Chindits: India Receives Combat Management Systems For Scorpene Submarines : Agency
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India Receives Combat
Management Systems
For Scorpene
Submarines : Agency
.
French shipbuilder DCNS has delivered two highly
sophisticatedcombat management systems for
the first two Scorpene submarines being built in
India. The system forms the "brain" of the vessel.
DCNS India Managing Director Bernard Buisson
told India Strategic defence journal that both the
systems had been delivered to Mazagon Docks
Ltd. (MDL), which was in the process of
integrating the first one at present. There are
about 20 to 25 French engineers assisting in
technology transfer and work at MDL was
maturing to mutual satisfaction.
The first Scorpene submarine, under the Indian
Navy' & chr(39) & 's Project 75, will be launched
end-2013 and commissioned in 2015. The second
one would be a year later.
Buisson said that MDL was actually doing some
work, at different levels, regarding all the six
submarines under the project and that all the six
submarines would be delivered by 2018.
MDL had built the hulls of first and second
submarines, and begun work on the hulls of third
andfourth submarines. Simultaneously, other
systems were being tested and installed on them
progressively.
Buisson said that DCNS has had technical
discussions with the Indian Navy on installing air
independent propulsion (AIP) systems on board
the last two submarines. There would be a cost,
but the AIP would increase the submergence of
the vessels by three to four times, thereby
making them hidden and more lethal.
The company was awaiting the navy' & chr(39) &
's response, as well as an order for the new line
of six or more submarines under Project 75-I, all
of which would be equipped with he AIP
systems. DCNS had already responded to the
Indian Navy' & chr(39) & 's request for
information (RfI) in this regard.
Buisson said that DCNS' & chr(39) & ' AIP system
was based on the MESMA steam AIP used on
board all the French nuclear submarines. France
as only nuclear-powered submarines and
accordingly, proven for technology, he added.
Asked about local participation in the Scorpene
project, Buisson said that DCNS was also talking
to private shipyards as per the new Defence
Procurement Procedure (DPP) and offset
requirements.
"We are also in the process of finalizing the
selection of our industrial partners for
indigenization of MPM (Mazagon Purchased
Materials from other companies) items," he said.
MPM items include pumps, valves, air
conditioning equipment and various sub-
systems.
--Indo-Asian News Service