|
Cruise
Control
The INS
Sindhushastra submarine will play a decisive role in a conflict—at
sea or on land
When the
Russian-built submarine INS Sindhushastra pulled into the naval dockyard
at Mumbai in October, it opened a new chapter in India’s naval prowess.
The Sindhushastra, which was tested during the DGX-2000 war exercises
in the Arabian Sea in November, is a force multiplier armed with the 300-km
range Club cruise missiles that can attack targets on both land and sea.
Cruise missiles are smart bombs that can be programmed to hit a target
several hundred kilometres away. Unlike ballistic missiles, cruise missiles
can take a circuitous route to reach their target. This means that besides
helping the navy control the seas, the Sindhushastra can directly influence
the battle on land. It is the first Indian submarine that can fire cruise
missiles when submerged, a capability that makes it that much more deadlier.
Also, the cruise missiles bestow on the navy an option to wield the nuclear
deterrent pending the deployment of its long-delayed indigenous nuclear
submarine.
Senior officials
at the Western Naval Command maintain a discreet silence on the capabilities
of the Sindhushastra, only confirming that the submarine was now “combat
ready”. But the mood in the navy is understandably upbeat. As a senior
naval officer puts it, “We achieved remarkable results and it should
warm the hearts of every Indian.”
Indeed. The
Club missiles use satellite data to zero in on their target with deadly
precision. They travel at speeds almost three times the speed of sound,
which makes it virtually impossible to intercept them.
The Club
missile is a shorter range descendant of Russia’s Granat cruise missile,
which was dubbed the “Tomahawkski” by nato for its startling
resemblance to the US Tomahawk. However, selling the Granat missiles would
have violated the 1993 Missile Technology Control Regime which prohibits
the sale of missiles with a range of more than 300 km and a warhead heavier
than 500 kg. So the range and payload were reduced before the Club missiles
were put on Russia’s arms bazaar. India is the first buyer of this
missile.
The Club
technology will provide vital inputs for the Brahmastra, the drdo’s
strategic cruise missile. The indigenous cruise missiles will arm the
three Bangalore-class destroyers to be built at the Mazagaon Docks Ltd
next year. Existing Delhi-class destroyers are also to be retrofitted
with another Russian cruise missile, the Uranium. These 250-km missiles
will extend the range of the existing Urans by 100 km.
In fact,
the capability to attack both land and sea targets is to form an integral
part of all weaponry of the Indian Navy in future. The three Talwar-class
frigates under construction in Russia are also to be equipped with Club
missiles.
|
Among
the major spin-offs of developing the LCA is the mountain of confidence
that India's aeronautical engineers have gained. But there's still plenty
to do, writes INDIA TODAY Deputy Editor Raj Chengappa in
