Indian Navy Developments & Discussions

[Indx TechStyle]

Indian Navy picks MAN engines for stealth frigates

 

[Dark Sorrow]

Indian Navy picks MAN engines for stealth frigates

Germans are really good with engines. Their engines are fuel efficient, light weight yet durable.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Germans are really good with engines. Their engines are fuel efficient, light weight yet durable.

And that's why, we also must focus on R&D related to metallurgy to make powerful engines.

 

[Dark Sorrow]

And that's why, we also must focus on R&D related to metallurgy to make powerful engines.

Companies like M&M and TATA get their engines and transmission developed from German firms and buy necessary technologies for local production.

 

[cobra commando]

Eastern Fleet Ships on deployment to South China and North West Pacific

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Six old submarines to get a facelift

A file photo of submarine Sindhukesari at the Naval base in Kochi.

To maintain its depleting sub-surface levels, the Navy has begun the process of upgrading six of its oldest submarines. The first of them is en routeRussia for major refit and life certification (MRLC), which will extend its operational life by 10 years.

INS Sindhukesari, a Kilo-class submarine commissioned in 1989, left India in early May and is scheduled to reach the Zvezdochka yard at Severodvinsk in Russia in two months, Navy sources said on Wednesday.

“These submarines have completed over 25 years of service. It was decided to upgrade them in view of the delay in the induction of new submarines. The main aspect of the MRLC is that it will be certified by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM),” a senior Navy officer said.

In August 2014, the Defence Acquisition Council had accorded approval for sending six submarines for the MRLC — four Russian Kilo class and two German HDW class. The process is expected to cost over Rs. 1,000 crore each. Two Kilo class submarines are to be sent to Russia, while two more would be upgraded in India by the Hindustan Shipyard Limited in Vizag. Both the HDW submarines are to be upgraded in India, one each by Mazagaon Dock Limited (MDL) and the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.

“The upgradation plan might be revised based on the induction of Scorpene submarines as their schedules are being accelerated,” the official said.

The government had approved an ambitious “30-year submarine construction plan” in 1999 for building 24 conventional submarines under two different production lines. But not a single submarine has been inducted till date and the first Scorpene submarine under Project-75, after repeated delays, has just begun sea trials and is expected to join the force in October this year.

Incidentally, the Scorpenes will roll out without their major weapon, heavy weight torpedoes, which are caught up in allegations of corruption in other defence deals.

Indian navy was building more sub's and could have 22-23 subs by 2023 even after retiring six. But, now, they won't be retired and will be upgraded.
Further, it may make 10+ subs between 2023 and 30.
How long will we take to catch up with US, Russia and China?
@Navnit Kundu @Gessler @Superdefender

 

[Navnit Kundu]

Six old submarines to get a facelift

A file photo of submarine Sindhukesari at the Naval base in Kochi.







Indian navy was building more sub's and could have 22-23 subs by 2023 even after retiring six. But, now, they won't be retired and will be upgraded.
Further, it may make 10+ subs between 2023 and 30.
How long will we take to catch up with US, Russia and China?
@Navnit Kundu @Gessler @Superdefender

This strategy bears the fingerprints of Parrikar's out of the box thinking. He has done this many times before. Imagine the power leap we will take when the new aircraft carrier and Rafale becomes operational, at the same time, with these new submarines.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Navy needs more muscle to tackle China
The South Block has packaged the ritual foray by naval ships in the Indo-Pacific into a flag-waving exercise in South China Sea. Indian warships are similarly engaged in the Gulf. Will this hype be carried over to Modi's US visit?

Indian naval helicopers rehearsing for the International Fleet review in Visakhapatnam in February this year. President Pranab Mukherjee reviewed a fleet of 70 naval ships, including several from foreign countries. PTI
___________________________________________

Prime Minister Narendra Modi makes his fourth visit to the US this June. His joint address to the US Senate and the Congress is being touted as a major milestone in India-US ties. But several developments in the region should dampen his enthusiasm to go ahead with the burgeoning maritime partnership with the US, intended to corral China's growing influence in the South China Sea and the Western Pacific.

The keenness among the quartet forged by the US to accomplish this purpose has started waning. It all began with the dethroning of Tony Abott as Australian Prime Minister, who like Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, were willing partners for the move to divide responsibility in the oceans girding China as well as washing up their shores.

Abott's replacement, Malcolm Turnbull has sent the first signal that while Australia will leave no stone unturned to guard its periphery, it would not like it to be misinterpreted in China. Much against popular anticipation among local think tanks, Turnbull decided to upend Japanese plans to mark their first foray into defence exports. The mouthwatering contract for a dozen submarines instead went to France with no stakes in the region after it was drummed out decades back from what was called Indo-China. The US-Japanese ploy to involve Australia into a deeper military embrace, of the kind being attempted with India, remains stillborn.

And just last week, a rank outsider with no link to the families that have dominated politics in the Philippines became President. Apart from his eye-grabbing resolve of a bullet for bullet strategy against hoodlums, Rodrigo Duterte expressed willingness to partner with China in oil exploration in South China Sea. Protesting ambassadors of the US and Australia were ordered to “shut their mouths”. Duterte may well become restrained as he grows in his job but his stand is a far cry from the days when his country hosted a massive US naval base. It was the first to militarise an island in South China Sea by building a runway and constructing military fortifications (in a hilarious incident one of them was stormed and occupied by another US ally, South Vietnam, while the resident Phillipino military contingent was away for a musical soiree).

Another potential ally Vietnam is too sharp to put all its eggs in the American basket. A quick look at the overseas itinerary of its top leaders confirms its balancing between the US, China and India. Hanoi ensures a senior government or Communist Party member is making the rounds of the Forbidden City whenever there is a high-level visit to New Delhi or Washington.

In any case, members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) are actively weighing the benefits of the $250 billion Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralisation (CMIM) to consider a frontal confrontation with China. In any case, this financing facility also ropes in South Korea and Japan. While South Korea is one of the rare countries with a positive trade balance with China and also has an unpredictable North Korea on its borders, the glitter of Abe's much-touted Abenomics has distinctly faded. This and his failed bid to quickly settle the Kuril Island dispute with Russian President Vladimir Putin may have tempered his appetite for aggression with China.

Modi may not like to make his Washington visit another occasion to ratchet up India's interest in South China Sea in a scenario where players with direct stakes in the dispute are being conscpiciously circumspect. The South Block has started on the right note by dismissing a senior Pentagon military hawk's proposal for joint India-US naval patrols. With China and Russia forging still closer links and fine-tuning their approach to several disputes in the wider region, the last thing India would want is Russia turning lukewarm to its quest for more nuclear- powered submarines and a share in the pie in the thawing and mineral- rich Arctic region. More than aircraft carriers and fancy sea-borne missiles, nuclear-powered submarines are a potent and credible deterrent, with their ability to lie undetected for long periods. Of the handful of countries with the ability to build these submarines, Russia is and will remain India's only supplier for a long time to come.

If India is to make its naval flotilla a serious contender in the Indian Ocean or even the Indo-Pacific (the new term for the maritime sphere from here to the West Pacific), it needs to add potency to the existing platforms. The proposed US -India Defence Technology and Partnership Act will take time to bear fruit in the form of transfer of latest technology. With French Scorpene submarines beginning to take to the sea, the need is to close price negotiations for American anti-submarine choppers, hunt for alternate suppliers of torpedoes (now that the shortlisted supplier Finmeccanica is ruled out because of the AgustaWestland controversy) and add to the fleet of long-endurance naval reconnaissance planes.

Obama may have talked up India’s role in the wider maritime domain during his visit to India last year. The bitter truth is his recent accounts of the state of play in the Indo-Pacific left India out altogether. Obama more than anyone else would know India's defence preparedness and economic muscle has some distance to cover before it starts taking sides in disputes between great powers. In plain terms, Modi's Washington visit should achieve closure on bread and butter issues that would make other nations consider Indian Navy as a serious force rather than deliver another grandiose vision statement that needlessly makes potential rivals sit up and take counter measures.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

OPINION | Weaponised Unmanned Vehicles in the Indian Navy: Technology Outlook
By Rear Admiral Dr. S. Kulshrestha (Retd.), Indian Navy

In the Navy unmanned vehicles constitute four types of vehicles which operate in aerial, surface-land, surface-sea and underwater environments. Even though more glamorous terms like ‘autonomous vehicles’ are used to describe them, in reality, all these vehicles fall in the category of remotely controlled/piloted robotic vehicles. However, it is also true that in most of these categories, higher and higher degree of autonomous functioning can be built-in with the available technology.

The question that arises before the Indian Navy is whether it is ready to go for development of autonomous unmanned systems, which would be cable of engaging a target and inflicting lethal damage on their own? Is the Indian Navy willing to develop technologies that empower the vehicle with embedded artificial intelligence to make the final decision to launch weapons at the target independent of any human intervention?

It may be worthwhile to look at some innovative technologies, which are going to have a profound effect upon weaponised unmanned vehicles of tomorrow.

Cutting-Edge Artificial Intelligence (AI):

Whereas artificial intelligence would enable an unmanned vehicle to perceive and respond to its changing environment, the cutting edge AI would enable the unmanned vehicle to learn automatically by assimilating large volumes of environmental and tactical information. There is a need for the Indian Navy to look in to technologies and software formulations which would permit an unmanned vehicle, for example, to launch itself, proceed to learn acoustic, magnetic or electromagnetic signatures and identify the target on its own (as distinct from current weapons like mines, torpedoes and missiles which have a tested and tried inbuilt code). The need to pursue technologies that would enable it to go a step further by taking a decision to launch its weapons could be looked at in future.

Profound/ Deep Learning in respect of Unmanned Vehicles:

There is a definite need to look into Profound or / Deep learning technological issues since for most of the areas of their operations, unmanned vehicles would be required to accumulate vast amounts of data/ intelligence inputs from the surroundings, process it and upload it to systems for decision making by humans. Fundamentally, advanced algorithms need to be developed for unmanned vehicles through which the vehicle on its own can differentiate changes from the normal that need to be highlighted for predicting a future course of events by the analysts. Since Unmanned underwater vehicles would operational for periods extending over months at a time,one area of importance could be to make the vehicle unlearn (specific areas it has self-written the codes for), since it occupies memory space or it may no longer remain relevant.

Green Technologies for Unmanned Vehicles:

As the Unmanned systems race to achieve higher and higher levels of autonomous operations, there is a need to look into technologies, which would make unmanned vehicles more environmental friendly, like the use of green plastics of the poly hexahydrotriazines or PHTs category, which provide the same strength but are biodegradable. Similar advances need to be explored for providing the unmanned vehicles with green electrical power and its storage for long endurance operations. Neuromorphic Technology. Neuromorphic chips are designed to process information by mimicking human brain’s architecture resulting in massive computing and processing power. These combine data storage and data processing components in same interconnected modules thus providing power as well as energy efficiency.

Communications Pathways:

Satellites are not the only pathway for reliable communications, be it for data, voice, or command & control. There is a requirement for a resilient architecture that can act as a redundant pathway to atmospheric communications (including underwater) through electromagnetic domains including digital communications utilizing fiber domain. Fiber carries far larger bandwidth than what can be carried through the satellite systems. Multiple pathways would provide greater safety and protection to the cyber networks. Technologies need to be developed, to make the network physically resilient to deal with High Altitude Electromagnetic Pulse (HEMP), and to make the network react by itself to tampering by external actors.

Additive Manufacturing Technology:

Distributed manufacturing enables efficient use of resources, with less wasted capacity in centralized factories. It also reduces the amount of capital required to build the first prototypes and products. Further, it limits the overall environmental impact of manufacturing since digital information is transferred over the internet with local sourcing of raw materials. However, Additive manufacturing poses a potentially disruptive challenge to conventional processes and supply chains. Its nascent applications in aerospace sectors need to be developed for the unmanned systems across the Naval unmanned requirement. There is a need to examine and develop 3D printing of circuit boards and other integrated electronic components. Currently, Nano scale component integration into 3D printing is a formidable challenge for this technology. Taking a step further, adaptive-additive technologies (4D printing) would be ushering in products that would be responsive to the natural environment (like temperature and humidity) around them.

Test and evaluations of Unmanned Systems:

Test and evaluation of collaborative (Humans and robotic) systems is a big technological leap that needs to be addressed at the earliest. As of now, there is no software, which can test a collaborative system both physically, and intellectually, once an unmanned system has been tasked to learn on its own, it should have the capability to convey the extent of its learning as it progresses in its knowledge acquisition process. Navy needs to delve into cognitive testing aspects of software for unmanned vehicles today to fruitfully operate autonomous vehicles of tomorrow.

Disruptive Unmanned Warfare:

Autonomous vehicles have ushered in a paradigm shift from the few big, expensive, and lethal weapons to large numbers of small, cheap, and smart unmanned systems capable of swarming the adversary. The unmanned vehicles today can carry significant amounts of weapons utilizing new designs of weapons with nano materials. The Navy needs to explore technologies for developing new types of weapons for use in the autonomous vehicles.

Autonomous vehicles have ushered in a paradigm shift from the few big, expensive, and lethal weapons to large numbers of small, cheap, and smart unmanned systems capable of swarming the adversary. The unmanned vehicles today can carry significant amounts of weapons utilizing new designs of weapons with nano materials. The Navy needs to explore technologies for developing new types of weapons for use in the autonomous vehicles.

Finally, the Indian Navy has to focus in the coming years on the technology developments in the commercial sector which have outpaced the developments in the military; especially in the software; and the artificial intelligence sector. It has to seek ways and means to synergize the commercial sector developments such that it can become a force multiplier ushering in the next RMA.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Defence Ministry eyeing optimal resource utilisation for more submarines & advanced frigates

Navy’s plan for a 65,000 ton nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be fitted with an American catapult system is not likely to get financial clearances soon.

NEW DELHI: The defence ministry is doing a rethink on a prohibitively expensive naval programme for a futuristic aircraft carrier and is evaluating options for more optimal utilisation of resources for other critical purchases — like submarines andadvanced frigates .

Officials have confirmed to ET that the Navy's plan for a 65,000 ton nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to be fitted with an American catapult system is not likely to get financial clearances soon as the ministry was looking at other options. While a detailed project report for the carrier is ongoing and the Indo-US Joint Working Group on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC) is in place, officials say that the next step involving release of more funds could be deferred.

Defence minister Manohar Parrikarwhen asked told ET that he could not comment on the matter as he had not taken a decision on the project as of now. Navy officials said that they have not received information on the future of the plan yet.

A reason for the rethink is the massive cost involved in the new-age aircraft carrier. By conservative estimates, the cost of construction of the carrier itself, without the aircraft, would exceed Rs 70,000 crore. The high cost is primarily due to the integration of the nuclear plant as well as the American electromagnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) being planned.

As of now, the defence ministry has allocated Rs30 crore to the project after an approval by the highpowered defence acquisition committee last year. Officials have told ET that out of this, only Rs 2 crore has been released in this financial year for the project.

With other critical naval projects requiring attention — including two lines of indigenous nuclear powered submarines — a line of thinking within the defence ministry is that allocating huge resources to a single platform would not be prudent.

"The aircraft carrier itself is expensive and also requires a number of warships and platforms around it to operate at sea. We also have other pressing needs of the Navy to consider," a defence ministry official said.

India's Aircraft Carrier Pursuit

For the Indian Navy, the aircraft carrier has always been central to projection of power & status as the dominant maritime force of the region. Since independence, Navy has operated three aircraft carriers — the Vikrant, Viraat and Vikramaditya. Another one — also to be named Vikrant — is under construction in Kochi.

READ MORE:
Submarines|resource utilisation|Manohar Parrikar|Defence ministry|Defence Minister|American catapult system|advanced frigates

 

[Zebra]

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@IndianNavyPRO

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Indian Navy to contribute towards renewable energy generation

On World Environment Day, the Indian Navy has pledged 1.5 per cent of its budget towards renewable energy generation, Ministry of Defence (MoD) said on Sunday.

As part of navy’s ‘Green Initiatives’ programme that completes two years on this World Environment Day, impetus has been given to reduce the overall carbon footprint with the focus on not only addressing the root cause of the problem, which lies in the way energy is used.

“Creation of an energy and environment cell at Naval Headquarters in January to monitor pan navy implementation of green measures is a concrete step in this direction. This cell has been tasked to making the navy an environmentally responsible force which is not only energy and resource efficient, but also resilient to energy costs,” the Indian Navy said.

Through efficient ship design and operations along with mass energy conservation awareness drives that are conducted regularly at all commands and repair yards, the navy has saved approximately Rs.12 crore annually.

Furthermore, the navy has set itself an aggressive target of 21 mw solar installation, to be implemented in three phases.

“The initiative is in line with the national mission of mega watt to giga watt towards achieving 100 gw of solar installations by 2022,” the statement said.

“Additionally, the navy has pledged 1.5 per cent of its works budget towards renewable energy generation. Under this scheme, solar projects are being undertaken at various naval stations across all commands. Naval Stations, with scarce available land, have resorted to the deploying rooftop solar panels,” it added.

The navy is also exploring the possibility of harnessing renewable energy from oceans and feasibility of exploiting ocean thermal energy and wave energy as sources of power, are being discussed.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

A first for India [ES2016D4]

Award-winning Indian shipbuilder Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) last year delivered its first warship built for export to the coast guard of Mauritius.

According to the company, work on this ship has opened a new line of offshore patrol vessels for multiple roles. “GRSE gained considerable experience in building this first export war vessel and many countries have now shown keen interest in such ships,” the company said.

GRSE is now participating in an international tender for the construction of two frigates for the Philippine Navy. As the only Indian shipyard to have qualified for this tender, GRSE is in competition with several leading players in the world.

With the delivery of CGS Barracuda to Mauritius as its initial push into the export market, GRSE is beginning to realise the Indian prime minister’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, both to meet the requirements of the country’s armed forces and to export to friendly foreign nations.

Since being taken over by the Indian government in 1960, GRSE has built close to 100 vessels for the Indian navy and coast guard, ranging from frigates, anti-submarine warfare corvettes and landing craft to inshore and offshore patrol vessels and missile ships.

GRSE (Hall 5, Stands J847/ H848) has made a significant contribution to the success of India’s indigenous warship construction programme.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India finalising naval guns deal with Israel's Elbit Systems

India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) is finalising price negotiations with Israel's Elbit Systems for 747 12.7 mm naval remote weapon stations (RWSs), worth an estimated INR19 billion (USD282 million), for the Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

Industry sources said the MoD is expected to complete the RWS deal, which it quoted was "substantially lower" than that of British rival EMDigital.

The deal includes importing 136 RWSs with electro-optic modules off the shelf and the remaining 611 systems in kit form for assembly by the state-run Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) unit at Tiruchirappalli, southern India. Ammunition for the 12.7 mm RWSs would be manufactured at the OFB plant in Kolkata.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

India finalising naval guns deal with Israel's Elbit Systems

India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) is finalising price negotiations with Israel's Elbit Systems for 747 12.7 mm naval remote weapon stations (RWSs), worth an estimated INR19 billion (USD282 million), for the Indian Navy (IN) and Indian Coast Guard (ICG).

Industry sources said the MoD is expected to complete the RWS deal, which it quoted was "substantially lower" than that of British rival EMDigital.

The deal includes importing 136 RWSs with electro-optic modules off the shelf and the remaining 611 systems in kit form for assembly by the state-run Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) unit at Tiruchirappalli, southern India. Ammunition for the 12.7 mm RWSs would be manufactured at the OFB plant in Kolkata.

 

[Indx TechStyle]

'Pocket Battleships' Part Of Navy's Mega-Growth Plans

Brahmos missiles, shown being fired here, will arm next-generation warships.

Story Highlights

• DAC to clear proposals worth 29000 crores for new gen warships, upgrades
• 'Pocket battleships' to be armed with Brahmos anti-shipping missiles
• Navy plans to acquire 5 diving support craft in a Make-in-India proposal

New Delhi: On a day when the Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told Armed Forces commanders to focus on India's 'Look East' policy by stepping up joint exercises with friendly countries in South East Asia, details have emerged of plans to significantly expand the Navy's war-fighting capability.

On Saturday, the Defence Acquisition Committee of the Ministry of Defence is expected to review and clear proposals worth nearly Rs 29,000 crore for a host of new generation warships, upgrades and Naval fighting systems.

Delhi Class destroyers will also be armed with the Brahmos anti-ship missiles.

Among the most significant, is a proposal to construct an all-new class of six next-generation missile boats in India, which, once completed, will be among the most powerful vessels of their class in the world. The 1,250-ton 'pocket battleships' are to be armed with Brahmos anti-shipping missiles which can strike targets at sea and on land 300 kilometres away.

The boats, which will replace the Navy's ageing Prabal class missile-boats, will also be equipped with surface to air missiles, close-in-weapon-systems to intercept hostile missiles, a main gun and point defence guns to counter threats, potentially from terrorists operating in small fast boats. They will be built in India and with the project likely to cost Rs 13,000 crores.

Talwar Class frigates of the Indian Navy will also be upgraded.

Heavily armed for their size, the missile boats follow a recent trend of modern Navies building a new generation of small missile armed ships. In October last year, the Russian Navy launched 26 missiles from four small frigates and corvettes in the Caspian Sea to strike ISIS targets more than 1,500 kilometres away.

The Indian Navy, for its part, has long favoured small missile boats. In the 1971 war against Pakistan, an Indian variant of the 245 ton Russian designed Osa class missile boats caused widespread destruction on Pakistani shipping in and around Karachi harbour in the first use of anti-ship missiles in combat in the region. This was only the second time in Naval warfare that anti-ship missiles had been used successfully in combat. So successful was Operation Trident as it was known, that the Navy celebrates Navy Day every year on December 4 to mark the occasion.

Other than missile boats, the Navy is set to significantly upgrade its legacy Delhi class destroyers and the relatively new Talwar class frigates with the made-in-India Brahmos missile, significantly expanding their offensive firepower. The existing weaponry of less-capable Klub anti-ship missiles which currently equip the Delhi and Talwar class may be transferred to older warships though these plans are still being finalised. The deal to upgrade these warships will cost 2700 crores which will include the entire Brahmos missile complex including practice missile rounds.

Significantly, the Navy wants to upgrade its ability to carry out clandestine operations by its Marine Commandos who will now be equipped with two Special Operations Vehicles (SOV), essentially mini-submarines, to be built at Hindustan Shipyards Limited in Visakhapatnam. Each SOV will embark three swimmer delivery vehicles (SDV) to be used by specialist divers in commando operations. This project is worth Rs 2000 crores.

As part of its overall blue-water plans, the Navy sees fleet support ships as an essential force-multiplier giving it the ability to operate far away from Indian shores. To this end, Hindustan Shipyards Limited and Hyundai Heavy Industries of South Korea have been in talks for the construction of five Fleet Support Ships in India worth Rs 9000 crores. It is unclear at this stage if the deal will involve a government to government deal between India and South Korea or will be negotiated between the two companies involved.

Finally, the Navy plans to acquire five diving support craft in a Make-in-India proposal for 150 crores to replace its elderly vessels.

Naval ship-building is an area of strength in India and the biggest success-story of this government's Make in India plans in the defence sector. For decades India has been designing and manufacturing the ships it needs from its own aircraft carriers to nuclear submarines.

 

[Prashant12]

GSL up for tech swap with S Korean firm


PANAJI: Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), the Vasco-based defence public sector undertaking (DPSU) is on the verge of concluding transfer of technology (ToT) negotiations with South Korean defence equipment manufacturers for a 32,000 crore project to build 12 mine counter measure vessels (MCMV) for the Indian Navy.

MCMVs are special defence ships meant to detect and destroy mines placed in water to wreck ships or submarines that bump into them. An MCMV uses remote-controlled underwater robots to detonate mines.

As the shipyard begins preparations to start manufacturing the warships, it has already tendered works worth 500 crores to create necessary infrastructure. Goan firms like Dempo, Kineco, Triveni, Chowgule and Aquarius have already tied up with South Korean equipment manufacturers to produce parts in Goa.

"We are about to conclude the ToT. A big delegation from South Korea is visiting on June 27 and 28. We are also calling Goan vendors who have tied up with South Korean counterparts to resolve any concerns," Shekhar Mital, chairman and managing director of Goa Shipyard Ltd, told TOI .

After the Union defence ministry quashed a contract awarded in 2008 to the South Korea-based Kangnam Corporation to build the minesweepers, Goa Shipyard was awarded a $5 billion non-competitive contract in 2014 to build 12 MCMVs.

In September 2015, Goa Shipyard floated a global expression of interest from companies willing to transfer the technology to build the vessels in which Kangnam Corporation was the sole respondent.

Sources said the Indian Navy has a total requirement of 24 minesweepers and Goa Shipyard Ltd expects to receive a subsequent order for 12 MCMVs on successful delivery of the current contract.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/...p-with-S-Korean-firm/articleshow/52891717.cms

 

[Indx TechStyle]

Upgrade of Destroyers, Frigates With Brahmos Missile Likely To Figure In India’s DAC Meeting

Delhi-class destroyer (File Photo)

The Indian Defense Ministry’s Defense Acquisition Committee is likely to take up upgrading of Delhi-class destroyers and Talwar class frigates with indigenous Brahmos missile along with construction of six next-gen missile boats during its next meeting scheduled for Saturday.

The DAC on Saturday is expected to review and clear projects worth nearly $4.2 billion (INR 29,000 crore) to buy new generation warships, naval fighting systems and upgrades.

The Navy is set to significantly upgrade its legacy Delhi class destroyers and the relatively new Talwar class frigates with the Brahmos missile, significantly expanding their offensive firepower. The existing weaponry of less-capable Klub anti-ship missiles which currently equip the Delhi and Talwar class may be transferred to older warships though these plans are still being finalised. The deal to upgrade these warships will cost $397 million (INR 2700 crore) which will include the entire Brahmos missile complex including practice missile rounds, NDTV reported Friday.

Apart from the upgrades, a proposal to construct an all-new class of six next-generation missile boats in India is a part of the meetings. The 1,250-ton 'pocket battleships' are to be armed with Brahmos anti-shipping missiles which can strike targets at sea and on land 300 kilometres away.

The boats will replace the Navy's ageing Prabal class missile-boats and will also be equipped with surface to air missiles, close-in-weapon-systems to intercept hostile missiles, a main gun and point defence guns to counter threats, potentially from terrorists operating in small fast boats. They will be built in India and with the project likely to cost US $1.9 billion (INR 13,000 crore).

 

[Prashant12]

India signs €35 million deal with Thyssenkrupp to retrofit 2 Indian Navy Class 209 submarines to fire Harpoons.

 

[indiandefencefan]

India signs €35 million deal with Thyssenkrupp to retrofit 2 Indian Navy Class 209 submarines to fire Harpoons.

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