Indian Navy Developments & Discussions

WolfPack86

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Navy not keen on HAL for choppers, wants private sector to build alternate capability
The navy is not in favour of an offer by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) for an upcoming Rs 21,000 crore Make in India contract as its chopper does not meet requirements and there is a dire need to establish alternative capability in the private sector to manufacture modern aircraft.


Sources said that the naval version of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) that is being offered does not meet basic qualitative requirements and is unsuitable for the role required, including urgent Search and Rescue (SAR) missions at sea. As reported by ET, the naval utility helicopter (NUH) plan – originally planned for the private sector under the strategic partnership model – is going through a tussle after HAL entered the fray and has requested the government to be included.


“The ALH has a rigid rotor head and has been designed for high altitude operations, where it is very good at. The problem is that the design limits it in terms of the blade folding capability.
 

WolfPack86

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Navy Not Keen On HAL For Choppers, Wants Private Sector To Build Alternate Capability
NEW DELHI: The navy is not in favour of an offer by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd NSE -0.85 % (HAL) for an upcoming Rs 21,000 crore Make in India contract as its chopper does not meet requirements and there is a dire need to establish alternative capability in the private sector to manufacture modern aircraft.



Sources said that the naval version of the Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) that is being offered does not meet basic qualitative requirements and is unsuitable for the role required, including urgent Search and Rescue (SAR) missions at sea. As reported by ET, the naval utility helicopter (NUH) plan - originally planned for the private sector under the strategic partnership model - is going through a tussle after HAL entered the fray and has requested the government to be included.



"The ALH has a rigid rotor head and has been designed for high altitude operations, where it is very good at. The problem is that the design limits it in terms of the blade folding capability. In missions such as SAR, every minute is precious and the ALH just takes too much time to be deployed," a source said. While the navy is already operating the ALH in a utility role, it requires 111 helicopters for deployment onboard ships to carry out multiple roles, including surveillance and ferrying supplies. The requirement is urgent and a specialised chopper is needed that can be quickly deployed and retrieved and can be stored in the space constrained hangar onboard all vessels.



The process to acquire the choppers is already in advanced stages with four Indian companies shortlisted who can partner with a foreign technology provider to make the helicopters domestically. However, the final selection is stuck after HAL put in a representation. In the original tender document, it was specified that only private sector companies are eligible to take part in the contest.



Sources said that there is a need to have capacity in the private sector too for manufacturing modern aircraft and the NUH programme will enable the identified winner to procure technology and skills. Besides the navy requirement, the winning company will have a large domestic civilian market to tap, besides a robust export potential.
 

WolfPack86

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Russia Offers India Three Refurbished Kilo-Class Submarines
The Indian Navy is considering an offer by Russia’s state-owned JSC United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) for three refurbished Kilo-class submarines to augment its shortfall in diesel-electric submarines (SSKs), according to local media reports.

USC reportedly offered a $1.8-2 billion “three plus three” package that would include upgrade work on three Indian Navy Sindhughosh Kilo (Project 877EKM)-class SSKs with an additional three refurbished Russian Navy Kilo-class hulls.

The possible defense deal was expected to be raised at a meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-M&MTC) that was scheduled to take place in Goa last month but was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Indian Navy would receive the Russian-made SSKs at one-year intervals with the first boat slated for delivery three years after the conclusion of the agreement. The refit of the three Sindhughosh Kilo (Project 877EKM)-class SSKs, which entered service in 1990, 1991, and 2000 respectively, would extend their operational life by 10 years.

According to Indian media reports, senior officers in the Indian Navy submarine branch are looking at the proposal favorably and see it as a stopgap measure to address the perennial shortage of operationally deployable boats in the force.

“One important capability which the Kilos provide India is their submarine launched cruise missiles,” naval analyst H I Sutton wrote for Forbes earlier this week. “They are equipped with the Russian supplied 3M-14E Club-S missile which is roughly similar to the American Tomahawk.”

The Russian 3M-54E1 Klub-S submarine-launched cruise missile (SLCM) has an estimated 220 kilometer range against surface targets.

The Navy’s SSK force currently consists of 14 SSKs against a projected requirement of 24 SSKs under the service’s Maritime Capacity Perspective Plan (MCPP) 2012–27. One Indian Navy Kilo-class SSK was lost due to an explosion in Mumbai harbor in 2013.

Last year, India and Russia signed an intergovernmental agreement for a 10-year lease of a Russian nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN).

The Indian Navy leased two other subs from Russia in past years. In 1988, the service commissioned a Project 670 Skat-class (NATO classification: Charlie-class) nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine, rechristened INS Chakra, under a three-year lease. In 2012, a second INS Chakra, the retrofitted K-152 Project 971 Akula-class Nerpa, was leased for a decade, which might be extended to 2027.

Last year, Russia also offered India to jointly develop a new SSK class based on the Russian Amur-1650 class. The Amur-1650 is the export version of the Project 677 Lada-class.

The Navy commissioned its second of six Scorpene-class (Kalvari-class) SSKs in September 2019.
 

WolfPack86

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India-China standoff: American weapons for the Indian Navy on the anvil?
As Indian and Chinese troops remain face-to-face in Ladakh, India is buying more sophisticated American weapons, this time for the Navy.

The Defence Acquisition Council or DAC, headed by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and including the three chiefs and the chief of defence staff is expected to clear a decision to acquire ten Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAVs during the forthcoming meeting on August 11.

These UAVs are likely to be the American Sea Guardian MQ-9 drone, far deadlier than any similar weapon system India currently possesses. The Sea Guardian can be in the air for about 14 hours with its complement of air-to-ground missiles and laser-guided bombs amounting to a little less than 2,000 kg. It has a range of nearly 2,000 km or about 1,000 nautical miles. Very few countries outside the USA and its NATO allies have the Sea Guardian. Being a drone, it doesn't have a pilot, but is guided from the ground.



The DAC is also expected to clear the following:

• The purchases of Super Rapid Gun Mounts. These are medium-range anti-ship and anti-aircraft guns with 76mm shells.

• The strategic partner for building the Naval Utility Helicopter. This is a deal for 111 choppers to replace the Chetak and several foreign manufacturers are in the race. It is a Rs 20,000 crore deal that has been stuck for a considerable while.

• The refit of INS Sindhughosh, a Russian-made submarine the Navy had acquired in the mid-Eighties. The 35-year old vessel, survivor of a collision with a merchant ship and a fire, will be going to Russia for the refit.
 

Bhadra

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A few days ago there was a discussion on how MoD organizations such as DRDO established to enhance Services Warfighting capabilities actually start becoming agents of retarding , delaying, and jeopardizing Services modernization and induction of service desired technologies due to being detached from the users.

Indian Navy has taken yet one more step in the direction of encouraging and promoting in-house innovation and technology enhancement measures. I hope Indian Army and IAF takes cues from it and also develop their own organisation towards technology empowerment.

Indian Navy sets up own organization, NIIO, to fulfill its technological requirements

Website http://idrw.org/indian-navy-sets-up...l-its-technological-requirements/#more-232768 .

The Indian Navy has set up a Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) to bridge its technological gap through innovation and the involvement of both the academia and the industry. Launched by the Defence Minister on Thursday, the Navy stated in its press release that the NIIO “puts in place dedicated structures for end-users to interact with academia and industry towards fostering innovation and indigenisation for self-reliance in defence in keeping with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.” The move is seen in consonance with the Draft Defence Acquisition Policy 2020 (DAP 20) which envisages the Service Headquarters establishing an Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation within existing resources. “Indian Navy already has a functional Directorate of Indigenisation (DoI) and the new structures created will build upon the ongoing indigenisation initiatives, as well as focus on innovation,” said Navy.
 

Bhadra

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Indian Navy sets up own organization, NIIO, to fulfill its technological requirements
The NIIO is a three-tiered organisation. Naval Technology Acceleration Council (N-TAC) will bring together the twin aspects of innovation and indigenisation and provide apex level directives,

A working group under the N-TAC will implement the projects, A Technology Development Acceleration Cell (TDAC) has also been created for induction of emerging disruptive technology in an accelerated time frame.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched the Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO) through an online webinar in the presence of Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath.

Going a step further, the Navy signed Memorandums Of Understanding (MoUs) with Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA), Raksha Shakti University (RSU), Gujarat, Maker Village, Kochi and Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM).

Aiming to achieve self-reliance in aerospace and Defence sector the government of India announced setting up of two Defence industrial corridors with one situated in Uttar Pradesh and the other in Tamil Nadu.

Maker Village is a unique incubator which provides everything necessary for a hardware startup to innovate, design, and build a product.

The SIDM is the apex body of the Indian defence industry with a role as an advocate, catalyst, and facilitator for the growth and capability building of the defence industry in India.

An online discussion forum for engaging domestic industry and academic institutes was created in partnership with RSU and launched during the webinar.

A compendium of Indian Navy’s Indigenisation perspective plans titled ‘SWAVLAMBAN’ was also released on the occasion.
 

WolfPack86

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Navy To Urgently Buy 10 Ship-Based Drones
Aiming to boost surveillance capabilities against enemy warships operating in the Indian Ocean region, the Indian Navy has moved a proposal to urgently acquire 10 shipborne drones which can keep a close eye on activities of the adversaries.

"A proposal has been moved in fast track mode by the Indian Navy before the Defence Ministry under which it plans to buy 10 Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial Systems for over Rs 1,240 crores," Government sources told ANI.

As per the plans of the Navy, the drones would be deployed on big size warships of the force and would help them in the detection of activities of the Chinese as well as other adversaries in and around Indian territorial waters, they said.


As per plans, the Navy is likely to acquire these drones through an open bid and then deploy them on its warships for surveillance and reconnaissance activities.

The Indian Navy is working separately on a project to acquire Sea Guardian drones from the United States for expanding its surveillance in the country's areas of interest from Madagascar to Malacca Straits and beyond.

The Navy is also getting its existing drones upgraded as part of an upgrade programme which was recently taken up for discussion in the Defence Ministry.
 

Karthi

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One of my very old doubts got clarified today.
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Navy personnel loading a torpedo into INS Sindhurashtra(S65). Sindhurashtra is the last submarine of the Sindhughosh-class diesel electric submarines of the Indian Navy.

Test 71 ME Torpedoe may be
 

WolfPack86

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HAL Helicopter Not For US — Indian Navy Doesn’t Want PSU To Be Part of $3 Billion Chopper Deal
New Delhi: The Indian Navy remains adamant against the inclusion of government-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in the $3 billion (Rs 22,500 crore approximately) deal for Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH), asserting that the company’s product do not meet the force’s requirements.



This had been conveyed to the defence ministry by the Navy time and again, sources in the defence and security establishment.



“HAL’s NUH is not for us. The blade folding takes excessive time and the size of the folded bladed is bigger than what is required. In times of rescue missions or quick surveillance, the time taken on the blades is a disability,” a Navy source said.



The NUH is being pursued under a strategic partnership model focused on the Indian private industry meeting manufacturing needs through tie-ups with foreign vendors.



“The entire aim of the strategic partnership is to help the creation of a defence hub in the country from the private sector. NUH program is like the Maruti car programme which will lead to creation of a private helicopter manufacturing and servicing ecosystem,” the Navy source quoted above said.



Another source said that an assessment carried out by the Navy has found that ALHs does not meet the force’s requirements.

Private Players Also Objected To HAL’s Possible Inclusion



The Navy has been desperate to replace its Chetak of 1960s vintage with NUH. The NUHs are to be utilised for multiple roles, including search and rescue, casualty evacuation and low-intensity maritime operations, besides torpedo drops.



The Navy had received eight responses to the expression of interest (EOI) issued in February last year, as part of its plan to purchase 111 helicopters for Rs 21,738 crore.



HAL had submitted two bids — one by itself and another through a joint venture with Russian Helicopters to produce the Kamov chopper.



It is to note that private players have also objected to the possible inclusion of HAL in the NUH program in May last year.



Private firms that have responded to the request for information (RFI) are Mahindra Defence Systems, Tata Aerospace, Reliance, Adani, Bharat Forge and Coimbatore-based Lakshmi Machine Works.



As part of a re-evaluation in May this year, the defence ministry had asked the contenders about the export potential of the NUH programme and also raised the prospect of HAL being given a chance to be a part of it.



The private sector players had then written back to the ministry saying HAL should be kept out.



Wing Commander Unni Pillai (Retd), who is the executive director (CTP-RW) at HAL, had said, “There are two bolts there. You remove one and it can be folded. It takes about six minutes to fold on the LUH (Light Utility Helicopter). On the ALH, we are planning to incorporate the same which we would be able to do at the same time.”



However, Navy officials have said the time taken is too long and such bolts are risky.
 

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