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Arihant vs Son Won-il

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Specifications
Arihant Son Won-il
Origin 🇮🇳 India 🇩🇪 Germany
Category Submarine Submarine
Type Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine Diesel-electric submarine
Manufacturer Ship Building Centre (SBC) Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft
Year introduced 2016 2007
Number built 4 units 16 units
Estimated unit price $470 million $330 million
Displacement 6,000 tons 1,690 tons
Maximum speed 15.0 knots 12.0 knots
Range Unlimited 12,000 nm
Length 111.0 m 65.0 m
Beam 11.0 m 6.3 m
Crew 95 27
Max depth 450 m 400 m
Performance Radar Chart
Armament & Systems
Arihant Son Won-il
Armament
  • 12 x K15 SLBM
  • 4 x K-4 SLBM
  • 24 x K15 SLBM
  • 8 x K-4 SLBM
  • 8 x K-5 SLBM
  • 6 x 21" (533 mm) torpedo tubes
  • 8 × 533 mm torpedo tubes
  • 4 Sub-Harpoon missile-capable
Propulsion 1 x CLWR-B1 pressurized water reactor (83 MW-100MW), 1 x shaft Diesel–electric, fuel cell AIP, low-noise skew back propeller; 2 × MTU 16V-396 (3.96 MW) diesel engines; 1 × Siemens Permasyn (2.85 MW) electric motor

Overview

The Arihant and the Son Won-il are both Submarine classes.

The Arihant displaces 6,000 tons — 3.6x the Son Won-il's 1,690 tons. The Arihant reaches 15 knots vs 12 knots for the Son Won-il. Operational range is 99,999 nautical miles for the Arihant vs 12,000 for the Son Won-il. The Arihant carries a crew of 95 vs 27 for the Son Won-il. Submerged displacement is 7,000 tons for the Arihant vs 1,860 tons for the Son Won-il. The Arihant can dive to 450 m compared to 400 m for the Son Won-il.

The Arihant was produced in 4 units vs 16 for the Son Won-il. Cost per hull is $470M for the Arihant vs $330M for the Son Won-il. The Arihant was commissioned in 2016, 9 years after the Son Won-il (2007).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which has greater displacement, the Arihant-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Arihant-class has greater displacement at 6,000 tons compared to the Son Won-il-class's 1,690 tons.
Which is faster, the Arihant-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Arihant-class is faster with a maximum speed of 15 knots compared to the Son Won-il-class's 12 knots.
Which has longer range, the Arihant-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Arihant-class is nuclear-powered with unlimited range, while the Son Won-il-class has a range of 12,000 nautical miles.
Which is longer, the Arihant-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Arihant-class is longer at 111.0 meters compared to the Son Won-il-class's 65.0 meters.
How many crew members do the Arihant-class and Son Won-il-class have?
The Arihant-class has a larger crew complement of 95 compared to the Son Won-il-class's 27 crew members.
Which can dive deeper, the Arihant-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Arihant-class can dive deeper with a maximum depth of 450 meters compared to the Son Won-il-class's 400 meters.
Which is more expensive, the Arihant-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Arihant-class is more expensive at approximately $470 million per unit compared to the Son Won-il-class at $330 million.
Which has been built in greater numbers, the Arihant-class or Son Won-il-class?
The Son Won-il-class has been built in greater numbers with 16 vessels compared to 4 vessels of the Arihant-class.