Флот подводных лодок типа «Кило» в Индии сократится до трех единиц из-за старения техники

The Indian Navy’s Kilo class submarine fleet is poised to suffer another set of retirements in the coming years due to their advanced age, and the costs of life extension programmes, according to idrw.org sources. Up to three vessels are likely to be retired within the next two to five year moving forward. With a possible 35% reduction in numbers, the fleet would be cut down to just three vessels if adequate numbers of replacement platforms fail to be inducted during the same period. India’s Indian Navy inducted ten Russian built Project 877EKM Kilo class diesel-electric submarines between the late 1980s and early 2000s. Following the retirement of four boats in the past few years, the fleet was reduced to a mere six vessels. With several of the remaining boats on the nearing 35-year mark, the Navy is now preparing to retire the next set of submarines as their service life of the hull is coming to end. The proposed retirements are not expected not to hit combat capabilities of the Indian Navy’s underwater fleet. While the aging Kilo class boats have been upgraded on more than one occasion in their long service, the upgrades have been restricted to sensors and weapons only. The latest upgrades include new hull mounted sonars, combat management systems, electronic warfare suites and the addition of Club-S cruise missiles. However, these are mounted on upgraded versions of the same hull design that were in service more than four decades ago. Furthermore, it becomes progressively more difficult and expensive to keep aging diesel-electric submarines on active service as spares start to become unavailable, hulls become more fatigued, and overhaul costs climb. At a certain point, it becomes more economically viable to retire a vessel and replace it with new platforms rather than undergo expensive and time-consuming modernization. Russia has offered to Sell three rebulished Kilo Class submarines to India with newer weapons package but this submarines on offer also have done more then 25 years of service and might not be combat worthy for long duration of operation with the Indain Navy so this offer has not been taken up by the Indian Navy. The Navy is also looking to acquire a new class of conventional submarines under Project-75(I) which will feature improved stealth features and air-independent propulsion from German company TKMS. However, with contract negotiations and construction schedules likely to stretch into the next decade, the first Project-75(I) submarine is unlikely to be commissioned before the early 2030s. This could lead to a temporary reduction in India’s conventional submarine fleet.