ANSWERS: Submarine QOTW from 27 DEC 2015

Background

Related information, photo(s) and links for questions are found in the original posting here.
The source of all answers provided below was "Undersea warfare: Surfacing now, navy's biggest batch of submariners", Jugal R Purohit, IndiaToday, Visakhapatnam, December 27, 2015.

Questions of the Week with ANSWERS

1 -  What is the current average age of India's sub fleet?  ANS: The average age of the Indian submarine 25 years.

2 -  Recent accidents - the explosion and sinking of INS Sindhurakshak in 2013, killed 18, and fire on INS Sindhuratna last year killed two officers. Unusually thorough accident reviews resulted in implementation of corrective procedures.  Is India's submarine force made up of volunteers?  ANS: YES.
 
3 -  India's navy has a submarine school comprised of three schools, the first is a year-long basics school for officers and enlisted.  What are the other two schools?  ANS: Escape training and the school of Advanced Undersea Warfare (for those assigned to nuclear-propelled submarines).
 
4 - According to one officer, what was the minimum passing grade (percentage correct answers) he needed to pass his first test (structure) in the basics school?  ANS: 85%, according to one officer.
 
5 -  Do India's submarine enlisted and officers attend submarine school together? ANS: YES.
 
6 - India's current fleet of operational submarines includes how many and of what classes? ANS: India's Navy (INF) fleet of operational subs consists of 14 boats: 9 Russian-EKMs or Sindhughosh class, 4 German HDW Shishumar class and the nuclear-powered boat, INS Chakra, an Akula class sub loaned from Russia.

7 - In addition to its operational fleet, how many subs does India have in sea trials and awaiting procurement?  ANS:  Winding up sea trials is the Arihant, an indigenous nuclear-powered boat.  And as currently planned, INS Kalvari should join the fleet in in September 2016 with 5 more of her French designed class coming at nine month intervals.  The INF also envisions construction of an additional 2 Arihants, 6 conventional diesel electrics, 6 nuclear powered subs, and lease of an 1 more Russian sub.   
 
8 - Besides earning an eventual dolphin badge, what unusual distinction separates India's submariners from every other branch of its military service?  ANS: "[O]urs is the only military service where on duty no one wears a uniform, not even a rank and for a reason," quipped an officer.
 
9 - What is the stated purpose of the policy referred to in question 8?  ANS: "Camaraderie is our hallmark and here sailors and officers train and earn their dolphins together. Anyone who volunteers is allowed a look-in period of a month in which he can walk away if he desires with no penalties imposed," said an officer.
 

Submarines are always silent and strange. 

Submarine Questions of the Week: Dec 27, 2015

Background

Today's submarine questions relate to India's submarine force.  After years of backwater stagnation and tragic accidents, the submarine arm of India Navy's (IN) finally appears to be on track for unprecedented growth.  Unfortunately, the rapid pace of force development assures growing pains are in store and pitfalls still remain.  

 
Molten Eagle certainly wishes all of India's brave submariners the safest environment possible in their hazardous undertakings.

Questions of the Week

1 -  What is the current average age of India's sub fleet?

2 -  Recent accidents - the explosion and sinking of INS Sindhurakshak in 2013, killed 18, and fire on INS Sindhuratna last year killed two officers. Unusually thorough accident reviews resulted in implementation of corrective procedures.  Is India's submarine force made up of volunteers?

3 -  India's navy has a submarine school comprised of three schools, the first is a year-long basics school for officers and enlisted.  What are the other two schools?

4 - According to one officer, what was the minimum passing grade (percentage correct answers) he needed to pass his first test (structure) in the basics school?

5 -  Do India's submarine enlisted and officers attend submarine school together?

6 - India's current fleet of operational submarines includes how many and of what classes?

7 - In addition to its operational fleet, how many subs does India have in sea trials and awaiting procurement?

8 - Besides earning an eventual dolphin badge, what unusual distinction separates India's submariners from every other branch of its military service?

9 - What is the stated purpose of the policy referred to in question 8?

ANSWERS:  Saturday, 2 JAN 2016.

Submarines are always silent and strange. 

India's Unexplained Deaths: Terrorism Suspected

Background
Visakhapatnam is the headquarters of India's Eastern Naval Command, the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (a DRDO Lab).  India's first nuclear submarine INS Arihant was launched in the Naval Dockyard, and Bharat Dynamics has begun manufacturing torpedoes there.  Kerala is located on India's south western coast, about a 25-hour drive from Visakhapatnam.

 

Recently:  Nuclear submarine engineer found dead on railway tracks in Visakhapatnam - VISAKHAPATNAM: Bodies of two defence personnel were found under suspicious circumstances on the railway tracks falling under Pendurty railway station (PRS) limits of East Coast Railways (ECoR) here on Sunday morning. ... Relatives and locals, however, raised suspicion over the incident, pointing out that there were no visible injuries on the bodies to show that they had come under a passing train. Suspicion was also raised that the two had been attacked elsewhere and their bodies thrown near the tracks.

Following enquiries, one of the deceased was identified as KK Josh, 34, chief engine room artificer (CERA) at Shipbuilding Centre, a unit of ministry of defence at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) premises here. The other was identified as Abhish Shivam, 33, a chief engineer working at INS Arihant, India's first nuclear-powered submarine. ... Shivam belonged to Ernakulam district in Kerala and was living at the Navy quarters at Dolphins Hills.

************

and part of a discussion thread from Bharat Rakshak (Consortium of Indian Defence Websites):

Intelligence & National Security Discussion

I can't recall when I last heard people holding significantly responsible positions in high value projects dying unnatural deaths under suspicious circumstances.  

Arjun project Senior scientist Swargiya Shri G.K Kumaravel in 2012 -

Quote:

A senior scientist involved in the development of Arjun main battle tank died when a lorry smashed into a car in which he was travelling at Dechhu near Jodhpur in Rajasthan around 3.30pm on Monday. G K Kumaravel of the Combat Vehicles Research Development Establishment (CVRDE), Avadi, was head of the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MBT) Mark 1 and 2 programmes. Police said he was on his way to Pokhran to participate in user trials of Arjun MBT Mark-2 when the accident occurred. Kumaravel died on the spot while senior CVRDE scientists P V Murali and Daniel Sunder Singh were ...

HAL senior test pilot Sawrgiya Shri Baldev Singh commits suicide by hanging from a tree in the hills where he went for a walk in 2011-
Quote:
HAL's chief test pilot (fixed wing) and recently made Director (Corporate Planning & Marketing) Squadron Leader (Retd) Baldev Singh was found dead this morning. Possible suicide. He was apparently on holiday in Karnataka's Nandi Hills, where his body was found. More details shortly. R.I.P.

An official profile released recently: Sqn Ldr Singh took over as Director (Corporate Planning & Marketing) at HAL in August. Before that, he was Executive Director Flight Operations and the Chief Test Pilot (Fixed Wing) at HAL's Bangalore Complex.

Singh was involved with the LCA Programme from 1990 onwards and was deputed to the Aeronautical Development Agency for this purpose. On the LCA programme he worked extensively on the development and flight testing of the flight control laws of the Light Combat aircraft. He carried out the flight evaluation of these flight control laws at the Real Time simulator at BAE Wharton in UK followed by the flight evaluation of these control laws on the F-16, Lear Jet and NT-33 aircraft in the US.

Singh had extensive test flying experience on five prototype programmes and carried out the first flights of the HANSA aircraft and the Intermediate Jet Trainer.

Finally, this bit:  Kerala, terror's own country, says NIA  
Quote:
Kerala has been declared a Red Zone by the National Investigation Agency, which firmly believes that the state has become a hotbed for terror activities. Last week’s verdict where 13 accused, including suspected Lashkar-e-Tayiba operative T Naseer, were sentenced to life imprisonment for recruiting persons to fight the battle in Kashmir is a testimony that terror activities in Kerala have flourished.

An officer with the NIA told rediff.com that investigating terror in Kerala is a different ball game. “There is a massive presence of the Indian Mujahideen and the Students Islamic Movement of India here. The problem, however, is that they operate under micro modules and this makes tracking them even more difficult.”

************

 R.I.P. indeed.

Submarines are always silent and strange.