According to DailyO news website reports, The Indian Navy is considering an offer by Russia’s state-owned JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) for three refurbished Kilo-class submarines to augment its shortfall in diesel-electric submarines (SSKs). The company has also offered major refit on three of the Indian Navy’s existing Project 877EKM Kilo-class submarines, known locally as Sindhughosh-class. One important capability which the Kilos provide India is their submarine launched cruise missiles. They are equipped with the Russian supplied 3M-14E Club-S missile which is roughly similar to the American Tomahawk.The refit will extend their operational life by 10 years.
USC reportedly offered a $1.8-2 billion, dubbed “three plus three” and worth around $1.8 billion, was expected to be offered at the annual meeting of the Indo-Russian Inter-Governmental Technical Commission (IRIGTC) that was to be held in Goa last month but postponed due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. The Indian Navy would receive the Russian-made SSKs at one-year intervals with the first boat slated for delivery three years after the conclusion of the agreement. The Indian Navy would receive the Russian-made SSKs at one-year intervals with the first boat slated for delivery three years after the conclusion of the agreement.
Sindhughosh-class submarines are Kilo-class diesel-electric submarines in active service with the Indian Navy. The Sindhughosh submarines, designated 877EKM, were designed as part of Project 877, and built under a contract between Rosvooruzhenie and the Ministry of Defence (India). The submarines have a displacement of 3,000 tonnes, a maximum diving depth of 300 meters, top speed of 18 knots, and are able to operate solo for 45 days with a crew of 53. The final unit was the first to be equipped with the 3M-54 Klub (SS-N-27) antiship cruise missiles with a range of 220 km. India originally procured ten Project 877EKM Sindhughosh-class submarines from Russia.
