Mystery Surrounds Future of INS Chakra II as Satellite Imagery Reveals it Sits Idle at Russian Naval Base

The future of INS Chakra II, a Russian-made Akula-class nuclear-powered attack submarine leased to India for ten years, hangs in the balance. Recent satellite imagery reveals the vessel docked alongside Russia's Oscar II-class submarine K-442 Chelyabinsk at the Bolshoy Kamen naval base in Russia's Primorsky Krai. This sighting has ignited speculation about the submarine's fate after its return to Russia in June 2021.

Originally named K-322 Nerpa by the Russian Navy, INS Chakra II was leased to India in 2012 under a 10-year agreement. This Akula-class submarine, equipped with advanced stealth, speed, and firepower, significantly bolstered the Indian Navy's underwater capabilities. The lease was a key component of India's strategic relationship with Russia, aimed at enhancing the Navy's expertise in operating nuclear-powered submarines.

During its service with the Indian Navy, INS Chakra II participated in numerous training exercises and played a crucial role in advancing India's experience with nuclear submarine operations. Despite some minor incidents, the submarine proved effective, providing valuable operational experience that laid the groundwork for India's indigenous nuclear-powered submarine program.

Since its return to Russia in 2021, the future of INS Chakra II has remained uncertain. The recent satellite images showing it docked at the Bolshoy Kamen shipyard, a primary base for Russia's submarine fleet where vessels undergo maintenance, repairs, and potential scrapping, have fueled speculation about its fate.

Two primary possibilities emerge:

• Repairs or Upgrades: The submarine may be undergoing repairs or upgrades at the shipyard. Reports suggest potential damage during its service with the Indian Navy, necessitating repairs before it can re-enter service with the Russian Navy.
• Scrapping: Russia might opt to scrap the submarine. While highly capable, the Akula-class is aging compared to more modern nuclear-powered submarines in Russia's fleet. Retiring and scrapping the Nerpa could align with the Russian Navy's focus on newer, more advanced submarines.

The presence of the K-442 Chelyabinsk, an Oscar II-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine, alongside INS Chakra II adds another layer of intrigue. Like the Akula-class, the Oscar II-class is nearing the end of its operational life, with many vessels already retired or slated for decommissioning. This raises the possibility that both submarines might be undergoing a similar fate.

While the future of INS Chakra II remains uncertain, its contribution to the Indian Navy's operational capabilities and its role in advancing India's indigenous nuclear submarine program is undeniable. Whether it undergoes refurbishment or faces decommissioning, the INS Chakra II has left a lasting mark on India's naval history.

 

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[PKPRS]

Absolutely no uncertainity, it is coming soon.

 

[swatkats_razor]

Chakra is a lost cause. A casualty of lost opportunity cost.

There is an important lesson to learn here, you can only do so much depending on "imported" weapons.
Serious countries do not depend on imports, they make their own stuff.

 

[Mango_Indian]

I think India should have paid for the mid life refit plus modernization for the INS Chakra at a Russian shipyard which would have extended her life by another 10 years thereby India getting a Akula 2 nuclear sub which is significantly better than anything the Chinese have. This refit we could have retrofitted K4 missiles into the sub as well as advanced sensors. This would have been a very nominal amount compared to building a new nuclear submarine.

Plus 10 years would give us runway to make maybe 2-3 nuclear submarines of our own and most importantly give us experience to IN personnel in operating nuclear submarines.

Giving it back was a poor decision.

 

[Anant]

Nerpa was decommissioned back in 2021 itself after being returned to Russia. It seems even the Russians had little hope from the boat due to its material condition at this point, and she has since been laid up awaiting scrapping.

However, with losses in their abortive invasion of Ukraine and the overdue retirement of most of the 1980s-built Soviet fleet still floating around, maybe the Russians want to try something with the boat. They are, after all, still working on that floating pile of scrap that is their sole carrier.

 

[Anant]

Absolutely no uncertainity, it is coming soon.

Coming where? The scrapyard? Even the Russians have lost hope with the boat, and they are desperate enough to keep sinking funds into that pile of scrap called the Admiral Kuznetsov. Unless they want to essentially take the Nerpa and another one or two Akulas and scavenge parts to build a composite boat, Nerpa isn't going anywhere but the breakers' yard (or a museum).

 

[PKPRS]

Coming where? The scrapyard? Even the Russians have lost hope with the boat, and they are desperate enough to keep sinking funds into that pile of scrap called the Admiral Kuznetsov. Unless they want to essentially take the Nerpa and another one or two Akulas and scavenge parts to build a composite boat, Nerpa isn't going anywhere but the breakers' yard (or a museum).

like the $4Bln Voronezh OTH Early warning radar deal signed recently, old Kuznetzov is not the only thing for them anymore, if you are not aware, Russia is currently finishing up the remaining 25%? of the pending work on two of the 4 Mistral class ships, called Project 23900 , 75% percent of the work was completed in Crimean shipyard for the two ships and two were completed 100% in France, when the deal between France and Russia was intact before it was cancelled under the pressure from the US and eventually France was forced to sell to Egypt for loss, besides these two there is a separate project called SHTORM to build super carriers.

 

[Anant]

like the $4Bln Voronezh OTH Early warning radar deal signed recently, old Kuznetzov is not the only thing for them anymore, if you are not aware, Russia is currently finishing up the remaining 25%? of the pending work on two of the 4 Mistral class ships, called Project 23900 , 75% percent of the work was completed in Crimean shipyard for the two ships and two were completed 100% in France, when the deal between France and Russia was intact before it was cancelled under the pressure from the US and eventually France was forced to sell to Egypt for loss, besides these two there is a separate project called SHTORM to build super carriers.

Boss, the thing with the Nerpa is that it is worn out beyond repair. As such, salvaging her is next to impossible, and is, at the very least, infeasible.

Still, where do you think the Nerpa is coming?

 

[War is good for business]

like the $4Bln Voronezh OTH Early warning radar deal signed recently, old Kuznetzov is not the only thing for them anymore, if you are not aware, Russia is currently finishing up the remaining 25%? of the pending work on two of the 4 Mistral class ships, called Project 23900 , 75% percent of the work was completed in Crimean shipyard for the two ships and two were completed 100% in France, when the deal between France and Russia was intact before it was cancelled under the pressure from the US and eventually France was forced to sell to Egypt for loss, besides these two there is a separate project called SHTORM to build super carriers.

SHTORM is a showpiece, admittedly a step up from renders from HAL. Project 23900 is only 50% complete from what I read, then again I may not be updated

 

[PKPRS]

Boss, the thing with the Nerpa is that it is worn out beyond repair. As such, salvaging her is next to impossible, and is, at the very least, infeasible.

Still, where do you think the Nerpa is coming?

Boss, Chakra 3 could be based on 46% completed IRBIS submarine or the 4 unfinished Akula class Sunmarines , there is no official statement as to what Chakra 3 will be based on , I believe IN is the smartest of the three arms and won’t accept a worn out or retired submarine for a critical role that it is supposed to play.

 

[PKPRS]

SHTORM is a showpiece, admittedly a step up from renders from HAL. Project 23900 is only 50% complete from what I read, then again I may not be updated

According to news these two ships Ivan Rogov and Mitrofan Moskalenko are supposed to be handed over to the Russian Navy in 2026 -2027 .

 

[Sandeep]

India will definitely get the Chakra 3 as an agreement was signed that they will refurbish a akula submarine. They might delay in delivering a refurbished submarine for whatever reason. Right now we urgently need a nuclear powered attack submarine that can launch cruise missiles at sea and land along with advanced torpedoes.

 

[Anant]

like the $4Bln Voronezh OTH Early warning radar deal signed recently, old Kuznetzov is not the only thing for them anymore, if you are not aware, Russia is currently finishing up the remaining 25%? of the pending work on two of the 4 Mistral class ships, called Project 23900 , 75% percent of the work was completed in Crimean shipyard for the two ships and two were completed 100% in France, when the deal between France and Russia was intact before it was cancelled under the pressure from the US and eventually France was forced to sell to Egypt for loss, besides these two there is a separate project called SHTORM to build super carriers.

Russia is building the Project 23900 ships for some measure of the word "building". The first ship is partially built (as of satellite images from July this year), and is still a fair while away from even being launched, let alone commissioned. Also, these ships aren't Mistral-class LHDs. They are considerably larger, and are Russia's intended replacements for the Mistrals after they were denied their purchases on 2014 over their annexation of Crimea.

Now, the construction of these boats has slowed down very significantly since they invaded Ukraine back in 2022, and best estimates are for these ships to enter service sometime around 2029-30 at the earliest.

As for the Mistrals themselves, as you said correctly, they were sold to Egypt, but the decision to not sell them to Russia was more French-influenced than American-forced.

As for the Shtorm, well, Russia has neither the funding nor the infrastructure to build a ship like that in reality. The Russians can't even build a damned destroyer, and they have been touting the Lider-class concept for about two decades now. A supercarrier is just simply out of their means.

Russia was, and remains, an excellent builder of small and medium-sized surface ships, and practically all kinds of nuclear submarines, though larger surface ships and conventional submarines are increasingly a lost skill for them.

 

[PKPRS]

@Anant
If they are entering service by 2027 then they must be at-least 95% built, they are not like some Government agency that keeps changing the delivery date.

 

[Anant]

According to news these two ships Ivan Rogov and Mitrofan Moskalenko are supposed to be handed over to the Russian Navy in 2026 -2027 .

That was an older timeline, Sir. the present best estimate is 2029-30 for the Rogov, with Moskalenko following 3-4 years later.

 

[Anant]

@Anant
If they are entering service by 2027 then they must be at-least 95% built, they are not like some Government agency that keeps changing the delivery date.

Nope. Launching by 2027 us just about possible. Warships are generally about 50-60% done at the time of launch. Even the Russian Navy doesn't expect them to enter service before 2029 at the earliest.

 

[Anant]

Boss, Chakra 3 could be based on 46% completed IRBIS submarine or the 4 unfinished Akula class Sunmarines , there is no official statement as to what Chakra 3 will be based on , I believe IN is the smartest of the three arms and won’t accept a worn out or retired submarine for a critical role that it is supposed to play.

Sir, you said the Nerpa would be returning, and I said it wouldn't. I said absolutely nothing about the Iribis.

That said, those 5 (not 4) unfinished Akulas you referred to don't exist anymore. Three of them had their pressure hulls repurposed into the pressure hulls for their SSBNs, with what remained being scrapped afterwards, and the last two were never even finished to the extent of having their pressure hulls being repurposed.

Even in the Iribis' case, while that boat allegedly still exists, I have massive doubts about her condition. The Russians are pretty bad when it comes to maintaining warships. For instance, the destroyer Burny went in for modernisation in 2005, floated around at anchor and was completely rusted away by 2019, and was then decommissioned as being beyond repair. Similarly, what remains of the frigate Kornilov at the Yantar Shipyard is little more than a rusting hulk. Iribis may have had a similar fate, and may well be beyond repair.