A journey inside a submarine: INS Khanderi is as sleek and as powerful as a shark

Partly for reasons of security and party because they are classified as offensive weapons, India's submarine-fleet has been kept under wraps since the first Indian submarine was bought from the Soviet Union in 1967. Last fortnight the navy finally agreed to allow India Today's Picture Editor Raghu Rai and Senior Writer Dilip Bobb on board a submarine during its battle manoeuvres. They are the first civilians allowed on board an Indian sub. Following is Bobb's report of the exclusive experience:Viewed from the air, INS Khanderi resembles some monstrous denizen of the deep as its sinister, shark-like shape slices though the seas. Compared to the American Trident class subs, cable of launching 24 nuclear missiles at targets 5,000 miles away, Khanderi is a toy, but still a very deadly one. It is one of eight 'Foxtrot' class submarines acquired by India from the Soviet Union between 1967 and 1974, which because of their sleek, powerful shape, are all named after sharks. As a formidable weapon of naval warfare, the submarine has very few equals and has now largely replaced the aircraft carrier as the main combatant unit in naval warfare.No amount of Hollywood footage on German U-boats can adequately capture the harsh reality of a submarine and the men confined within its claustrophobic environs. It is a compact and comprehensive fighting machine built for speed and fire-power but comfort is at a premium. A mountain goat would be perfectly at home in a conventional submarine.Between the jetty and the relative safety of the conning tower is a narrow, slippery walkway which leads directly on to the best-known part of the submarine - the fin, or periscope compartment. From there, an even narrower ladder leads up to the bridge, where the captain, navigator and lookout are perched when the submarine slips silently from its moorings and heads out to the open sea. The navigator and the lookout constantly-feed information to the captain who in turn, barks out nautical commands like "half ahead starboard" and "full ahead port" to the motor and engine room and other compartments situated in the bowels of the submarine. The Khanderi, painted black, is hardly visible from a distance except for the wake churned up by its bows.Claustrophobia: Inside the submarine lies a direct invitation to claustrophobia. Russian subs are not exactly luxury liners and all along its 300-ft length is crammed a vast and complex array of pipes, tubes, valves, gauges and, of course, the torpedo compartments. .preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Every available bit of space is taken up by machinery and equipment. At sea, even extras like clockery are left behind to keep the weight down to the barest minimum. The pressure hull, an elongated, cigar-shaped structure, is actually divided into seven separate watertight compartments with a narrow hatch between each just big enough for one person to squeeze through.The two outer compartments are the torpedo compartments with several torpedo tubes in each. In four compartments are the engines, motors, batteries and what passes for living quarters, while the final compartment is the control room, the most vital part of the submarine when it is slinking along the sea bed. On this particular day, the Khanderi was heading out on a practice torpedo firing run. The sea was calm but low clouds and poor visibility lent a sullen air to the surroundings. Running at high speed, the submarine was cutting through the water like a knife through butter. Only the muted hum of machinery and the occasional verbal order broke the oppressive silence. Two hours after her departure, Khanderi arrived at the target area. Overhead a naval helicopter made wide sweeps to warn off any stray fishing vessels. Even during a peace-time exercise, the tension in a submarine just before a dive is a palpable thing. It is the moment before she is cut off from the outside world and transits into a nether world of total silence and isolation.Because the Khanderi was firing a homing torpedo aimed at a target emitting a signal, the range and direction had been calculated well in advance.Resembling a primeval predator, INS Khanderi slips her moorings and heads out to sea against an incongruous background of a cluster of religious shrinesSynchronised Movements:Even though theKhanderi'screw had gone through similar exercises innumerable times before, every move was carefully synchronised and executed. One minor mistake on the part of any member of the crew can send the submarine resembling a primeval predator, INSKhanderi slips her moorings and heads out to sea against an incongruous background plunging down to a watery grave.With robot-like precision, the men on the bridge abandoned their posts and one by one slid down the three flights of steps to the main control room. The last man spun the wheels that lock the hatches into place. By the time the last man had reached the main deck, the Khanderi was already tilted at an angle, her ugly snout ploughing into the sea. Inside the control room, the captain and crew hovered over gauges and dials as the sleek shape slid downwards. Within minutes, she was 10 metres underwater.In the room directly above the control room, the commanding officer slid the well-oiled periscope out from its housing and scanned the seas ahead. The target was not visible but its location was evident by the tiny gnat-like helicopter hovering over it. Once the sub had stabilised, there was barely any movement. In fact, it was difficult to realise that the sub was at sea.Khanderi torpedo compartment being prepared tor loading of the deadly 'fish'There was no rolling or pitching, just the steady hum of the air-conditioning and the disembodied voice of the navigator reading-off the depth. The actual firing of the torpedo was something of an anti-climax. The calm voice of the commanding officer intoned "fire one" and that was all.No explosion or shudder in the ship. From the periscope, however, it was possible to barely see the sleek, deadly shape of the projectile as it left the torpedo tube trailing a long, thin wake behind it. Immediately, the captain gave the order to surface and the submarine tilted once again as it slithered upwards and finally broke through to the surface. This time the diving procedure was repeated in reverse as the hatches were opened and the captain and the odd crew member wanting a smoke (smoking is prohibited on board a sub) clambered up to the bridge. At slightly less than full speed, Khanderi churned through the water heading for the target. Out in the distance, the unarmed torpedo suddenly surfaced having made her "kill".Special Breed: Submariners are a special breed, very much like the armoured corps in the army. Even without the gleaming gold badge on their chests, it is not difficult to single them out from other members of the service. Because it is a high-risk job, joining a submarine is purely a voluntary affair. But between volunteering and actually having the traditional glass of sea water (the initiation ceremony for joining a submarine) is an obstacle course that is the toughest in any of the services. Each man is hand-picked for physical and psychological fitness and stress reactions. Even after commissioning, there are regular refresher courses and, while at sea, emergency operations are constantly carried out to keep the crew in peak condition.Off-duty crew relax with Captain Sodhi in the cramped living quarterAfter each lengthy cruise, submarine crews are sent on compulsory leave. "It's a hard life for hard men. Most of us don't really know why we do it - the adventure, the risk or the fact that you are part of an exclusive club. But the esprit de corps among submariners is something unbelievable" says Captain J.M.S. Sodhi, Commanding Officer of the Navy's premier submarine base,INS Virbahu and other officers readily agree. Most submariners are convinced that the strategic future of the Indian Navy rests with her submarines. After first-hand experience of a submarine, it is very difficult to argue with that conviction.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Oct 24, 2013--- ENDS ---

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A journey inside a submarine: INS Khanderi is as sleek and as powerful as a shark

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