Navy's Shishumar Subs to Face Retirement by 2033 Onwards as India Embraces More Advanced P-75I and Kalvari-Class Subs

The Indian Navy is preparing to modernize its submarine fleet, planning to gradually retire its Shishumar-class submarines starting around 2033. This transition will coincide with the introduction of new, technologically superior submarines built under Project-75I and additional Kalvari-class vessels.

The Indian Navy currently operates four Shishumar-class submarines. These vessels, based on the German Type 209 design from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS), were commissioned between 1986 and 1994 and have served as a crucial component of India's maritime defense for decades.

While TKMS, the original equipment manufacturer, has guaranteed support for the Shishumar-class for another 15 years, including ongoing upgrades and recently awarded contracts to improve their capabilities, the Navy is looking toward the future.

A significant upgrade to India's underwater capabilities will come with Project-75I. This project involves the construction of six advanced submarines equipped with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems, which allow them to stay submerged for longer durations than conventional diesel-electric submarines. The first of these submarines is expected to join the fleet in 2033.

Project 75(I) is a key part of the Indian Navy's 30-year submarine building plan, which aims for a fleet of 24 submarines. The project has faced some delays, but the ultimate goal is to significantly enhance India's indigenous submarine construction capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign suppliers.

In addition to Project-75I, the Navy intends to order three more Kalvari-class submarines, which are based on the French Scorpene design. These orders are expected to be finalized soon, with deliveries anticipated around the same time as the Project-75I vessels.

The Kalvari class submarines, the first of which, INS Kalvari, was commissioned in 2017, have already demonstrated significant capabilities. Adding more of these will further strengthen the Navy's fleet.

As the new submarines enter service, the Navy plans to utilize the Shishumar-class vessels for training purposes. This strategic approach will ensure the seamless transfer of expertise and operational experience to the crews of the newer submarines before the older models are decommissioned.

The phased retirement of the Shishumar-class is expected to begin after 2035. This also depends upon how quickly the new submarines can be designed, built, tested, and operationally deployed.

 

[swatkats_razor]

Folks, it's a Type-209 submarine, and the design still holds very good potential for expansion.The South Koreans have upgraded their Type-209's capability and even sold them in the international market in competition with the Germans. South Korean Type-209s are still in service as Jang Bogo-class submarines. The technology transfer of Type-209, in hands of entities like L&T and Godrej, would have given us an excellent, advanced version by now.

 

[Anant]

Folks, it's a Type-209 submarine, and the design still holds very good potential for expansion.The South Koreans have upgraded their Type-209's capability and even sold them in the international market in competition with the Germans. South Korean Type-209s are still in service as Jang Bogo-class submarines. The technology transfer of Type-209, in hands of entities like L&T and Godrej, would have given us an excellent, advanced version by now.

True, boss, but look at it this way: The two older Type 209-1500 boats will be 47 years old by 2033. Of those, Shishumar has not been upgraded alongside her LIFEX refit, and so would be at the tail end of her life by then. The other Type 209-1500 from the German-built batch is currently receiving her LIFEX and some upgrades, which would allow her to serve till 2036-37 (just over 50 years of service). The two newer boats (built in India) are also being upgraded alongside their LIFEX refits, and will be retired in the early 2040s.

The Type 209 design is truly an exceptional design, but there comes a time when a ship becomes too old that upgrades are no longer feasible. As for South Korea, well, their Type 209-1400s date to between 1993 and 2001, and are planned to be retired (and some potentially sold) after 35-40 years of service.

 

[swatkats_razor]

True, boss, but look at it this way: The two older Type 209-1500 boats will be 47 years old by 2033. Of those, Shishumar has not been upgraded alongside her LIFEX refit, and so would be at the tail end of her life by then. The other Type 209-1500 from the German-built batch is currently receiving her LIFEX and some upgrades, which would allow her to serve till 2036-37 (just over 50 years of service). The two newer boats (built in India) are also being upgraded alongside their LIFEX refits, and will be retired in the early 2040s.

The Type 209 design is truly an exceptional design, but there comes a time when a ship becomes too old that upgrades are no longer feasible. As for South Korea, well, their Type 209-1400s date to between 1993 and 2001, and are planned to be retired (and some potentially sold) after 35-40 years of service.

Yeah. My point was not about extending the life of Shishumar. I wanted to suggest that the hull of the retired submarine be leased off to private contractors to study and reverse engineer. All this learning can come handy during execution of project 76I.

 

[Anant]

Yeah. My point was not about extending the life of Shishumar. I wanted to suggest that the hull of the retired submarine be leased off to private contractors to study and reverse engineer. All this learning can come handy during execution of project 76I.

Agreed. Heck, DRDO had been asking for a boat to test out AIP and other systems, and for some reason, we simply scrapped one of the Kilo-class boats last year.

In any case, a few other Kilo-class boats are coming up for retirement, so let's see how those end up.

 

[swatkats_razor]

Agreed. Heck, DRDO had been asking for a boat to test out AIP and other systems, and for some reason, we simply scrapped one of the Kilo-class boats last year.

In any case, a few other Kilo-class boats are coming up for retirement, so let's see how those end up.

Bingo that!!
I would rank Type-209 over Kilo anyday.

 

[Anant]

The Type 209-1500s are being upgraded as we speak. The current plan is to have Shishumar retired in 2033-34 (when she would be around 47-48 years old), with the other three ships (which are being upgraded besides their LIFEX refits) then decommissioning between 2036 and 2044 (as and when each boat hits 50 years of service).

Oh, and if we must retire some submarines, the Kilo-class might have to go first. They are known to have faced greater serviceability issues in recent years.

 

[Kira]

The Type 209-1500s are being upgraded as we speak. The current plan is to have Shishumar retired in 2033-34 (when she would be around 47-48 years old), with the other three ships (which are being upgraded besides their LIFEX refits) then decommissioning between 2036 and 2044 (as and when each boat hits 50 years of service).

Oh, and if we must retire some submarines, the Kilo-class might have to go first. They are known to have faced greater serviceability issues in recent years.

So these SSKs too will reach the 50 year+ mark in IN service becoming like the MiG-21.

 

[kumar]

Hope P75I can concluded quicker.

 

[Anant]

So these SSKs too will reach the 50 year+ mark in IN service becoming like the MiG-21.

Well, technically yes. However, unlike the MiG-21s, the Shishumar-class are in very good shape, and as other nations have shown, the Type 209 design is perfectly serviceable for second-line roles even half a century after their commissioning. Moreover, the upgrade program to the submarines will allow them to use Harpoon cruise missiles, which makes them a fairly potent asset. That is helped along even further by their small size.

 

[Sandeep]

When it’s time to retire if we still don’t have enough submarines in frontline service then we should overhaul and upgrade its lifespan and the equipment and technology.

If we have a good number in service then we should hand one in for training and one to DRDO so that they can carry out any equipment, technology and weapon testing for the future.

 

[Kira]

Well, technically yes. However, unlike the MiG-21s, the Shishumar-class are in very good shape, and as other nations have shown, the Type 209 design is perfectly serviceable for second-line roles even half a century after their commissioning. Moreover, the upgrade program to the submarines will allow them to use Harpoon cruise missiles, which makes them a fairly potent asset. That is helped along even further by their small size.

Hopefully, in a decade or so,IN can purchase all their future SSKs from domestic sources like from L&T or MDL.

 

[Varaaah]

Try to convert one into an unmanned sub or a sub with just a few men needed to operate it. Try out the technologies needed for that. Also one can convert it into a kamikaze sub.

 

[Anant]

Try to convert one into an unmanned sub or a sub with just a few men needed to operate it. Try out the technologies needed for that. Also one can convert it into a kamikaze sub.

Um, not quite. Full-sized submarines such as this are too large and too complex to be converted to be converted to either UUVs or kamikaze submarines.

Moreover, if you really go about converting a SSK to a UUV, you'd have to do so much work that it would be cheaper, easier, and faster to build a dedicated UUV instead.

 

[Anant]

Bingo that!!
I would rank Type-209 over Kilo anyday.

Absolutely agreed. I still posit that had the Navy got the submarines as per the original plan (8 Type 209-1500s plus 8 Kilo-class boats), we would have been far better off. Instead, we got 4 Type 209-1500s and 10 Kilo-class boats, which saw the Navy be short-changed two submarines by the government.