S5-class submarine
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 An artistic impression of the S5-class submarine | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Operators |  Indian Navy |
| Preceded by | Arihant class |
| Planned | 4-6[1] |
| Building | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Nuclear powered ballistic missile submarine |
| Displacement | 13,500 tonnes (13,300 long tons; 14,900 short tons)[2] |
| Propulsion |
|
| Range | Unlimited |
| Armament | |
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 reported that four boats of the class are expected to enter Indian service by the late 2030s.[1]
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 K6 Submarine-launched ballistic missiles, each armed with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles.[2]
Development
In 2006, a high-level committee led by R. Chidambaram, the then principal scientific advisor to the Government of India, had assessed India's ability to construct three S5 series of SSBNs. The project with a budget of ₹10,000 crore (equivalent to ₹320 billion or US$3.8 billion in 2023) divided among DRDO, BARC and the ATV headquarters. The construction would tentatively begin in 2015 followed with the first submarine to be deployed in 2021.[2] The Arihant-class submarine has limitations with its reactor and payload capacity.[7][8]
Around 2012, with the S5 project remaining in developmental stage, another Arihant-class submarine was cleared for production to avoid idling of the production line. The new unit was designated as S4* (between S4 and S5). The boat would also feature the Arihant Stretch design.[2]
As of December 2017, the final design work for the submarine was underway. The submarine would be equipped with 12 ballistic missiles.[2]
As of 4 December 2022,[update] the S5-class submarine was to enter production by 2027.[9][10]
As of September 2024, the design phase of the submarine was nearing completion and project sanction was expected soon.[11]
In September 2025, The Times of India reported that the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is developing a 200 MWe-rated nuclear reactor for the Indian Navy's next-generation nuclear submarines, including Project 77 and S5-class submarines.[12]
By December 2025, the construction of the first two S5 SSBNs had commmenced with four of the class of submarines expected to be commissioned by late 2030s.[1][13] In February 2026, it was reported that the overall tonnage of the S5-class submarines will be around 17,000-tons submerged.[14]
