Latest news with #SSNs
India.com
4 days ago
- Politics
- India.com
India's Nuclear Submarines, K-6 Missiles & MIRV Power Can Crush China, Rattle US
New Delhi: India's BrahMos missiles struck 11 major airbases inside Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. The destruction left behind was severe. Most of those bases still remain non-operational. The attack exposed India's combat strength, and that revelation has triggered visible fear in Pakistan's press. The Dawn has published a series of articles warning the world about India's growing missile power. Just last week, it raised alarms about India's bunker-buster bombs, calling them a significant threat to Pakistan's national security. Now, a new report highlights the one fear that Islamabad cannot shake – India's rapidly expanding naval nuclear arsenal. Dr. Aqil Akhtar, visiting faculty at Pakistan's National Defence University, warns that India's sea-based missile systems pose a direct threat. He writes that India is aggressively expanding its naval presence and firepower across the Indian Ocean, Pacific and Arabian Sea. According to him, the scale of this buildup exceeds India's defensive needs by a wide margin. India's naval modernisation is accelerating military competition and destabilising strategic balance. The analysis singles out India's nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) and attack submarines (SSNs) as a major danger for Pakistan. The report describes India's sea-based nuclear deterrent programme as a shift from a defensive posture to an offensive maritime doctrine. Why Pakistan Fears INS Arihant, INS Arighat According to Dr. Akhtar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government is weaponising the Indian Ocean under a bold maritime strategy. The article describes this strategy as a trigger for regional and global instability. India's SSBN programme has reached a mature phase, which has sent alarm bells ringing in Islamabad. In direct combat terms, Pakistan stands no match. China, too, is now within India's striking range. India's sea-based missile power has reached a point where, in a full-scale war, India could inflict complete destruction on any adversary, including China. The Dawn expresses growing panic over India's nuclear submarines such as the INS Arihant and the INS Arighat. These platforms have completed India's nuclear triad, giving New Delhi second-strike capabilities from land, air and sea. The subs carry K-15 missiles (750 km range) and K-4 missiles (3,500 km range). India is preparing to deploy K-5 (6,000 km) and K-6 (8,000 km) SLBMs in the near future. Agni Missiles and MIRV Weapons Raise Global Alarms The article claims Pakistan's fear goes beyond regional considerations. India's strategic capability now spans global distances. The analysis notes that India is capable of storing over 400 nuclear warheads, with at least 100 ready for submarine launch. With this arsenal, even major powers like China and the United States would hesitate before engaging India militarily. According to the Dawn , India's recent behavior marks a drift from its stated policy of 'credible minimum deterrence'. The article suggests that India is now showcasing offensive power openly. Weapons equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle (MIRV) technology give India rapid first-strike potential, a shift that could destabilise nuclear strategy across Asia. A Threat That Can't Be Ignored Dr. Akhtar references senior Carnegie Fellow Ashley J. Tellis, who wrote in the Foreign Affairs that India's maritime strategy goes beyond China. According to the article, India aims to counter any nation seeking dominance, even the United States. The policy is rooted in the belief that countries have interests, not permanent friends. India's SSBN capability forms the backbone of its second-strike doctrine. That means if a nuclear attack is launched against India, retaliation is guaranteed and unavoidable. No enemy would be left standing. Pakistan has approached the United Nations Security Council and Western governments, urging them to stop India's development of long-range intercontinental missile systems such as the Agni-V and the Agni-VI.
AllAfrica
17-07-2025
- Business
- AllAfrica
Submarine delays sinking US edge in a Taiwan war
A widening gap between US submarine ambitions and industrial capacity is reshaping the undersea balance just as China accelerates its challenge beneath the waves. This month, the US Congressional Research Service (CRS) noted that the US Navy has deferred procurement of its next-generation attack submarine, the SSN(X), from fiscal year 2035 to 2040 due to overall budget constraints, as stated in the Navy's FY2025 30-year shipbuilding plan. The delay raises concerns about a critical production gap following the completion of the Columbia-class line and threatens continuity in the submarine industrial base. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates the average unit cost of the SSN(X) at US$8.7 billion, 23% higher than the Navy's own $7.1 billion projection. Designed to exceed adversaries in speed, stealth, payload capacity and autonomous system integration, the SSN(X) draws on traits from the Seawolf, Virginia and Columbia classes, with CBO estimating a displacement of roughly 10,100 tons. The deferral has reignited debate over propulsion choices, but the US Navy maintains its opposition to low-enriched uranium (LEU), citing endurance losses, developmental uncertainties and a potential 20–30-year, $25 billion timeline for an alternative fuel system. General Dynamics Electric Boat and Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) are expected to share construction duties, but the five-year delay casts doubt on workforce retention and supplier viability. Congress faces growing pressure to reconcile fiscal constraints with strategic imperatives as China accelerates its undersea buildup. The deferral underscores a growing mismatch between strategic urgency and industrial capacity, exposing vulnerabilities in undersea readiness just as China ramps up its naval modernization. Production bottlenecks, workforce attrition and tight budgets are converging to undermine the one domain where the US has still retained its clear advantage. Underscoring this strategic importance, William Toti writes in a December 2023 Proceedings article that US attack submarines (SSNs) will serve as the linchpin of undersea dominance in a Taiwan Strait crisis, conducting high-risk anti-surface warfare (ASuW) to blunt China's potential invasion or blockade. He notes that SSNs can operate covertly in shallow, contested waters, striking People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) amphibious vessels and aircraft carriers with torpedoes while remaining undetected. Their stealth, he argues, allows early deployment without escalating tensions, though their limited numbers highlight dangerous shortfalls. Toti emphasizes that with US air power likely constrained and surface forces withheld in early stages of a conflict, SSNs may constitute the only decisive maritime counterforce. He calls for expanding the submarine fleet, speeding up weapons production and prioritizing ASuW readiness in anticipation of Indo-Pacific contingencies. However, even the world's best submarines may face formidable odds. Bryan Clark writes in a December 2022 Hudson Institute article that China's layered anti-submarine warfare (ASW) network—including passive seabed sensors, low-frequency active sonar, ASW missiles and mines—could expose and suppress US submarines in contested waters. Clark warns that China's growing fleet of modern conventional submarines, including the air-independent propulsion (AIP)-equipped Yuan-class, may overwhelm US ASW capabilities at chokepoints like the Miyako and Luzon straits. Without integrating unmanned systems such as relocatable sonar arrays and unmanned surface vessels (USVs) with towed sensors, he says, the US Navy risks tactical paralysis. Meanwhile, the US submarine force is overstretched. Jerry Hendrix notes in a 2024 American Affairs article that the Navy's current fleet of 53 fast-attack submarines suffers from chronic maintenance delays, with nearly a third sidelined. He argues that these issues diminish operational readiness, reduce surge capacity during crises and compromise deterrence credibility. He adds that US submarines often must enter contested zones ahead of surface or air forces, making their availability critical. Further, a February 2025 US Government Accountability Office (GAO) report highlights persistent delays in shipbuilding, noting that from 2019 to 2023, the US Navy significantly underdelivered Virginia-class submarines compared to its shipbuilding plans from FY2019 to FY2023. The report identifies workforce shortages, supplier constraints and overly optimistic schedule assumptions as key contributors. The report states that the Columbia-class program also faces risks due to industrial base limitations. GAO criticizes the lack of performance metrics and coordination in Navy investments, warning that without structural reforms and sustained workforce development, the Navy may struggle to meet future shipbuilding goals. By contrast, Sarah Kirchberger writes in a September 2023 China Maritime Studies Institute (CMSI) report that China's submarine industrial base has expanded rapidly due to massive state investment, civil-military integration and modular shipbuilding practices. She notes that major shipyards such as Bohai and Wuchang have significantly increased construction capacity, positioning them to support the development of strategic platforms like the Type 095 and Type 096. However, Kirchberger cautions that China continues to lag in key technological areas, including nuclear propulsion, acoustic quieting, and advanced materials—factors that directly impact submarine stealth and survivability. She adds that China still relies on foreign—particularly Russian—technologies, and that limited transparency hinders external assessments of its actual capabilities. While China's progress in scaling production is notable, Kirchberger argues that persistent technical shortfalls limit its ability to challenge US undersea dominance in the near term. Reinforcing this view, Ryan Martinson notes in a June 2025 Center for International Maritime Security (CIMSEC) article that Chinese submarines face 'extremely high' detection risks immediately after leaving port due to the US Navy's three-dimensional undersea surveillance network. He describes a system combining seabed sensors, ASW aircraft, satellites, unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and sonar-equipped vessels across the First Island Chain. Martinson adds that PLAN experts themselves admit interception risks remain high even in China's 'near seas,' raising doubts about strategic utility and nuclear deterrence. The saturated acoustic environment, he says, renders Chinese submarines effectively 'not-so-silent,' limiting their survivability and wartime deployment. Ultimately, the US's edge beneath the waves is eroding not from enemy fire, but from self-inflicted industrial stagnation and delay. Unless urgently addressed, these setbacks could hand China a dangerous opportunity in the Indo-Pacific and a potential Taiwan war win.
India.com
09-07-2025
- Politics
- India.com
Big threat to China, Pakistan as India is building advanced nuclear attack submarines; Indo-Pacific area will be under..., name is...
Following recent wars and international disputes, India is also developing rapidly in modern warfare. With improvements in indigenous defense technologies to advanced naval and air capabilities, India is swiftly changing its military profile to match emerging threats and strategic challenges. An example is the nuclear attack submarines development, under Project-77. What is Project 77? Project 77 is an ambitious project that strives to develop indigenous nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSNs) for the Indian Navy. Recently, Project-77 has gained significant traction, and approval was recently secured for the development of two submarines. Under Project-77, India aspires to design six of these submarines. The submarines will be designed to remain submerged for long periods and move at faster speeds compared to traditional submarines, dramatically increasing the Navy's capability in terms of maritime security. The project is heavily reliant on major contributors like Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and the Shipbuilding Centre in Visakhapatnam for indigenous project development and the magnitude of resources they bring forth. The submarines are projected to carry an enhanced version of the BrahMos missile, and future hypersonic systems are still under development by DRDO, making these submarines very valuable to India in terms of naval capability. Why is Project-77 causing concern for China and Pakistan? This project is worrying for both China and Pakistan. The SSN submarines under Project-77 are going to be a huge enhancement to India's maritime capability. With China continuously expanding its naval footprint in the Indo-Pacific region, India requires strong undersea capabilities to offset China's growing ambitions. The SSNs being developed under Project-77 will provide difficult challenges to the Chinese Navy. The submarines will have the capability of being submerged for long periods of time, quietly following Chinese warships and submarines and providing India with an intelligence and deterrence advantage in oceans surrounding India. What advanced missile systems will Project-77 submarines be equipped with? With advanced variants of the BrahMos missile and future hypersonic capabilities, these submarines will be able to strike targets in the 1,500-to-2,000-kilometer range. This extended strike capability will allow the Indian Navy to hit high-value targets from a safe distance, outside the area of enemy air defense and area anti-submarine systems. This capability will allow deep-strike missions without direct risk to the submarines, which will put considerable pressure on China's maritime strategy and monitoring network. At present, Pakistan has no operational nuclear-powered submarines. Pakistan's navy currently uses conventional submarines and surface vessels for various operations, while India's SSNs that will be provided under Project-77 will have an important strategic advantage over Pakistan. The Indian SSN-class submarines will create a constant threat to the Pakistani Navy due to their speed, stealth, and missile capability. Their speed and reliance on stealth and advanced technology enable them to remain concealed from the Pakistan Navy for long periods of time, making them almost impossible to track, counter, or deter in the maritime domain. What is Project-77 and who is building India's nuclear-powered attack submarines? The Indian government is developing nuclear-powered attack submarines. This ambitious plan is being driven by three major players; Larsen & Toubro (L&T), the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and the Shipbuilding Centre at Visakhapatnam. The submarines will undertake offensive missions striking the enemy vessels, and long-duration missions for surveillance. The submarines will be designed to have BrahMos missiles, and in the not too distant future hypersonic weapons. What is a Nuclear-Powered Attack Submarine (SSN)? A nuclear-powered attack submarine generates motive power from nuclear energy, which means it is under extremely long submergence times compared to conventional submarines. With nuclear engines too, SSNs are much faster than conventionally-powered submarines, and India intends to procure 6 SSNs under Project-77. Missile Capability The submarines will be capable of launching advanced variants of the BrahMos missile, as well as hypersonic missiles being developed by DRDO which can have a strike range of 1,500-2,000 kilometers which means the submarine can strike enemy bases from safety. The submarine can remain out of reach of enemy air defence (probably operating at a target range of 200km from the base) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW), while deep-strike missions can be executed in their adversary's seas.
Business Upturn
18-06-2025
- Business
- Business Upturn
SES Successfully Prices €1 Billion Dual-Tranche Bond Offering with Strong 5.5x Oversubscription
Luxembourg: NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES, ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (THE UNITED STATES), OR TO ANY US PERSON (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933), OR IN OR INTO ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. SES S.A. today announced the successful launch and pricing of a dual-tranche note offering in which the company has agreed to sell senior unsecured fixed rate notes under its €5,500,000,000 EMTN Programme (the 'Notes'). Settlement is expected to take place on 24 June 2025: EUR 500 million of Notes will bear a coupon of 4.125% due in 2030. EUR 500 million of Notes will bear a coupon of 4.875% due in 2033. SES is rated Baa3, negative outlook by Moody's and BBB, negative outlook by Fitch. SES shall apply the net proceeds of the Notes towards its general corporate purposes, including, without limitation (i) financing all or part of the purchase price of the acquisition of Intelsat Holdings S.A. ('Intelsat' and Intelsat and its subsidiaries being the 'Intelsat Group') (the 'Acquisition') (including the payment of fees, costs and expenses in relation to the Acquisition) and/or (ii) refinancing existing indebtedness of the Group and/or (following closing of the Acquisition) the Intelsat Group. Promptly following the Issue Date, SES intends to cancel the bridge facility in relation to the Acquisition in an amount at least equal to the net proceeds of the Notes. SES also announces that, to further optimise the debt structure of the combined entity following the Acquisition, it intends to redeem (in aggregate) up to US$ 3 billion of the 6.500% First Lien Senior Secured Notes due 2030 issued by Intelsat Jackson Holdings SA ('SSNs') on, and conditional upon, closing of the Acquisition and settlement of the Notes. This will be achieved by the redemption of part or all of the SSNs in accordance with the optional redemption provisions governing the SSNs. Additionally, SES may from time to time conduct open market purchases of the SSNs. Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley acted as Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners, together with Goldman Sachs International, ING, J.P. Morgan, Société Générale as Joint Bookrunners. The settlement is scheduled for 24 June 2025 and application has been made for the Notes to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. The securities were placed with a broad range of institutional investors across Europe and Americas region. The successful, pricing of €1 billion dual-tranche bond offering, provides SES enhanced financial flexibility which in combination with an existing strong balance sheet gives SES sufficient liquidity to cover upcoming maturities. This reflects SES's disciplined financial policy and commitment to investment grade metrics and sets the combined company on a strong footing for long-term balance sheet strength. Sandeep Jalan, outgoing CFO of SES commented: 'We are delighted with the successful conclusion of this bond note offering, which reflects the market's strong confidence in SES as a quality investment grade credit. The impressive 5.5x oversubscription of the order book demonstrates the deep commitment of investors to SES's strategic vision and long-term value creation. With the anticipated closing of the Intelsat transaction in H2 of 2025, this marks the final step in our market access related to the financing of the Intelsat acquisition—an important milestone in our growth journey.' Follow us on: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | LinkedIn | Instagram Read our Blogs > Visit the Media Gallery > About SES SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on Earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless data connectivity services around the world. As a provider of global content and connectivity solutions, SES owns and operates a geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) fleet and medium earth orbit (MEO) constellation of satellites, offering a combination of global coverage and high-performance services. By using its intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES delivers high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners around the world. The company is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: View source version on Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Business Wire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Business Wire
17-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
SES Successfully Prices €1 Billion Dual-Tranche Bond Offering with Strong 5.5x Oversubscription
LUXEMBOURG--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO OR TO ANY PERSON LOCATED OR RESIDENT IN THE UNITED STATES, ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (THE UNITED STATES), OR TO ANY US PERSON (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE U.S. SECURITIES ACT OF 1933), OR IN OR INTO ANY OTHER JURISDICTION WHERE IT IS UNLAWFUL TO DISTRIBUTE THIS ANNOUNCEMENT. SES S.A. today announced the successful launch and pricing of a dual-tranche note offering in which the company has agreed to sell senior unsecured fixed rate notes under its €5,500,000,000 EMTN Programme (the "Notes"). Settlement is expected to take place on 24 June 2025: EUR 500 million of Notes will bear a coupon of 4.125% due in 2030. EUR 500 million of Notes will bear a coupon of 4.875% due in 2033. SES is rated Baa3, negative outlook by Moody's and BBB, negative outlook by Fitch. SES shall apply the net proceeds of the Notes towards its general corporate purposes, including, without limitation (i) financing all or part of the purchase price of the acquisition of Intelsat Holdings S.A. ('Intelsat' and Intelsat and its subsidiaries being the 'Intelsat Group') (the 'Acquisition') (including the payment of fees, costs and expenses in relation to the Acquisition) and/or (ii) refinancing existing indebtedness of the Group and/or (following closing of the Acquisition) the Intelsat Group. Promptly following the Issue Date, SES intends to cancel the bridge facility in relation to the Acquisition in an amount at least equal to the net proceeds of the Notes. SES also announces that, to further optimise the debt structure of the combined entity following the Acquisition, it intends to redeem (in aggregate) up to US$ 3 billion of the 6.500% First Lien Senior Secured Notes due 2030 issued by Intelsat Jackson Holdings SA ("SSNs") on, and conditional upon, closing of the Acquisition and settlement of the Notes. This will be achieved by the redemption of part or all of the SSNs in accordance with the optional redemption provisions governing the SSNs. Additionally, SES may from time to time conduct open market purchases of the SSNs. Deutsche Bank and Morgan Stanley acted as Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners, together with Goldman Sachs International, ING, J.P. Morgan, Société Générale as Joint Bookrunners. The settlement is scheduled for 24 June 2025 and application has been made for the Notes to be listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. The securities were placed with a broad range of institutional investors across Europe and Americas region. The successful, pricing of €1 billion dual-tranche bond offering, provides SES enhanced financial flexibility which in combination with an existing strong balance sheet gives SES sufficient liquidity to cover upcoming maturities. This reflects SES's disciplined financial policy and commitment to investment grade metrics and sets the combined company on a strong footing for long-term balance sheet strength. Sandeep Jalan, outgoing CFO of SES commented: 'We are delighted with the successful conclusion of this bond note offering, which reflects the market's strong confidence in SES as a quality investment grade credit. The impressive 5.5x oversubscription of the order book demonstrates the deep commitment of investors to SES's strategic vision and long-term value creation. With the anticipated closing of the Intelsat transaction in H2 of 2025, this marks the final step in our market access related to the financing of the Intelsat acquisition—an important milestone in our growth journey.' About SES SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on Earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless data connectivity services around the world. As a provider of global content and connectivity solutions, SES owns and operates a geosynchronous earth orbit (GEO) fleet and medium earth orbit (MEO) constellation of satellites, offering a combination of global coverage and high-performance services. By using its intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES delivers high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners around the world. The company is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at:
