Indian Warships now being constructed using Carbon Fibre, more Stealthier
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), under the Ministry of Defence, which recently completed major modernisation of its infrastructure facility and has doubled its capacity, has become the first Indian shipyard to build warships using carbon fibre composite material.
An official said integrating the carbon composite superstructure with the steel hull has helped reduce the total weight of the vessel and has increased its stealth capability. The Kolkata-based shipyard has incorporated this technology in its ongoing project of third and fourth ASW (anti-submarine warfare) Corvettes being built for the Indian Navy.
Imported material
The carbon fibre material, imported from Swedish stockyard Kockumo, is reportedly lighter than stainless steel, which is traditionally used to construct warships.
The official added the composite material was used to construct the superstructure of the ship, which would ensure that the vessel is 30 per cent lighter.
In the ASW Corvette, stealth is a key ingredient, said the official, and the composite material would help make it less susceptible to detection.
In a record for a ship of her size, the third ASW Corvette has successfully completed Contractor’s sea trials in the first sea sortie itself, while the final machinery trials for the vessel have also been subsequently completed.
The company had won the contract for four anti-submarine warfare Corvettes.
The first two ASW Corvettes, INS Kamorta and INS Kadmatt, delivered by the shipyard to the Indian Navy have been generating interest across the globe.
The modernisation project at GRSE was undertaken to help the shipyard build quality ships, modern frigates and destroyers in a reduced timeframe, said the official.
It has paved the way for the shipyard to undertake construction of three advanced stealth frigates for the Indian Navy.
Recently, the last warship of the four ‘follow on’ water jet fast attack crafts (FACs) built by GRSE was commissioned into the Indian Navy.
INS Tarasa is the fourth and last of the FAC, and has been commissioned with all weapon and sensor trials completed.
The ship is armed with a 30 mm main gun that has been indigenously built, and a number of light, medium and heavy machine guns to undertake coastal defence operations.
The first two ships of the class, INS Tarmugli and INS Tihayu were commissioned in 2016 and are based at Visakhapatnam, while the third ship INS Tillanchang was commissioned earlier this year in March at Karwar.
These ships are an upgrade of the Car Nicobar class Fast Attack Crafts with the Indian Navy, which were alsoindigenously designed and built by GRSE
http://www.thehindubusinessline.com...on-fibre-to-build-warships/article9883479.ece
