INS Chakra on its way to India in the 1980s
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History | |
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Soviet Union | |
Name | K-43 |
Builder | Gorky |
Laid down | 9 May 1964 |
Launched | 2 August 1966 |
Commissioned | 5 November 1967 |
Recommissioned | February 1991 |
Decommissioned | 30 July 1992 |
In service | 1967–1988; 1991–1992 |
Fate | Sold for scrap |
India | |
Name | Chakra |
Namesake | Sudarshan Chakra |
Commissioned | 1 September 1987 |
Decommissioned | January 1991 |
In service | 1987–1990 |
Homeport | Vishakhapatnam |
Fate | Returned to Soviet Union after 3 years |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Charlie-class cruise missile submarine |
Displacement |
|
Length | 95 m (312 ft) |
Beam | 10 m (33 ft) |
Draught | 8 m (26 ft) |
Propulsion | One pressurized water-cooled reactor powering two steam turbines delivering 11,185 kW (14,999 shp) to one shaft. |
Speed |
|
Range | Unlimited except by food supplies |
Complement | about 100 |
Armament |
|
K-43 was a Charlie-class nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine operated by the Soviet and Indian navies. It was built between 1964 and 1967 and was commissioned into the Soviet navy on 5 November 1967.[1] It later served as INS Chakra in the Indian Navy from 1988 to 1991.
It was leased to India on 1 September 1987 and reached its base in Visakhapatnam on 3 February 1988 after a long journey. The Soviets said that the submarine was transferred for helping train the Indian Navy in operating nuclear submarines. During its service with India, it was partially manned by a Soviet crew,[2] who reportedly did not allow Indians into the missile room and into the reactor compartment and this is believed to be a reason for the termination of the contract after 3 years.[3] The lease of Chakra reportedly helped India gain first-hand experience in handling a nuclear submarine that helped them build the Arihant class of nuclear submarines.[4]