S5-class submarine

	An artistic impression of the S5-class submarine
Class overview
Operators	Indian Navy
Preceded by	Arihant class
Planned	3
General characteristics
Type	Nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine
Displacement	13,300 tonnes
Propulsion	1 x CLWR-B2 Compact Light-water reactor; 190 MW (250,000 hp); 1 × single shaft pump-jet propulsor;
Range	Unlimited
Armament	12-16 VLS cells for; K-5 SLBM (5,000–6,000 km or 3,100–3,700 mi range) (or) ; K6 MIRV SLBM (8,000–9,000 km or 5,000–5,600 mi range);

S5 is the code name for a planned class of Indian nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines currently being developed for the Indian Navy. S5 will weigh around twice as much as the preceding Arihant-class submarine. It is expected to start production by 2027.^[5]

Design

The S5-class of submarines are planned to weigh around 13,500 tonnes (13,300 long tons; 14,900 short tons).^[6] The submarines are planned to be armed with up to twelve or sixteen K6 Submarine-launched ballistic missiles, each armed with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles.^[1]^[4]

Development

The Government of India made an assessment of India's capability to design and construct a class of three new ballistic missile submarines codenamed S5 in 2006 when it was realised that the reactor and payload capacity of the Arihant-class submarines was limited. These submarines were initially planned to be operational beginning in 2021 but were delayed. The delay prompted the Indian Government to sanction an additional Arihant-class submarine in 2012 to avoid the production line becoming idle.^[1]

As of 4 December 2022, the S5-class submarine was to enter production by 2027.^[5]^[7]

As of September 2024, the design phase of the submarine was nearing completion and project sanction was expected soon.^[8]