If Navy changes specs midway , how could DRDO deliver sonar on time.
What is the purpose of requesting a sonar without even specifying QR?
Any Eng will laugh his ass off if such a proposition was asked of him.
Given that:
IN is facing shortages in Sonars. The situation around IOR is changing fast too. IOR as such is a difficult naval territory. IN has the least amount of budget even though their equipment takes the longest possible time to get made and inducted with say 30+ years life. But a sonar life is just said to be around 10-15 years or so. IN is deeply involved in R&D also. In any case a Sonar is an el-cheepo item on a vessel. A towed array sonar was quoted at around Rs. 50 crore in a recent round of evaluations.
Under such a scenario it should be ok to enable IN to be flexible in terms of specs.
A change in specs for sonar is not as debilitating as changes in LCA ASQR. In fact even in LCA the main sensor can be flexible since radars on aircrafts do get changed often.
Hull Mounted Sonars - In navy you have a voluminous vessel that can take X-sonar in terms of form factor for a given performance. Unfortunately that ideal limit of form factor vs. sonar size vs. sonar freq. was hit several years back, worldwide. Further we are good in Hull Mounted Sonars so that one problem is fixed for good from the form factor POV. All that coupled with the fact that vessel dimensions cannot at a later day be changed, at whim, implies that the Sonar specs should be flexible.
TAS - The Towed Array Sonar is, well, towed so the form factor is not a limiting factor mostly. And so again there should be flexibility in specs.
So generally we should not be saying that the specs changed so we cannot make a sonar in time. Sonars get used in open/international waters so nobody is going to seek permissions from nobody unlike in use of airspace, where our airspace ends where paki/chinese airspace starts.
But
But
But what is not understood properly (like in the case of
@Bhadra) is that sonar since it is based on sounds is actually a far difficult sensor compared to say the understanding of a radar.
Lets presume an simpler active sonar. Because you are making sounds your quary will know your bearings before you know his [Note]. In such a situation it makes sense to preserve the algorithm of your own Sonar. That algo is the soul of sonar. On the flip side if your algo is already known to the marketplace, which is the case when you buy it from others, you are in deep doodoo. Now obviously the algo will be dependent on the kind of soundwaves used. And hence the high complexity involved and the need to understand Sonar as a strategic asset. The cost is not the factor that makes a sonar a strategic issue unlike for other sensors/satellites/surveillance methods.
And because a Sonar is a strategic issue, on which depends your own ability to protect your own SSBNs or kill your enemies SSKs, it must be made inside the country, whatever the hell it takes. Buy the ship if you have to but control your own sonar.
Note - At 50 nm range say the sound travels straight line the target will know about you around 62 seconds before you will [=1.852 km per nm * 50 nm / 1.49 km per sec]. Add to that the fact that the SOFAR will allow you to transmit only by reflection, bounces and refraction which will off course be longer. Add say a 12 second pulse repetition interval. Then some time to detect and report times. Note we are in the SOFAR channel where you get the best transmission and reception. By the time the commander gets the first inputs the picture will be old and creates inherent uncertainty. Thus your algo and prediction must have some good logic to it.
You are doubly screwed if your enemy has a bistatic arrangement. Then he also is in a position to release his heavy weight torpedoes before you.
Just to give you an idea of resolution achieved at a mere 400 feet or 122 meters
with active sonar.
Man a sonar is not anything like a radar or IR/optical imaging.
The case with a passive sonar is equally intimidating.
Would you like it if US/France were to whisper the sonar algo to pakis to support their own worldwide diplomacy. Both countries have been known to have whispered things around town.
But some people think DRDO cannot do it so damn them we will import. Arre itna simple hota to ho hi na gaya hota.
