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Race Heats Up To Ready Indian AIP For Scorpene Submarines​


Work has speeded up to ensure that a crucial piece of Indian equipment meets its deadline for the Indian Navy’s fleet of Scorpene (Kalvari class) submarines. With India’s DRDO having previously failed to deliver a proven Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system in time for integration on the final two Scorpene submarines (Vagir and Vagsheer) as originally planned, the submarine’s designer Naval Group and DRDO are working to ensure the latter’s AIP system is ready for integration when the first of the submarines go in for first refits three years from now. To speak about progress on this crucial front and more, Livefist caught up with Rear Admiral Rahul Shrawat (Retd.), chairman and managing director of Naval Group India for an online interview:

Q. We’ve just seen the Vagir launch at Mumbai. Update us on the P75 program — have earlier slippages been addressed and dealt with?

A.
The P75 programme is progressing very well. This year, despite Covid-19 challenges, witnessed the launch of the fifth submarine named Vagir. The third submarine is undergoing its final sea trials before being delivered to the Indian Navy. The last submarine – Vagsheer, is in advanced stages of manufacturing on the assembly line at MDL and is scheduled to be launched next year.

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Indian Navy Scorpene No.5 Vagir at its launch last month
Q. Naval Group has proposed for years to have the line build a few more Scorpene class for the Indian Navy. Break down for us whether these submarines would be different from the first six. Why hasn’t that proposal found a taker in the Indian Navy yet?

A.
Developing a new submarine takes much more time, efforts and planning than any one anticipates. This will not only require efforts of the OEM, but also huge investment by the Indian shipyards and budgetary outgo for the Indian government. So to build upon what you have achieved incrementally is the most cost effective way to get more submarines quickly, while the P75(I) project remains the mid long term goal for the Navy.

If such a proposal is accepted by Navy/MoD, the additional submarine built will cater to the current requirement of the Navy namely AIP as well as several improvements over the present Scorpene® class. The platform can also be integrated with more advanced weapons as per the need of the customer. I may also like to add that the Kalvari class submarines have proved their worth during their operational deployment.

Coming back to your question, at Naval Group, we find that this proposal makes a lot of sense with every conceivable angle one can think of; like standardisation, economies of scale, reduced inventory cost, optimised trainings among others. However the final call has to be made by the customer.

Q. Weaponisation of the Scorpene®s remains an issue. The boats still don’t have heavyweight torpedoes. How far along is that process?

A.
We have responded to the ongoing tender from Indian Navy with our F21 torpedo. This is the latest generation HWT developed for the French Navy for its latest SSN submarines and whose characteristics far exceed all other heavy torpedoes currently in service with international navies. So we have offered the best and the latest.

With highest safety features, unrivalled autonomy thanks to its Silver Oxide / Aluminium primary battery, advanced speed and performance, F21 is a much more lethal weapon than other available torpedoes, which mostly use old generation Silver Zinc for their battery technology. It has been successfully test fired from French Navy Rubis-class SSN. More than 100 F-21 torpedoes have been ordered so far to be integrated on to the French Navy’s Rubis class SSN, Barracuda class submarines and also to the Brazilian Scorpene submarines. We are waiting for the next steps in the tendering process to be implemented by the Indian decision makers and fully geared to start and deliver the best in class HWTs for Indian submarines along with necessary involvement of Indian industry in best way possible.

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Q. What is Naval Group’s view of India’s indigenous AIP solution for submarines. The earlier proposal for the MESMA AIP on additional Scorpene®s was meant to be a risk mitigation exercise too. Does that still stand?

A.
Presently, we are supporting the DRDO to guide them in the conditions and requirement to integrate safely their AIP in the P75 submarines during their forthcoming normal refits. We have also developed a new generation of fuel cell based AIP which has been demonstrated and ready to be integrated onboard our submarines. The AIP and associated features would bring unmatched stealth and most discreet acoustic signature during the entire life span of the submarines, minimum for another 35 years.

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Indian Navy chief inspecting prototype of DRDO’s Air-independent Propulsion (AIP) system for submarines in October 2019
Q. Quantify for us the success of the P75 program through the prism of the ‘Make in India’ dynamic.

A.
The TOT of construction has been 100% completed between Naval Group and MDL, with the delivery of Kalvari (1st P75 Scorpene® submarine). The success of TOT is proven further by the successful launch of subsequent submarines by MDL on its own. Further to this, Naval Group is the only foreign OEM to have established an Indian company solely for the purpose of “Make in India” by developing the local eco-system and building design services with talented Indian engineers. Through P75 Kalvari class submarine program, more than 500 Indian companies were visited and audited to finally qualify at the end a handful (nearly 40) of highly skilled MSMEs to supply various equipment for the submarines. Nearly 50% of Mazagon Procured Material (MPM) have been indigenised & supplied to MDL on account of efforts of Naval Group India.

Q. Update us on Naval Group’s proposal for the P75I, which it appears may finally be making some concrete progress in the foreseeable future. How does Naval Group hope to leverage the obvious advantages of a ready manufacturing line at MDL?

A.
We are honored to have received and responded to the EOI for the OEMs. The requirements of this new submarine program are much more demanding than the previous one and to our knowledge no existing sea proven submarine on the market today can fulfill them all without passing through new design and development phase.

Having already achieved very high level of indigenization during P75 project and the expertise derived from designing and constructing both latest generation of conventional and nuclear submarine of different size and tonnage, Naval Group is ready to propose a fully compliant solution with the maximum adaptation to meet requirement of Indian Navy.

Given the strategic partnership and the mutual working experience we have developed with Indian industries and shipyards, we would definitely be happy to propose a design fully compliant with the new specifications.

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Indian Navy Scorpene No.2 INS Khanderi at Exercise Malabar 2020
Q. Update us on the other opportunities Naval Group sees in India going forward, in the realm of surface combatants and warships. Are there any active or impending discussions on?

A.
The Indian Navy has an ambitious modernization programme and Naval Group would like to support that vision by helping build modern platforms. Naval Group is interested in supporting the Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) 2, which is at the design stage with Indian Navy and other future naval platforms with high-end military requirements and performances.

In addition to the submarines and underwater weapons, we are in discussion with Indian shipyards for future surface ship programs and also proposing latest simulators and tools for training and maintenance for P75 submarines. We are engaging with stakeholders at Naval Dockyard to support them in ensuring most optimized service support for operational Kalvari class submarines.

The Group is committed to the Indian Navy and Indian Government for ‘Make in India’ approach of doing business – hence we see a lot of opportunities in the future.

Q. How does Naval Group materially intend to act on Atmanirbhar Bharat requirements in its global supply chain and development activities?

A.
Naval Group is so satisfied with the quality standard adhered in P75 programe, that they have taken a step further and outsourced procurement of certain equipment for the French Navy’s latest submarines and frigates under construction, from these Indian MSMEs. India has immense capacity to absorb and sustain defence production of the world, in the times to come. The country needs to expand its defence manufacturing sector to boost exports and ensure sustainability. Encouraging defence export will pave the way to attain the economies of scales and selling at competitive prices. The recent update in FDI in Defence allowing up to 74% in foreign ownership should facilitate decision makings of FOEM to capitalize on India’s cost effectiveness by setting up branches in India to diversify their supply chains.

https://www.livefistdefence.com/202...ian-aip-for-1st-scorpene-submarine-refit.html
 

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Mumbai: Ship maker Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) on Monday delivered third scorpene submarine of project P-75 to the Indian Navy. Named as INS Karanj, the submarine will be commissioned into Indian Navy soon.

With the delivery of Karanj, “India further cements its position as a submarine building nation and MDL has lived up to its reputation as one of the India’s leading shipyards with capacity and capability to meet requirements and aspirations of the Indian Navy in all dimensions,” the warship maker said.

The delivery of three Submarines namely, Khanderi, Kalvari and now Karanj, reaffirmed India’s membership in the exclusive group of submarine building nations, it added.

The fourth submarine, Vela, which was launched on May 6, 2019, has commenced her sea trials while the fifth submarine Vagir, was launched on November 12, 2020 and has commenced her sea trials.

The sixth submarine is currently in the advanced stage of outfitting. MDL CMD VAdm Narayan Prasad (Retd) and Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command Chief of Staff Officer (Tech) RAdm B Sivakumar signed the acceptance document in the presence of naval and MDL officials.

================ More info==============



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INS Karanj, pic courtesy : MDL
 

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11 MARCH 2021

India commissions third Kalvari-class submarine​

by Manasvi Shanker Sharma



The Indian Navy’s (IN) third licence-built Kalvari (Scorpène)-class diesel-electric submarine (SSK), INS Karanj, was commissioned into service at Naval Dockyard Mumbai on 10 March.

Karanj is one of six Scorpène SSKs being licence-built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in collaboration with France’s Naval Group under the IN’s INR230 billion (USD3.2 billion) Project 75 submarine programme.

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The Indian Navy commissioned Karanj , its third Kalvari-class SSK, in a ceremony held on 10 March at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai. (Indian Navy)
Karanj is the first submarine in the class for which the crew training was entirely Indian-led. Its commissioning follows that of first-of-class INS Kalvari in December 2017 and second boat INS Khanderi in September 2019.

The fourth and fifth submarines of the class, Vela and Vagir, are currently undergoing trials, while the final boat in the series, Vagsheer, is understood to be at an advanced stage of outfitting.

The 67.6 m long Kalvari-class SSKs displace 1,775 tonnes when submerged and have a top speed of 20 kt and a maximum endurance of 52 days. They are equipped with Exocet SM39 sea-skimming anti-ship missiles and C303/S anti-torpedo countermeasure systems.

The submarines were originally planned to be fitted with WASS Black Shark torpedoes, but a deal to acquire 98 of these was scrapped in 2016 following corruption allegations. A request for proposals (RFP) was then issued in 2019 with the aim of acquiring modern heavyweight torpedoes for the submarines. In the meantime, it is believed that the boats are equipped with older German-built SUT-series torpedoes, which are also in service with the IN’s Shishumar-class submarines.
 

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India to retire first Kilo-class submarine this year

But its submarine woes are unlikely to end soon as it stares at a lost decade of its underwater arm

Sandeep Unnithan DelhiApril 20, 2021UPDATED: April 20, 2021 22:59 IST


The Indian Navy is decommissioning the INS Sindhudhvaj, a Kilo-class submarine, sometime this year. It will set in motion a process of phasing out of a class of boats that have formed the backbone of the navy’s underseas fleet for nearly three decades. The decommissioning ceremony was due in Mumbai this April but is now delayed by two months awaiting clearances from the defence ministry. The Sindhudhvaj was acquired from the Soviet Union in 1987. With its retirement, the navy’s submarine arm dips to 14 units. Seven of these submarines are in the Kilo class.

Dubbed the ‘Kilo’ class by NATO, the Project 877 EKMs are one of the world’s commonly visible conventional submarines with 62 units currently in service across nine navies in the world. India acquired eight such subs between 1986 and 1991. It later acquired two more submarines from the Russian Federation, between 1998 and 2000. They were the navy’s first submarines that could fire anti-ship and land attack cruise missiles from beneath the surface, making them a formidable force multiplier in the naval fleet.

One unit, the INS Sindhurakshak, was lost in an accident in 2013 and a second, the Sindhuvir, was transferred to the Myanmar navy last year.

The Kilos are being replaced by the French Scorpene submarines which are being built under licence by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. Three of the ‘Kalvari class’ have so far been inducted; the third, the INS Karanj, was commissioned in Mumbai on March 11 this year. Three more Scorpenes, the Vela, Vagir and Vagsheer are to be commissioned by 2023. But these will not meet the navy’s requirements for a force of 24 conventional submarines. The closest it got to that figure was in 1995 when it had 20 submarines. Since then, the pace of retirements has outstripped acquisitions. The navy’s submarine arm is now staring at a lost decade between 2021 and 2030 where its fleet will stagnate. This is when its maritime threat perceptions have significantly escalated with the explosive growth in the Chinese navy and its increasing presence in the Indian Ocean.\

Mazagon Docks Ltd, which built the Scorpenes, is believed to have made an offer for a further three units to be built at its Mumbai yard, but this has not found favour with the navy. Nor has a new offer for six Project 636 improved Kilos from Russia’s Rosoboronexport (believed to have been made last year). The Russian shipyard says it can deliver the first unit in five years and complete deliveries of all six in a decade.

The navy is focused on its future conventional submarines--the Project 75 ‘India’ boats to be made by an Indian firm in partnership with a foreign original equipment manufacturer (OEM) which will give India the capability to build its own conventional submarines. Project 75, first proposed nearly two decades ago, is yet to deliver a single unit. Legal issues have delayed the issual of the Request for Proposals from the MoD to a ‘strategic partnership’ between an Indian yard and a foreign OEM. Even if the project moves at warp speed, it will take at least eight years before a new submarine joins the fleet.

As a stop-gap, three Kilo class submarines have been put through a second medium refit (MR) at a Russian shipyard with a fourth scheduled to depart this year. A medium refit is usually done only once in the 30-year life of a submarine. The second refit slaps on an additional decade to the submarine hull taking it to around 40 years. These MRs, costing around $200 million (Rs 1,400 crore) each, were initiated around five years ago when it became increasingly clear that the navy was not getting new submarines in a hurry. With the delays in Project 75I and the dip in the force levels, the navy could well be forced to take a call to upgrade the only three Kilos which have not had a second medium refit. This will enable them to serve through the lost decade.
 

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Indian Navy set to issue Rs 50,000 crore tender for submarines

By Ajit Dubey

New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI): In a major push for the 'Make in India' initiative, the Indian Navy is all set to issue the tender worth around Rs 50,000 crores to build six more advanced conventional submarines as the Defence Ministry is expected to discuss the project in detail on Friday at a high-level meeting.

"The high-level meeting would be discussing the project and is scheduled to take up the draft request for proposal for clearance after which the tender can be issued to the strategic partners," government sources told ANI.

The project named P-75 India has been in the making for a long time now and would be the successor to the Scorpene or Kalvari class submarines being built at the Mazagon Dockyards Limited in partnership with France.

The Navy has already identified and cleared MDL and Larsen and Toubro as the strategic partners that can tie up with five global manufacturers including French Naval Group, German TKMS, South Korean Daewoo, Spanish Navantia and Russian Rosoborboexport, sources said.

The Indian Navy has two major projects under the strategic partnership policy which had been envisaged to develop the indigenous private sector in defence as major producers but now it has also seen public sector firms taking part in it.

The Navy plans to acquire 24 new submarines, including six nuclear attack submarines, to bolster its underwater fighting capability. It currently has 15 conventional submarines and two nuclear submarines.

As per the requirements stated by the maritime force, it wants the submarines to be equipped with heavy-duty firepower as it wants the boats to have at least 12 Land Attack Cruise Missiles (LACM) along with Anti-Ship cruise missiles (ASCM).

Sources said that the Navy has also specified that the submarines should also be able to carry and launch 18 heavyweight torpedoes in the sea.

Compared with the Scorpene, the firepower required in the next line of submarines is many times more than what is being put on the Scorpenes which have the heavyweight torpedoes and the Exocet surface to surface missiles as their main weapons. (ANI)

 

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@Vergennes @Nilgiri, how many chances you see it will be barracudas conventional version ....... may be shortfin barracuda

Next to zero. Its too expensive for India for what you get. Even Australia (far more developed and fiscally resourced than India) is struggling to justify its selection....and look at the delays/doubts there too (and more costs on that coming up inevitably).

Barracuda only really makes sense for SSN....it ends up being over-engineered (costly) in many ways for SSK variant.

So for French contender, I would imagine it would be an evolved, larger version of scorpene, it makes the most sense....and they would likely show the economy of scale and quicker ToT that is natural segue from existing scorpene production by MDL.

What do @Anmdt and @AlphaMike think?
 

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Next to zero. Its too expensive for India for what you get. Even Australia (far more developed and fiscally resourced than India) is struggling to justify its selection....and look at the delays/doubts there too (and more costs on that coming up inevitably).

Barracuda only really makes sense for SSN....it ends up being over-engineered (costly) in many ways for SSK variant.

So for French contender, I would imagine it would be an evolved, larger version of scorpene, it makes the most sense....and they would likely show the economy of scale and quicker ToT that is natural segue from existing scorpene production by MDL.

What do @Anmdt and @AlphaMike think?
When it comes to submarines i feel like it is best to opt for conventional designs with top notch electronics. I would say new batch of Soryu, Scorpene or a Type 216/Dolphin.
If it was a surface vessel i would say it will be good to experiment on, but for India with a possible conflict in near future experimenting may not be ideal but focusing more on common, reliable and easy to maintain design.
 

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