Will Indian submarines become ferocious lionesses of the sea with AIP technology? Pakistan and China will be left staring

New Delhi: On one side of India is the Arabian Sea and on the other side is the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean. While China remains a threat from the Indian Ocean side, Pakistan remains a threat from the Arabian Sea side. In such a situation, India needs such submarines in the sea, which can make India invincible in the sea. This is the reason why India is now using Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology in its submarines. The special thing is that such submarines do not let the enemy know about themselves and move silently for miles under the sea without making any noise. Do you know about this technology and also know why this technology is being discussed now?

What is AIP technology, let us first understand it

According to sciencedirect, Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology makes a submarine a silent but ferocious predator of the ocean. Hydrogen and oxygen produce energy by combining. Actually, submarines are generally of two types – conventional and nuclear. Conventional submarines use diesel-electric engines, which require them to capture atmospheric oxygen for energy. Because of this they have to come to the surface every day. If the submarine is equipped with an AIP system, the submarine will only have to come out once a week for oxygen.

Excellent for intelligence gathering and reconnaissance missions.

Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) technology is used in some submarines of India. Submarines equipped with AIP technology can remain underwater for longer periods than conventional diesel-electric submarines. Submarines equipped with AIP technology reduce noise and operate stealthily. Submarines equipped with AIP technology can easily complete missions like intelligence gathering, reconnaissance without alerting the enemies.

Submarines can stay under the sea for 50 thousand hours

Submarines equipped with AIP technology can perform extended missions without military constraints. Submarines equipped with AIP technology can travel long distances at low speeds. Some reports even say that submarines equipped with this technology can stay underwater for 50 thousand hours without coming out. Submarines equipped with AIP technology can reach their targets at a faster speed with the help of lithium-ion batteries.

Such submarines are based on green technology

A special thing about submarines equipped with AIP technology is that they are based on green technology. Their only waste product is water, which helps reduce marine pollution. The cells used in these are more powerful and they do not get spoiled quickly.

A Spanish engineer had invented this technology

The earliest attempt to burn fuel anaerobically was in 1867. At that time, Narciso Monturiol, a Spanish engineer, had successfully developed a chemically powered anaerobic or air independent steam engine. The engine was made from a combination of potassium chlorate and zinc, which produced heat and conveniently oxygen. It is from here that AIP technology is believed to have developed. In 1908 the Imperial Russian Navy launched the submarine Pochtovy, which used a gasoline-powered engine filled with compressed air.

For this reason this AIP technology is in discussion

Recently a news came that India’s ambitious Project 75I to increase the submarine fleet is continuously getting delayed. The main hurdle is the selection of the right Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system, with the Indian Navy still having to choose between two major contenders – Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) and Spain’s Navantia. Technical assessments and rising costs have complicated the need to modernize India’s underwater capabilities.

One day India will become the uncrowned king of the sea

By the time construction of the P-75I is completed under the 30-year project, India will have six diesel-electric, six AIP-powered and six nuclear attack submarines. The Indian Navy currently operates 17 diesel-powered attack submarines and one nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, INS Arihant. India’s submarine fleet is based at two locations – Visakhapatnam on the east coast and Mumbai on the west coast.

Pakistan does not have a single submarine with AIP technology

Recently, Pakistan has signed a deal with China for eight attack submarines. The first was launched in 2024 and the rest are expected to launch by 2028. The Chair of Statistics has quoted the report of Global Fire Power as saying that Pakistan currently has 5 large and 3 small diesel-powered submarines.
Pakistan does not have any submarine with AIP technology. At the same time, Russia has the maximum number of 65 submarines in the world. America is at second position with 64 submarines. Whereas, China is at third place with 61 submarines. India is at number eight with 18 submarines.

Nuclear submarine was launched this year

India has launched its fourth nuclear-powered ballistic missile (SSBN) submarine at the Ship Building Center (SBC) in Visakhapatnam to strengthen its nuclear deterrent capability. On October 16 this year, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh launched it at the Ship Building Center in Visakhapatnam. 75% of its goods are made in India only. Its code name is codename S4. It is equipped with a nuclear ballistic missile with a range of 3500 kilometers. India’s first nuclear submarine INS Chakra was named S1. Whereas, INS Arihant has been named S2, INS Arighat as S3, INS Aridman as S4.

Vajpayee had approved the project to build 24 indigenous submarines by 2030.

In June 1999, when the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government was in power, the Cabinet Committee on Security had approved a 30-year plan for the Navy to indigenously build and induct 24 submarines by 2030. In the first phase, two production lines were to be established – first, P-75 and second, P-75I. Each line was to produce six submarines.
While the 6 P-75 submarines are diesel-electric, they can be equipped with AIP technology later in their life. At that time, the estimated cost of this P-75I project was Rs 43,000 crore, which envisages indigenous construction of submarines equipped with Advanced Air Independent Propulsion System. Now their cost has increased.