Flag Officer Submarines (India)

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Flag Officer Submarines
AVSM, NM

The Flag Officer Submarines (FOSM) is the single-point class authority of submarines in the Indian Navy. A

two star Officer holding the rank of Rear Admiral, the FOSM is responsible for submarine safety, submarine training, maintenance and operating schedules and operational readiness inspections. The current FOSM is Rear Admiral
K. Venkatraman who assumed office on 1 April 2023.

History

RAdm Sanjay Mahindru taking over as FOSM from RAdm S. V. Bhokare in 2015.

The submarine arm of the Indian Navy was formed with the commissioning of INS Kalvari (S23) in December 1967. Three other submarines – Khanderi, Karanj and Kursura were acquired from the Soviet Union and the 8th Submarine squadron was formed.[1] The submarine base INS Virbahu in Visakhapatnam was commissioned on 19 May 1971 as the shore support base for submarines.[2] The Commanding Officer of Virbahu functioned as the Captain of the submarine squadron and the class Authority for all submarines.[3]

In 1985, the Navy's Command and Control structure was streamlined. To rationalise Command and Control of the Submarine Arm, a single-point class authority was constituted which would be located at the Submarine Headquarters in Visakhapatnam. This authority would be responsible for all training and maintenance of submarines, analogous to Flag Officer Naval Aviation (FONA).

Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command. (FOC-in-C ENC), but interact with the FOC-in-C of both Eastern Naval Command and Western Naval Command
on all matters related to his charter of duties.

In the 1990s, the need for a senior officer at Naval headquarters was felt. The officer would impart senior level advice on submarine matters. On 14 October 1996, the appointment of Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Submarines) (ACNS SM) was created. Rear Admiral Arun Kumar Singh,

AVSM, NM took over as the first ACNS (SM).[4] He also dual-hatted as the FOSM. While the policy decisions were taken by the FOSM, the administration of the submarine HQ was carried out by a Commodore.[4][5] The ACNS functioned under the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff. In January 2001, the post of ACNS (SM) was instituted as a separate billet. The ACNS (SM) is based at NHQ while the FOSM is based at Visakhapatnam.[6]

Structure

The submarine base INS Virbahu and the submarine training school

Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command since the command is the training command of the Navy. FOSM provides necessary support to FOC-in-C South for technical aspects of submarine training.[7]

List of FOSM

S.No. Name Assumed office Left office Notes
1
NM
1 May 1987 31 July 1988 First FOSM.[4]
2 Rear Admiral J. M. S. Sodhi VSM 1 August 1988 [n 1] 24 March 1991
3
NM
25 March 1991 11 October 1992 Later served as
Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command.[8]
4 Rear Admiral S. C. Anand AVSM 12 October 1992 31 October 1996
5
NM
1 November 1996 9 March 2000 Later served as
Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command.[9]
6 Rear Admiral R. K. Sharma AVSM, VSM 10 March 2000 5 November 2001
7
NM
6 November 2001 24 June 2002 Second tenure.
8
NM
25 June 2002 15 August 2005 Later served as
Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval Command
.
9
NM, VSM
16 August 2005 31 August 2006 Later served as FOMA.[10]
10
NM
1 September 2006 25 November 2008 Later served as Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff and Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command.
11 Rear Admiral M. T. Moraes AVSM 26 November 2008 28 July 2011 [11]
12 Rear Admiral Srikant 29 July 2011 21 September 2012 Later served as Commandant of the National Defence College and Director General Project Seabird.[11]
13
NM
22 September 2012 24 September 2015 Current Inspector General Nuclear Safety.[12]
14
NM
25 September 2015 10 October 2016 Later served as Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra Area (FOMA). Current Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff[13]
15
NM
11 October 2016[n 2] 5 February 2020 Current Flag Officer Maharashtra Area.[13]
16 Rear Admiral A. Y. Sardesai 5 February 2020 [n 3] 31 March 2023 [14]
17 Rear Admiral K. Venkatraman VSM 1 April 2023 Present Current FOSM.[15]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Appointed as a Commodore, promoted to the rank of rear-admiral on 22 August 1988.
  2. ^ Appointed as a Commodore, promoted to the rank of rear-admiral on 24 October 2016.
  3. ^ Appointed as a Commodore, promoted to the rank of rear-admiral on 1 July 2020.

References

  1. ^ Singh 1991, p. 217.
  2. ^ Shekhawat, Adm VS. "A SPECIAL PLACE IN MY HEART". Quarterdeck (2021).
  3. ^ a b Hiranandani 2005.
  4. ^ a b c d "Firsts in Submarine Arm of IN | Indian Navy". www.indiannavy.nic.in.
  5. ^ Hiranandani 2010.
  6. ^ Singh 2018, p. 248.
  7. ^ "INS Satavahana | Indian Navy". www.indiannavy.nic.in.
  8. ^ "RN Ganesh". International Strategic and Security Studies Programme | NIAS | India. 2018-02-13.
  9. ^ "New Flag Appointments in the Navy". archive.pib.gov.in.
  10. ^ "Governor calls corporate world to employ ex-servicemen". www.oneindia.com. 2007-12-14.
  11. ^ a b Staff Reporter (2011-07-30). "Srikant takes charge". The Hindu.
  12. ^ "h20". www.sainiksamachar.nic.in.
  13. ^ a b "Rear Admiral Vennam Srinivas, NM takes over as Flag Officer Submarines | Indian Navy". www.indiannavy.nic.in.
  14. ^ "Flag Officer Submarines | Indian Navy". www.indiannavy.nic.in.
  15. ^ "Rear Admiral K Venkatraman took over as the 17th Flag Officer Submarines from Rear Admiral AY Sardesai at Visakhapatnam". Twitter. Retrieved 3 April 2023.

Bibliography