Indian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.

So my initial assessment was almost right on, the violent explosion was caused by detonation of onboard ordnance.

450kg of TNT, that sub is totalled, period.

By contrast a Mark 48 torpedo carries about 300kg warhead.
And I suspect detonation inside the sub would be a lot more severe compared to a strike from outside.

Is it possible to survive if you are in the rear section with doors properly closed? If they were only 18 on board it is likely that they were all involved with the ordnance loading activities.

They were loading it for an upcomming exercise/test fire I think.

SteelBird said:

Since it's so near to the ground (port) and water is so shallow, why don't just just lift it up to the ground? Do they have facilities to lift the thousand-tons object off water?

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The wreckage will be surfaced.

Apong said:

The wreckage will be surfaced.

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Or made neutrally buoyant so that it is off the sea floor, but is still underwater, and then moved into drydock.

no_name said:

Is it possible to survive if you are in the rear section with doors properly closed? If they were only 18 on board it is likely that they were all involved with the ordnance loading activities.

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Not likely; the explosion and subsequent fire melted the compartment hatches, deforming them. This was a big explosion and fire.

stack said:

Why live ammunition is present in the vessel when the sub is in a civilian dock for maintenance? Shouldn't all ammunition be removed for such activities? Anyway, I thought is with the families of those sailors who died in the accident, I believe it takes a special breed of people who is willing and able to serve in an enclosed metal cylinder without windows which can be your coffin anytime. It is difficult to imagine the horror when the accident happened. These are very brave men, all submariners are for that matter.

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And by all account you are right, sailors on the Royal Navy Trafalgar Class SSN have bunk beds which have only 18 inches of head space, basically you can’t turn over you can only lie straight, anyone who is tall has huge issues and problems working in a SSN, it is not uncommon for sailors to wake up during the night with nightmares of them being in a coffin, many Royal Navy sailors have experienced this, its a tough life being aboard a SSN very tight spaces

The new Astute Class SSN have much better living and sleeping space but its still tiny compared to say a aircraft carrier bunkers and living area

For SSBN the space is more but again no privilege, imagine what It must have been like back in the days when wars when on and the technology was older

asif iqbal said:

For SSBN the space is more but again no privilege, imagine what It must have been like back in the days when wars when on and the technology was older

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They said during WW2, US submarine sailors whenever they go on shore to get supplies, one of the first things they do is to get new uniforms, and their old clothes? They just burn them, can't blame them really, too dirty to have a fat chance to wash out the gunk and whatnot...

WWII submarines were called pigboats for a reason. Weeks with out a shower, almost no ventilation roasting heat from The combined body heat of 60 guys crammed into a space no bigger then a few school buses end to end filled with dials, scolding pipes, explosives, electrical wires, engines, the stink of diesel and the stench of acid for batteries the heat of the engines and Stress... stress from those moments when the risk is there or not there. every thing was rationed Water was at a premium. remember Nuclear subs generate their own drinking water, older subs depended on what they got in port.

asif iqbal said:

And by all account you are right, sailors on the Royal Navy Trafalgar Class SSN have bunk beds which have only 18 inches of head space, basically you can’t turn over you can only lie straight, anyone who is tall has huge issues and problems working in a SSN, it is not uncommon for sailors to wake up during the night with nightmares of them being in a coffin, many Royal Navy sailors have experienced this, its a tough life being aboard a SSN very tight spaces

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Well , they would have to make more room now , cause they intend to include female and homosexual members of the crew

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Btw , preliminary results of investigation :

INS Sindhurakshak: Navy sticks to ‘accident’ story behind submarine disaster
Rajat Pandit, TNN | Aug 17, 2013, 02.17 AM IST

NEW DELHI: Preliminary assessments show "a plain and simple accident" in the "fully-loaded" weapons compartment of INS Sindhurakshak, which caused "sympathetic detonation" of some missile and torpedo warheads, probably led to the sinking of the Kilo-class submarine in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Though holding that the board of inquiry (BoI) headed by senior submariner Commodore Deepak Bhist will pinpoint the reason, top naval sources on Friday virtually ruled out hydrogen gas leakage, "a major material failure", or sabotage being responsible for the disaster.

This then leaves "mishandling of ammunition" as the most plausible reason for the massive explosions that even "ejected" a Klub-S cruise missile out of the vessel. Asked about this, the sources said even if "mishandling" was the case, it was "more of an accident" rather than "lack of training or expertise".

"Something could have slipped from someone's hand ... a device could have malfunctioned. We don't know yet since the mangled submarine is still underwater. But the 18 on board were highly-experienced, including three officers and three `underwater weapons specialist' petty officers (junior commissioned officers)," said a source. .........................

And this is also interesting :

Russian specialists not allowed to sunken submarine site in Mumbai

Specialists of the working group from the Severodvinsk-based ship repair centre Zvyozdochka are not allowed to the submarine accident site for the third day, a member of the group said on Friday. The diesel-powered submarine Sindhurakshak, which sank in the port of Mumbai, was repaired and modernized at the Severodvinsk centre.

"I was told that we would not be allowed there soon," the specialist said. "All my attempts are in vain."

The submarine sank after blasts and a fire on board on the night to Wednesday. According to the preliminary information, a fire broke out aboard the submarine and caused two explosions in the torpedo section. Among the versions of the disaster are an explosion caused by hydrogen discharge during battery charging and an error in missile loading.
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The Indian Navy has stood up a squadron of in service, full production Mig-29Ks for their Virkamaditya aircraft carrier...and the proof is in the pudding:


That picture show eight of the full squadron of sixteen that have been stood up.

With that full air wing, already ready and pilots already worked up on the aircraft themselves, the INS is going to rapidly progress to having a trained and operational squadron of aircraft in service and at sea on the Virkamaditra.

I look forward to the day when we can see a picture like that of a squadron of PLAN J-15s lined up and being reviewed as they are formed into a full, active squadron.