• India is on the cusp of strengthening its strategic defence architecture with the impending induction of INS Aridhaman, the nation’s second home-built, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN). Under construction at the Ship Building Centre, Visakhapatnam as part of the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project, INS Aridhaman represents a significant leap in indigenous deterrence capabilities.
• At approximately 125 meters in length and 7,000 tonnes displacement, Aridhaman is engineered to carry a higher payload of K-4 ballistic missiles, solidifying India’s underwater nuclear triad. The vessel offers advanced stealth and survivability, with a complement of about 95 crew, including officers and sailors.
• Technologically, INS Aridhaman stands out with a suite of sophisticated sonar and communications systems
• USHUS and Panchendriya sonar arrays provide multi-dimensional underwater surveillance, tactical control, and threat detection.
• Twin flank-array sonars enhance situational awareness.
• Rafael broadband expendable anti-torpedo countermeasures boost defensive capabilities.
• Incorporating world-class engineering, the submarine is poised not only to augment India’s nuclear deterrence but also to elevate its status among nations capable of designing, building, and operating nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines.
• As the induction process enters its final stages, INS Aridhaman is set to join its predecessor, INS Arihant, in solidifying India’s “second-strike capability” and maritime security posture.