The Indian Navy will now operate an “Akula” II nuclear attack submarine for the next ten years per a special lease agreement. The move should prove a boon to the Indian Navy, giving the country the ability to not only utilize the vessel for combat patrols and train in one of the world’s more advanced nuclear submarines, but also apply lessons learned to its own domestic nuclear submarine program.
“All of the naval tests and performance checks have been completed,” the Russian official explained.
The submarine signing is a welcome piece of good news for the Russian Navy. Russia’s armed forces have routinely been criticized for an alleged lack of focus on safety, especially since the 2000 sinking of the Russian submarine Kursk in 2000. Safety questions were again raised following a recent fire aboard a Russian Delta IV nuclear submarine,which sparked fears of a possible radiation leak. The fire started Thursday at an Arctic shipyard outside the Russian port city of Murmansk where the submarine “Yekaterinburg” was in dry dock. The fire has since been contained, with Russian officials claiming no radioactive contamination as a result of the blaze. Officials have stated the fire beganon wooden scaffolding before going on to engulf the submarine’s outer hull. The Yekaterinburg’s nuclear reactor had been shut down along with its nuclear-tipped missiles and other weaponry having been removed before being placed in dry dock. More
Acquisition and retention of nuclear weapons systems in a world facing dire resource shortages, including food and water, petroleum, rare earths, climate change and sea level rise is beyond insane, it is MAD all over again. All of the risks facing us are conflict triggers and can only be addressed if all nations work together. Who will make the first move towards nuclear disarmament? Editor
