Indian Kilo class submarine explosion and sinking

 

Above: INS Sindhurakshak ablaze (Reuters)

Posted at Wikipedia:

On 14 August 2013, [INS] Sindhurakshak [S63] sank after explosions caused by a fire took place onboard when the submarine was docked at Mumbai. The fire, followed by a series of ordnance blasts on the armed submarine, occurred shortly after midnight. The fire was put out within two hours. It is unclear exactly what caused the fire. Due to damage from the explosions, the submarine sank at its berth with only a portion visible above the water surface. Sailors on board reportedly jumped off to safety. Navy divers were also brought in as there was a possibility that 18 personnel were trapped inside. India's defence minister confirmed that there were fatalities.

Due to the explosion, the front section of the submarine was twisted, bent and crumpled, and water had entered the forward compartment. Another [Kilo class] submarine, INS Sindhuratna [S59], also sustained minor damage when the fire on Sindhurakshak caused its torpedoes to explode. Defence minister A. K. Antony briefed the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the submarine incident, and would leave for Mumbai to visit the accident site.

Official sources said it was "highly unlikely" the submarine could be returned to service.

Iran's navy also operates three Kilo class submarines: Tareq (901), Noor (902) and Yunes (903), which like the stricken Indian submarines are also Project 877EKM types.

File photo of INS Sindhurakshak (Reuters)

Iran Navy submarine returns alongside '14th Fleet'

click photos to enlarge

IRINS YUNES (SSK 903) TAREQ (KILO) CLASS (PROJECT 877 EKM) SUBMARINE

Reported from Islamic Republic News Agency:

Bandar Abbas, Hormuzgan Prov, July 5, IRNA – Iranian 'Younes' submarine has returned home at the end of its first international mission which was completed successfully, it was reported Tuesday.

Younes was sailing alongside warships belonged to the 14th fleet of the Iranian Navy, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told IRNA in this southern province.

Younes and its accompanying warships have returned home Monday after they successfully conducted maritime surveillance operations and identified the warships of other countries in international waters, he added.

They returned home following their nearly two-month-long mission in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

The Iranian submarine entered the waters of the Red Sea on June 7 and joined the 14th fleet of warships.

The deployment of Iranian military submarines in the Red Sea was the first such operation by the Iranian Navy in distant waters, Rear Admiral Sayyari said.

Iran Navy fleet expeditions are being provided with greater publicized exposure; this time with the inclusion of a returning Kilo class submarine. According to Captain Hossein Hariri, commander of IRINS Yunes:

"During the [66-day, 3800 mile] mission, all the systems optimized by the country's experts were successfully tested."

He stated that the submarine and his crew succeeded in identifying and detecting a large number of the vessels during the course of its mission and recorded all radar and sonar specifications of these fleets.

IRINS BANDAR ABBAS (AORLH 421) BANDAR ABBAS CLASS FLEET SUPPLY SHIP

IRINS NAGHDI (FS 82) BAYANDAR CLASS CORVETTE

Photos: Islamic Republic News Agency

Iran Builds New Missile, Submarine

The New Ghadir-class Submarine

The Iranian military reported it has manufactured a new ballistic missile with a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles). At this range, the new missile, called Ashura, would be capable of reaching US bases in the Middle East as well as Israel.

The military also reported it has manufactured a Ghadir-class submarine which will be delivered to the navy tomorrow. The light submarine will be capable of rapid maneuvers at high speed and is fitted with the latest electronics and communications gears, the navy claims.

The navy is planning to conduct war games next February in the Straits of Hormuz, the entrance to the Persian Gulf.

Ashura is the newest in Iran’s ballistic missile inventory. In September, Iran test-fired Ghadr-1, a missile with 1,800 km (1,100 miles) range.