The INS Chakra, formally commissioned into service in the Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam on Friday, is a nuclear-powered attack submarine, has a displacement of over 12,000 tonnes, a maximum submerged speed of 30 knots (55kmp) and operating depth of 500 metres.
Interestingly, the nuclear reactor of the INS Chakra has the capacity to generate more than half of Visakhapatnam city’s power consumption. While the city’s daily power requirement is 350 MW, the nuclear reactor that powers INS Chakra generates 190 MW The Russian-built submarine is manned by a crew of 80. It is equipped with an array of tactical missiles, cutting-edge fire control systems, sonars, contemporary optronic periscopes, and communication and surveillance systems that give the submarine a phenomenal operational flexibility and lethal potency. It carries more than 20 missiles and torpedoes.
“I am very happy to be part of INS Chakra, which is technically the most advanced and also the most challenging craft for submariners. We were all very comfortable on the voyage from Russia. This nuclear submarine can overrun any opposition,” says the commander of the submarine, Captain P. Ashokan.
In 2008, the submarine had hit international headlines when it was still owned by the Russians. During an underwater test in the Pacific Ocean, 20 personnel died of asphyxiation from a gas that was accidentally triggered, and at least 21 were injured. It was the worst Russian submarine disaster.