After 11 years of development shrouded in secrecy, India has unveiled its first home-built nuclear-powered submarine. Based on the design of a Charlie I class attack submarine leased from the Soviet Union in the late 1980s, the so-called Advanced Technology Vessel was formally named INS Arihant on 26 July. At only 5,500 tonnes, the new submarine has been dubbed the 'baby boomer' due to it's relatively small size. At its core is a miniaturised nuclear reactor, about the size of a minibus, with a reported capacity of 90MW. Despite a Sanskrit name meaning 'destroyer of enemies' and with a likely payload of India's Sagarika missile system which can deliver a 500kg nuclear payload to distances of between 750km and 1,000km, the Indian PM stated at the unveiling that the submarine was a peaceful development.
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