powered but I have a feeling might have a nuclear propulsion system) won't happen until 2050 or so.

You may be right given where things are today but i am hoping as we become a $10T economy by 2035 with a 2.5% GDP spend on defense, we may accelerate things…If we can get to $125B spend by 2030 and $250b by 2035, we do have a chance…Of course we have to realistic but also plan ahead as these programs take 10-20 years to bear results

 

[Sandeep]

This is a critical necessity and we need to start manufacturing them as soon as possible as these can carry more and long range missiles. These missiles will be more adequate to use and threaten China as it keeps our submarines out of eminent danger and still threaten China. We will need more than 3 submarines so we should also look at improving each batch of submarines so that it keeps improving our capability and technology at the same time. India should look at operating around 12 nuclear ballistic submarines of around 12000t and install the much larger 190MW engine so it can operate much faster with the added weight.

At the same time they should start constructing the nuclear attack submarines as we can use a lot of the technology, parts and equipment that we developed from the Arihant nuclear submarine as it will be a 6000t submarine. It will need to be a much faster submarine so we should install the 190MW engine but we need more than 6 submarines. We should build around 8-12 submarines to keep control of the Indian Ocean which is large and we can't keep stopping at ports to refuel.

India also needs to quickly conclude a deal and start making the P75I submarines as it has been delayed for a long time. It seems likely that India will prefer to make a deal with Germany as the Spanish submarine has a lot of foreign parts which leaves us strategically vulnerable to sanctions or refusal to supply those parts.

Hopefully they can also finalise the design of P76 and develop the advanced technology that is needed to make them into stealth submarines like the engine, combat suite, AI, underwater drones, long range torpedos, underwater swarm drones, counter mines that can be controlled and used from inside.

 

[kumar]

Hump in submarines is a Russian jugaad. I've heard missile hump on submarines have a negative effect on a submarine's hydrodynamics which make it much noisier.

I hope DRDO will ditch the Hump shell design when it finalizes the submarine's design.

US ssbn also have hump.

 

[Anant]

You may be right given where things are today but i am hoping as we become a $10T economy by 2035 with a 2.5% GDP spend on defense, we may accelerate things…If we can get to $125B spend by 2030 and $250b by 2035, we do have a chance…Of course we have to realistic but also plan ahead as these programs take 10-20 years to bear results

Sir, we have discussed this in the past as well, and I shall repeat it: While 2.5% to 3% of GDP spending on defence would be absolutely fantastic, we aren't going to reach that anytime soon.

The reason for that is India's central government expenditure to GDP ratio. In developed economies, this ratio is generally 40% or higher, except the US (and China, for that matter) sitting at 33% due to an oversized economy. For India, that ratio sits at about 14-15%.

Hence, those developed economies can reach 3% or even 4% GDP spending on defence, and that would account for 10-12% of central government spending. In India, just 2% would mean about 13.8% of government spending. Reaching 2.5% would push that to 17.25%, while 3% GDP spending on defence would mean 20.7%. Anything above 14-15% is not sustainable.

The major problem here is that the way our economy works, it is fairly difficult to increase the ratio of central government expenditure to GDP ratio, simply because a lot of our GDP growth is driven by the private sector's growth. Domestic consumption increases do increase the money that the government gets (and therefore can spend), but money going to the private sector does not help to the same extent, since that only helps with a tax increase. If anything, rapid GDP growth that isn't accompanied by a commensurate increase in actual living wages will only decrease that ratio.

It has been estimated that this ratio for India might increase towards 20% over the next 25-30 years or so. To increase it even further, the average citizen has to be richer, or we would have to move towards a welfare state model. To actually be able to sustain 2.5% GDP spending on defence, we would need to have a government expenditure to GDP ratio of of atleast 16.7%, which will take atleast 12-15 years, if not more.

Hence, even if we are able to reach an 8 trillion dollars economy by 2035, our defence budget would not exceed 160-170 billion USD. If we reached a 10 trillion dollars economy by then, then we could afford 200 billion USD or thereabouts.

Reaching 2.5 to 3% of GDP spending on defence would be a considerably longer-term goal, however.

 

[Anant]

US ssbn also have hump.

Not to the same extent. A hump in a submarine is not exactly hydrodynamically efficient, and can result in a lot of noise. Compare SSBNs such as the Ohio- and Colombia-classes, the Triomphant-class, the Vanguard-class, the Borei-class, or even the Arihant-class to something like the Delta-class or the Type 092 or Type 094. The hump is far more pronounced in the latter, which can result in a massively-increased noise level.

 

[Hari Sud]

Is the 180 mw nuclear reactor ready for this attack submarine?

 

[Borodine]

We dont really need more SSBNs. These are weapon systems of the apocalypse and will be used only to bring down the enemy after India has already been destroyed. We need more modern SSKs and SSNs though.

 

[Borodine]

These are nuclear ballistic missile carrying nuclear missile submarines.
What need need urgently is nuclear attack submarines with long range cruise missiles to deter Chinese growing presence in Indian ocean.
Ballistic missile submarines will not deter China or Pakistan navy in Indian ocean , as ballistic missile submarines are only for deterrence ,perhaps it will never be used against anyone.
Its good to have but nuclear attack submarines should come first.

Exactly my point. I pray these never see action in war as that would mean that India has already been destroyed. SSBNs are used exclusively for second strike ability.

 

[Borodine]

This is a critical necessity and we need to start manufacturing them as soon as possible as these can carry more and long range missiles. These missiles will be more adequate to use and threaten China as it keeps our submarines out of eminent danger and still threaten China. We will need more than 3 submarines so we should also look at improving each batch of submarines so that it keeps improving our capability and technology at the same time. India should look at operating around 12 nuclear ballistic submarines of around 12000t and install the much larger 190MW engine so it can operate much faster with the added weight.

Why do we need 12 SSBNs? These are incredibly costly weapon systems that will not be used except in the event of a complete defeat. What we actually need are SSNs and advanced diesel attack subs.

 

[BnglrTester]

We dont really need more SSBNs. These are weapon systems of the apocalypse and will be used only to bring down the enemy after India has already been destroyed. We need more modern SSKs and SSNs though.

What will you do when you actually need them ?

 

[BnglrTester]

Exactly my point. I pray these never see action in war as that would mean that India has already been destroyed. SSBNs are used exclusively for second strike ability.

Yes, we need to build capability towards operationalizing the doctrine. Second strike capability on paper is laughable. MAD deters conflicts as we have seen in cold war. We need to grow economically and fast to avoid unrest among our growing youth population. A long stream of low key conflicts will not help.

 

[Sudha]

What will you do when you actually need them ?

Blame the government & defence forces for not foreseeing it, just like HAL blames others for the delays.🤣

 

[Sandeep]

Why do we need 12 SSBNs? These are incredibly costly weapon systems that will not be used except in the event of a complete defeat. What we actually need are SSNs and advanced diesel attack subs.

We need them to cover the entire Indian Ocean and near the South China Sea. Also even though we might have 8-12 SSBN inducted there will always be some submarines going through maintenance, repair, overhaul or needing to be refuelled which takes times so to keep a good number actually ready the number will always be lower than what we have made.

Also we need a large number so that we can inflict a large amount of damage that can be done to their entire country. Just firing a few missiles isn’t going to destroy a country either.

 

[Man-ju]

Hump in submarines is a Russian jugaad. I've heard missile hump on submarines have a negative effect on a submarine's hydrodynamics which make it much noisier.

I hope DRDO will ditch the Hump shell design when it finalizes the submarine's design.

Can u name a SSBN of any country without a hump? Ballistic missiles are taller wider and cannot be reloaded while in deployment that is why hump is mandatory. Only SSN/SSGN has no humps as they launch smaller cruise missiles using VLS.

 

[Man-ju]

Is the 180 mw nuclear reactor ready for this attack submarine?

Yes, the delivery boy is about to pick up the order and would be delivered within minutes.

 

[Mithun Raj]

This is the only program were DRDO like big mouths never comments. This is a high secret program and these images can be used to confuse the enemies also. One of the very very important projects directly supervised from the PMO. Unless we get an official confirmation, the capabilities and power plant remains a big debating point.