Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta Spells Out Vision 2022

[Marshal]

With India's aspiration to operate a nuclear submarine likely to be fulfilled next year with Russian-made Akula set to join the fleet, the Indian Navy is pitching for a submarine-launched nuclear missile to boost the nation's deterrence capabilities.

"With nuclear proliferation posing a greater threat along with Weapons of Mass Destruction, our unilateral policy of no-first-use necessitates that India possesses a credible and survivable nuclear deterrent, including submarine-launched," Navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta said on Saturday while delivering a lecture on Navy's vision for the future. India had in February this year tested a submarine-launched ballistic missile for the first time that would take another three years to be fully operational.

After a delay, Akula nuclear-powered submarine is likely to join service with Indian Navy next year, Mehta said, pointing out that the Navy would basically use the Russian-made submarine for training in personnel before they get to operate the indigenous nuclear-powered submarine that is under secret construction at the Mazagaon Docks in Mumbai. "Though it is an operational submarine, Akula will be basically used for training Naval operators before they get to operate our indigenous nuclear-powered submarine," the Navy chief said.

A DRDO project, the indigenous nuclear-powered submarine project, codenamed Advanced Technology Vehicle, is said to be well set for sea trials two years from now. India already has 16 diesel powered submarines and is building six more Scorpene submarines under a technology transfer contract from the French. The Scorpenes are scheduled to get into Indian naval service from 2012 to 2017.

Talking about the Navy's vision, Mehta said India wanted to create and sustain a three-dimensional, technology-enabled and networked force capable of safeguarding maritime interests in the high seas and projecting combat power across the littoral. "Ensuring a secure and peaceful environment in the Indian Ocean Region and to further India's political, economic, diplomatic and military objectives are Navy's responsibilities. We will deter conflict through conventional and non-conventional strength. But if this fails, we will fight to achieve decisive victory over our adversaries," he said. Noting that no one could ignore nuclear proliferation and threat of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Mehta said Navy's security concerns would span all forms of conflicts from low-end to nuclear threshold. "The risk of conventional conflict also looms large over the sub-continent. Therefore, we expect our neighbour to operate on all spectrums of conflicts. Threats are many -- transient and dynamic," he said.

Pointing out that threat-specific planning would be rather complicated, Mehta said India needed to consciously embarked upon mission-dominant, capability-based approach, which envisaged force levels and a mix that will provide flexibility to confront any situation that may in the future based on our strategic assessment.

Stating that India's expanding maritime responsibilities and interests would necessitate enhancement in force levels too, Mehta said the Navy was looking at becoming a 160-plus ship force by 2022. "By 2022, we plan to have 160-plus ship navy, including three aircraft carriers, 60 major combatants, including submarines and close to 400 aircraft of different types. This will be a formidable three dimensional force with satellite surveillance and networking to provide force multiplication," Mehta said.

In an unprecedented naval construction programme, Indian Navy already has an indigenous order to construct 38 vessels, which included an aircraft carrier, three destroyers and frigates each, six submarines, 10 waterjet-propelled fast attack craft, a landing ship, six survey vessels, four anti-submarine corvettes and four offshore patrol vessels, with many more orders on the anvil.

Also, to address capability gaps in surveillance and several airborne warfare disciplines, the coming decade would see the induction of several new air platforms and midlife upgrading of older ones.

Notable among the new acquisitions would be MiG-29 aircraft to operate on the INS Vikramaditya bought from the Russians, long and medium range maritime patrol aircraft, airborne early warning systems, multirole choppers and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Mehta said Indian Navy's perspective plan for the next 15 to 20 years would provide sustained business incentive to invest in naval systems, ships and aircraft for the Indian industry on their own or with overseas collaboration. Asserting Navy's commitment in this regard, Mehta said his force would participate in and promote any government initiative to enhance indigenous defence and ship-building industry.
http://http://www.india-defence.com/reports-3954

[nitesh]

That's good news but what does he talking about 400 aircrafts? Aircrafts for Navy means air craft carriers mainly so how many carriers are in plan?

Stating that India's expanding maritime responsibilities and interests would necessitate enhancement in force levels too, Mehta said the Navy was looking at becoming a 160-plus ship force by 2022. "By 2022, we plan to have 160-plus ship navy, including three aircraft carriers, 60 major combatants, including submarines and close to 400 aircraft of different types. This will be a formidable three dimensional force with satellite surveillance and networking to provide force multiplication," Mehta said

[Marshal]

Originally Posted by nitesh

That's good news but what does he talking about 400 aircrafts? Aircrafts for Navy means air craft carriers mainly so how many carriers are in plan?

400 aircrafts include fighterjets+transport, petrol and ASW aircraft and helicopters. IN right now has plan of inducting only 3 carriers before 2022.

[nitesh]

Originally Posted by Marshal

400 aircrafts include fighterjets+transport, petrol and ASW aircraft and helicopters. IN right now has plan of inducting only 3 carriers before 2022.

Ok let us try to divide the things (in approximate figures)

ASW aircraft ~ 30 (Including long range, medium range, short range)

ASW helicopters ~ 20-25 (sea king and komov)

Transport aircrafts ~ 30 (IL 76)

even if we say helicopters as 50 it is still ~ 300 aircrafts if we take 3 aircraft carriers each having 40 (assumption) aircrafts then also 180 remains what does he is talking seems like there are two air forces in making.

[Marshal]

Originally Posted by nitesh

Ok let us try to divide the things (in approximate figures)

ASW aircraft ~ 30 (Including long range, medium range, short range)

ASW helicopters ~ 20-25 (sea king and komov)

Transport aircrafts ~ 30 (IL 76)

even if we say helicopters as 50 it is still ~ 300 aircrafts if we take 3 aircraft carriers each having 40 (assumption) aircrafts then also 180 remains what does he is talking seems like there are two air forces in making.

also the survailance aircraft(jets+choper) which will be in a large no. and may be some extra fighter jets for the coastal air defence..........Navy already operates one sqdrn. of jaguars may be they want to expand that fleet as well.......

[Marshal]

Navy also has plan to induct large no of indigenous saras.....

[nitesh]

Originally Posted by Marshal

also the survailance aircraft(jets+choper) which will be in a large no. and may be some extra fighter jets for the costal air defence..........Navy already operates one sqdrn. of jaguars may be they want to expand that fleet as well.......

seems like they want to free IAF from coastal defense roles but these many numbers no way can be considered as defensive. If we go by numbers IAF with 40 (39.5) squadron strength and Navy with ~ 10 squadron strength a total of 50 squadrons will be maintained.

[Marshal]

Originally Posted by nitesh

seems like they want to free IAF from coastal defense roles but these many numbers no way can be considered as defensive. If we go by numbers IAF with 40 (39.5) squadron strength and Navy with ~ 10 squadron strength a total of 50 squadrons will be maintained.

Hey........those 40 sqdrn are only the fighter sqrdn. that does not include the transport survailance + chopper sqdrn....... No. of IN fighter sqdrn will be some where around 6 or 7 by the end of the 2022.

[Marshal]

hey dont forget to add the trainer sqdrn in both IAF and IN

[nitesh]

Originally Posted by Marshal

Hey........those 40 sqdrn are only the fighter sqrdn. that does not include the transport survailance + chopper sqdrn. No. of IN fighter sqdrn will be some where around 6 or 7 by the end of the 2022.

Yes but the sheer number of aircrafts and the ships especially in such ships indicates that Navy is not looking merely for defensive roles

Norththrop Grumman in India | Indian Defence Review


Are there any plans for a separate forces in line of US marines?

[Marshal]

Originally Posted by nitesh

Yes but the sheer number of aircrafts and the ships especially in such ships indicates that Navy is not looking merely for defensive roles

Norththrop Grumman in India | Indian Defence Review


Are there any plans for a separate forces in line of US marines?

Quite possible.....the clear indication for that when india bought 16000tn trenton.
India is also plannig to build similar type of vessel......also it is right now inducting smaller 5000tn amphibious as well.....

[nitesh]

Originally Posted by Marshal

Quite possible.....the clear indication for that when india bought trenton.
India is also plannig to build similar type of vessel......also it is right now inducting smaller 5000tn amphibious as well.....

But it will be good if we see a little bit large carrier with higher number of aircrafts onboard not super carriers like of US but something in sort of 50-60 planes on board.

5000 tn amphibious? van u pl help me with link.

[Marshal]

Originally Posted by nitesh

But it will be good if we see a little bit large carrier with higher number of aircrafts onboard not super carriers like of US but something in sort of 50-60 planes on board.

5000 tn amphibious? van u pl help me with link.

shardul class amphibious 5600tn capable of carrieng at least 500 troops http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...ding_Ship_Tank

[Marshal]

Originally Posted by nitesh

But it will be good if we see a little bit large carrier with higher number of aircrafts onboard not super carriers like of US but something in sort of 50-60 planes on board.

right now we dont have the capacity to build such a huge carrier with capacity of carrieng 50 to 60 aircraft. First we need to successfuly induct atlest 2 37000tn AC. then we can think about the larger carrier. The Navy probably has a plan for that as well, I guess. I think the next class of carrier should be larger then the vikrant class carrier. the experience gain from this project will definately be helpful in the future carrier projects.

[nitesh]

Originally Posted by Marshal

shardul class amphibious 5600tn capable of carrieng at least 500 troops http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...ding_Ship_Tank

Thanks for the link

but one question so many land based fighters?