S5-class submarine

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An artistic drawing of the S5-class SSBN.png
An artistic impression of the S5-class submarine
Class overview
OperatorsNaval Ensign of India.svg  Indian Navy
Preceded by Arihant class
Planned4-6 [1]
General characteristics
Type Nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine
Displacement13,500 tonnes (13,300 long tons; 14,900 short tons) [2]
Propulsion
RangeUnlimited
Armament
  • 12 VLS cells for [2]
    • K-5 SLBM (5,000–8,000 km or 3,100–5,000 mi range) (or)
    • K6 MIRV SLBM (8,000–9,000 km or 5,000–5,600 mi range)

S5 is the code name for a planned class of Indian nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines currently being developed for the Indian Navy. S5 will weigh around twice as much as the preceding Arihant-class submarine. It is reported that four boats of the class are expected to enter Indian service by the late 2030s. [1]

Contents

Design

The S5-class of submarines are planned to weigh around 13,500 tonnes (13,300 long tons; 14,900 short tons). [6] The submarines are planned to be armed with up to twelve K6 Submarine-launched ballistic missiles, each armed with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles. [2]

Development

In 2006, a high-level committee led by R. Chidambaram, the then principal scientific advisor to the Government of India, had assessed India's ability to construct three S5 series of SSBNs. The project with a budget of ₹ 10,000 crore (equivalent to ₹320 billionorUS$3.8 billion in 2023) divided among DRDO, BARC and the ATV headquarters. The construction would tentatively begin in 2015 followed with the first submarine to be deployed in 2021. [2] The Arihant-class submarine has limitations with its reactor and payload capacity. [7] [8]

Around 2012, with the S5 project remaining in developmental stage, another Arihant-class submarine was cleared for production to avoid idling of the production line. The new unit was designated as S4* (between S4 and S5). The boat would also feature the Arihant Stretch design. [2]

As of December 2017, the final design work for the submarine was underway. The submarine would be equipped with 12 ballistic missiles. [2]

As of 4 December 2022, the S5-class submarine was to enter production by 2027. [9] [10]

As of September 2024, the design phase of the submarine was nearing completion and project sanction was expected soon. [11]

In September 2025, the Times of India reported that the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is developing a 200 MWe-rated nuclear reactor for the Indian Navy's next-generation nuclear submarines, including Project 77 and S5-class submarines. [12]

In December 2025, it was reported that construction of the first two S5 SSBNs had commmenced with four of the submarines expected to be commissioned by late 2030s. [1] [13]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Singh, Arjun Dev (29 December 2025). "CHAKRA EXCLUSIVE: India's fourth SSBN sails out for sea trials". Chakranewz. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Unnithan, Sandeep (10 December 2017). "A peek into India's top secret and costliest defence project, nuclear submarines". India Today . Archived from the original on 20 April 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  3. ↑ "Founder's Day Speech, Director, BARC" (PDF). Bhabha Atomic Research Centre. 30 October 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  4. ↑ "DAE (Excellence in Science, Engineering & Technology) Awards 2010" (PDF). BARC Newsletter (322): 33. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 May 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2021.
  5. ↑ "Bhabha Atomic Research Centre making reactor for Navy's next generation nuclear submarines". The Times of India. 21 September 2025.
  6. ↑ Pandit, Rajat (5 November 2018). "Nuclear submarine INS Arihant completes patrol, country's N-triad operational". The Times of India . Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  7. ↑ Prakash, Arun (7 November 2018). "The significance of Arihant". The Indian Express . Archived from the original on 10 September 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
  8. ↑ "Agni VI, ISRO and Radio Silence on India's 10,000 KM Range ICBM". 17 November 2022.
  9. ↑ "Much improved & bigger 3rd Generation S5 SSBN of the Indian Navy to enter production in 2027". IgMp. 4 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  10. ↑ "Amid China standoff, India set to boost naval power with 3rd N-sub in 6 months". The Times of India. 30 August 2024. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  11. ↑ "India's S5 SSBN to Armed with 12 SLBM Launch Tubes, K5 Missile, and 190 MW Reactor". Defence.in. 11 September 2024. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
  12. ↑ "Bhabha Atomic Research Centre making reactor for Navy's next-generation nuclear-submarines". The Times of India. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 20 September 2025.
  13. ↑ Militar, Redaccion Zona (30 December 2025). "India is reported to have begun sea trials of the fourth of its new Arihant-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines". Zona Militar. Retrieved 31 December 2025.
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