Indian Navy Developments & Discussions

[venom]

INS Vikramaditya is suitable for power projection in IOR but it will face many problems if it plans to venture out of IOR. So In should go for queen Elezibeth class Ac's or IAC-2 must have a displacement of atleast 55000 tons for projection power beyond IOR.......

 

[venom]

Any news regarding 2 line of subs...?
which sub is tat gonna b...?
Russian Amur/Lada ? - Right now it has some minor problems in its Propulsion system.
German U-214 ? -There r reports tat Germany has scrapped the deal with Pakistan.Its a very capable submarine & as we already operate most advanced varient of U-209, adopting U-214 wont b a problem.
French Merlin or Amx-23? - They r just paper concepts......

 

[nitesh]

They don't want to continue with MiG29K or what


Navy plans to acquire multi-role fighter aircraft

The aircraft firms included: the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) for their Eurofighter Typhoon, the Boeing Integrated Defence System (for the F/A-18 Super Hornet), Sweden’s SAAB (who are offering the Gripen JAS 39) and France’s Dassault (for the Rafale).

The new naval aircraft are meant for deployment on the Navy’s third aircraft carrier, which is expected to be commissioned around 2018.

While the Rafale and the F/A-18 are natural choices for naval operations as they were built specifically for carrier-based multi-role operations, the manufacturers of the Typhoon and the Gripen have indicated that their aircraft could be suitably modified for naval carrier-based flying.

 

[nitesh]

good news:


Russia's Nerpa sub passes final trials

Russia's Nerpa nuclear attack submarine, damaged in a fatal accident during tests in November last year, has successfully passed final trials, a Pacific Fleet spokesman said on Monday.

On November 8, 2008, while the Nerpa was undergoing sea trials, its onboard fire suppression system activated, releasing a deadly gas into the sleeping quarters. Three crewmembers and 17 shipyard workers were killed. There were 208 people, 81 of them submariners, onboard the vessel at the time.

Following the repairs, which cost an estimated 1.9 billion rubles ($65 million), the submarine had been cleared for final sea trials.

"A state commission has concluded that judging by the results of all trials the Nerpa nuclear submarine is ready to enter service with the Russian Navy," the source said.

The submarine will be officially commissioned with the Russian Navy later on Monday in the in the town of Bolshoy Kamen in Primorye Territory, home to Amur shipyard's Vostok repair facility which carried out the repairs.

The submarine will be subsequently leased to the Indian Navy under the name INS Chakra. India reportedly paid $650 million for a 10-year lease of the 12,000-ton K-152 Nerpa, an Akula II class nuclear-powered attack submarine.

 

[notinlove]

How the United States Lost the Naval War
of 2015

http://www.fpri.org/orbis/5401/kraska.navalwar2015.pdf

check this out... great read

 

[ppgj]

Indian Navy

Power Packed for A Strong Nation

By Cmde Ranjit B Rai (Retd) & Gulshan R Luthra Published : December 2009

New Delhi. The fast-expanding Indian Navy proudly celebrated its Navy Day on 4th december, to commemorate the daring attack that day in 1971 when its Osa Class Killer Missile Boats sank three Pakistani ships in the opening bell of the Bangladesh Liberation War.

As is customary every year during the Navy Week celebrations, the Navy announced a theme for the coming year, aptly adopting the slogan: A Power Packed Force for A Strong Nation. That clearly indicated the Indian Navy’s blue water ambitions for the future, albeit in a restricted area from around the Gulf of Aden in the west to the Malacca Strait in the east.

The Navy has plans to acquire missile packed warships, submarines, aircraft, helicopters, and the paraphernalia that goes to support large task forces at sea. Long range missiles with sea and land attack capabilities supported by air power at sea, surveillance assets and submarine forces make a balanced naval force; that is clearly the Indian Navy’s aim under the capability plan outlined by Naval Headquarters.

It can be inferred that the Indian Navy is the fastest growing maritime force in the region with 34 ships and 6 Scorpene submarines already on order. It has two aircraft carriers in different stages of production, eight sophisticated next generation Boeing P8-I Maritime Multimission Aircraft (MMA) already on order as well as 16 navalised Mig 29Ks.

The Navy also has approval for 29 more Mig 29Ks to operate from INS Vikramaditya (Gorshkov) being taken from Russia and the first indigenously-built carrier from the Cochin shipyard. Beyond these two carriers, it is looking for perhaps a bigger carrier and a newer generation of aircraft (see box).

According to a former Chief of Naval Staff, the Navy could eventually buy some 20 aircraft like the Boeing P8-I.

Plans to build a second line of submarine construction have already been announced.

Indian Navy set to join the Nuclear Submarine Club of Five

This year was momentous for the nation. In a landmark event on 26th July, 2009 Mrs Gursharan Kaur, wife of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, ceremoniously launched India’s first nuclear submarine and christened her INS Arihant (Destroyer of enemies in Sanskrit), at the Matsya dry dock at the Navy’s sprawling shipbuilding center at Vishakapatnam. The hitherto classified Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project, a misnomer for a 6,000 ton nuclear submarine, became public.

Admiral Nirmal Verma, who was Commander in Chief of the Eastern Naval Command at Vishakapatnam at that time, and who coordinated the launch of the ATV before taking over as Chief of Naval Staff on 30 Sep 2009, has stated that the nuclear boat should become operational by 2011.

Separately, DRDO scientists have announced that the Arihant will be armed with the powerful home-crafted 700 km nuclear capable K-15 (Sagarika) under water vertical launched missiles, now under production by Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL). The Arihant’s pressure hull is rated for diving down to a hull-crush depth of more than 350 meters and the vessel will have an endurance of 90 days and will be manned by a complement of 23 officers and 72 sailors.

The Arihant can stay under water indefinitely under power of its Russian designed 82 MW reactor which was put together by the Indian industry and Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) under the highly secretive Plutonium Recycling Project (PRP) at Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research (IGCAR), Kalpakam. India is the sixth nation in the world to master this advanced technology.

Next year in 2010, a larger 9000-ton Akula class nuclear submarine from Russia, named Nerpa, will join the Navy on lease, like the INS Chakra did in 1987. It has been refurbished after an accidental gas release, and has also recently completed trials.

The Akula crew have undergone specialised training at the IGCAR, in nuclear facilities and onboard Nerpa in Russia, and at the submarine training facilities set up at Vishakapatnam. All this augurs well for the nation and its Navy, as a shift in the centre of gravity of power in this century is taking place from the west to the east.

The shift is led by the spectacular rise of China and its galloping economy and military strength as well as a perceptible rise of India on the world stage. The maritime contours and sea lanes of communications (SLOCs) in the Indian Ocean are going to be crucial for trade, and will need guarding.

Indian Navy’s Missile Induction Programme

Looking back, 2009 was also a successful missile year for the Indian Navy. It witnessed the operational induction of the powerful 350 km surface to surface supersonic BrahMos missiles on INS Rajput, Ranvir and Ranvijay refitted at Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, while the nuclear tipped DRDO home-made 350 km Dhanush missile became operational on the Offshore Patrol Vessels INS Subhadra and sister ship Sukhanya.

The Navy carried out a successful user trial on December 13 with Dhanush “meeting all mission objectives.”

Already the Barak Anti Aircraft systems are in place on board the frontline fleet ships, and the long range MR-SAM Barak-8 is making progress in a joint DRDO-Israeli programme.

The Israeli supplied Derby BVR missiles and Elta radars are being fitted on HAL’s upgraded Vertical Short Takeoff and Landing (VSTOL) Sea Harriers in the (Limited Upgrade Sea Harrier (LUSH) programme which will operate from the aircraft carrier INS Viraat.

The Viraat is now operational after a long refit and has been given a new lease of life by the Cochin Shipyard Ltd and the Naval Dockyard. The ship has renewed cabling, improved habitability, additional 300 tons of steel, new Bridgemaster navigational and search radars and several improvements in the command and control systems.

Connectivity

With the Link II net enabled system for digital transmission of data and communications, Viraat is well in preparation for a dedicated Navy satellite centric system, which will be launched by ISRO in 2010.

In addition many GPS and software innovations have been instituted afloat by the Navy, and the shore base has been strengthened.

Perspective

According to the CNS, the Indian Navy’s Perspective Plan is now driven by a conceptual shift, from numbers of platforms to one that concentrates on capabilities.

“In terms of force accretions in the immediate future, we are acquiring ships in accordance with the Navy’s current Maritime Capability Perspective Plan. There are presently 40 ships and six submarines on order,” and of these, “34 ships and submarines are on order from Indian shipyards” as “our preferred choice of inducting ships has been through the indigenous route.”

Notably, the Indian Navy has its own ship design capability, and Admiral Verma told India Strategic that even for sensors and weapons, the Navy would look for building indigenous capability.

Initially though, technology has to be imported but has to be absorbed within the industry in India under Transfer of technology (ToT) arrangements.

With the commissioning of a sprawling 2,452 acres Naval Academy at Ezhimala in Kerala near Mount Delli by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on 6 Jan 2009, and the completion of berthing phase one and the dockyard facilities at Karwar with a ship lift for 12,000 tons, the Navy’s support base has been augmented.

By 2020, forty ships will be based at Karwar.

Aviation Assets

Admiral Verma said that the acquisition of 8 Being P8-I aircraft beginning 2013 would give the Indian Navy sophisticated maritime surveillance and Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) capability.

For all-round capabilities, a blue water Navy has to possess aerial assets to kill hostile submarines and counter missile attacks. It also has to protect its maritime domain and ensure situational awareness. For long range maritime reconnaissance, the Indian Navy operates 8 aging TU-142s, and has received four IL-38s aircraft refurbished in Russia with Sea Dragon radar and attack suite; the fifth is expected back soon. For medium range, the Navy operates the Dornier-228s in various configurations including for information warfare, and UAVs Heron and Searchers which can be controlled from ships.

In an ambitious programme, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has been charged with a project to convert the Alloutee helicopters in to a ship borne UAV. That project is still on.

Eleven more Dornier-228s have been ordered at HAL and selection of 6 Medium Range Maritime Reconnaissance (MRMR) aircraft is in process as these will be procured through global tendering.

There have been hiccups in the ASW helicopter replacement of the Seaking 42B and the Chief of Naval Staff in his Navy Day press briefing stated, that attending to this lacunae will be his priority.

The Type 17 INS Shivalik for instance will need a compatible helicopter which can be operated organically from its deck and fit the hangar.

Five Ka-31 AEW&C helicopters from Russia have also been ordered, and according to Admiral Verma, the Navy has an added emphasis on replacing its old helicopters with newer versions and also augmenting their strength.

At present, the Navy has 119 helicopters, and 71 fixed wing aircraft, mostly for reconnaissance and maritime defence.

The firing and other flying trials of the powerful MiG-29Ks on board the Russian aircraft carrier Kuzenetsov have been completed, and four aircraft have arrived at Goa on by an AN-134. They are being assembled at INS Hansa.

An aircraft carrier arrestor gear, to replicate deck landings will be ready at Goa for hook landing training, and for the trials of the naval version of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), which is progressing at HAL. The second tranche of 29 Mig-29Ks for the 37,500 ton Indian Aircraft Carrier(IAC) being built at Cochin Shipyard Ltd will be ordered before 31st March, 2010.

It may be noted that an agreement with Russia on the price of Vikramaditya aka Gorshkov has finally been reached although some fittings are being worked out for delivery by 2012. India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, designed by Italy’s Fincantieri, is also under a satisfactory of construction, and is set to be delivered by 2013.

The Navy is in the final selection stages of a line of five offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) to be built in India by private shipyards with foreign design and collaboration. The order has been hastened by the need for greater coastal security post after the beastly terror attack on Mumbai from Pakistan on 26/11 last year.

The Indian Navy had transferred an OPV, INS Sharayu, to Sri Lanka and converted two out of its total five to Dhanush missile firing ships of the fleet. So an urgent need for more OPVs has arisen post 26/11.

Seven foreign designed stealth frigates, four to be built at Mazagon Docks Ltd at Mumbai and three at Garden Reach at Kolkatta in the modern modular system are also being selected from among the competitors who replied to the naval RFIs.

The MOD’s defence production wing has set up a team to nominate the Indian yard for the order of the second line of submarine construction.

Admiral Verma, who addressed his maiden press conference on the eve of the Navy Day, said that with increasing technology induction, it has become imperative to raise the level of training also.

Accordingly, in a significant step, the Indian Navy had introduced the first B. Tech. course at the Indian Naval Academy from June this year, and that curriculum also included “a healthy dose of humanities and naval history.” The idea is to ensure high quality “transition of an officer cadet to a Service Officer.”

continued...

 

[ppgj]

Coastal Surveillance

Admiral Verma expressed concern at the ease with which Pakistani terrorists had infiltrated into Mumbai and said that a multi-pronged approach had been initiated involving the Navy, Coast Guard, Customs, local policemen and even fishermen to identify any intruders.

A 1000-man strong Sagar Prahari Bal (SPB) for inshore coastal patrol and surveillance, with a fleet of 80 fast 50-knot Interceptor Boats is being raised. The boats will be built by Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) which is also setting up facilities to build Mine Counter Measure (MCM) vessels.

Some Interceptors will be imported initially.

The Coast Guard, which forms part of the Navy in hostilities, is also being expanded and its strength of 7000 personnel, 70 ships and 40 aircraft and helicopters is set to double. This makes the Indian Navy and Coast Guard the fastest growing naval force in the region.

While in the past the Himalayan passes gained importance to the neglect of the seas, the scene is swiftly changing. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has assured the Navy that funds would not be a constraint for its growth. In fact, in one of the meetings of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) after the 26/11 terror attack, it reportedly cleared some 30 pending files to procure equipment for the Indian coast.

A decade ago the Government had sanctioned an ambitious 30-year two-line submarine and a 15-year ship building progrmame to ensure the Navy’s order of battle (ORBAT), projecting 165 warships and 400 aerial assets by 2022. The number of UAVs, which the Navy is already using, is also set to rise.

Generally, the political and bureaucratic delays are regarded as the hallmarks of the Indian system, but thanks to the Pakistani 1999 Kargil intrusions and War as well as the 26/11 attack, the Ministry of Defence has been triggered into overdrive to make up for the delays to an extent.

The Government has also accepted the Navy’s proposal for a three aircraft carrier fleet, to ensure ‘two operational blue water carrier task forces’ at all times, an idea that had taken shape in the 1950s, when INS Vikrant was ordered under Lord Mountbatten’s and Pandit Nehru’s tutelage.

Some day, the Indian Navy though would like to have a 5-carrier force, particularly as it makes sense to have at least one carrier force in the Arabian Sea, one south of the Indian coast, and one in the Bay of Bengal.

It has to be observed that the carriers that the Indian Navy is looking for will be much smaller in size than the US carriers.

The costs of warships, submarines and fighter aircraft are rising and navies and air forces around the world are turning to capability-based arsenal.

That is the thinking that the Indian Navy has also adopted.

A new term ‘littoral warfare’ has gained coinage, signifying that skirmishes of the future will be fought in the littoral, and that a tri-service mode of jointness here deserves attention.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had once said that there can be no Navy without a strategy, and that doctrine follows strategy.

The Indian Navy has issued strategy and doctrine documents.

However, despite the odd joint exercises that the Indian Armed Forces engage in, the nation is still without theatre commands or a closely knit engagement doctrine, or a CDS.

The widely spread commands of the three services, except in the Andamans, is a lacuna, whose effects were noted in the Kargil committee report in 1999. The Indian Navy however executed the ‘Naval Maneouvre’ as a threat to blockade Karachi. This led to the final withdrawal of Pakistan, aided by President Clinton’s counsel to then PM Nawaz Sharrif in the Oval office on 4th July, 1999.

India’s Western Fleet had called in the Eastern fleet missile ships and submarines from Vishakapatnam to generate the numbers, called the Long Grey Line, to execute the classical maneuver defined in standard naval doctrines.

IN’s Long Grey Line of Ships on Order

Besides the 37,500 ton aircraft carrier being built indigenously at the Cochin Shipyard, the Navy is set to venture into building large landing dock ships (LPDs) like the recently acquired 17,500 INS Jalshawa to carry armed troops with armaments, and to provide humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR) when required.

The Navy was at a loss in this regard when the December 2004 Tsunami happened but did exceptionally well to help the stricken not only on the Indian coast but also in the neighbouring countries. Later, it rescued Indians and innocent civilians from Beirut in the Lebanon Israeli war of 2006.

Three 3,700 ton Krivack frigates of the followon Talwar class with 300 km supersonic vertical launch (VLS) Brahmos and Shtil AA systems are progressing at Russia’s Yantar Shipyard in Kalingrad for $ 1.6 billion.

To be delivered by 2011, they have been named as Teg (Sword), Tarkash (Quiver) and Trikand (Three-pronged).

Two multi-purpose tankers cum supply ships at $ 200 million a piece, so essential for fleet support, are being constructed by Fincanteiri of Italy and will join from next year, while other warships on order are in India with follow on plans. They include the three 4,000 ton Type 17 Shivalik stealth class Club missile fitted frigates, the first of which INS Shivalik, is on trials off Mumbai and will commission soon. Construction of three 7,000 ton Type 15A improved Delhi class, called Kolkatta class destroyers, with VLS BrahMos missiles and the latest Israeli supplied Aegis equivalent M-Star radar, and 6 Scorpene submarines from Mazagon Docks Ltd is progressing.

Four navy designed armed Naval OPVs are being constructed at the Goa Shipyard. It has invariably delivered OPVs ahead of time and the first would commission in 2010. Three improved Type 15B guided missile destroyers will be ordered soon and in a unique experiment, Alcock Ashdown Ltd at Bhavnagar is constructing six 600 ton Catamaran survey ships of the Austal design, funded by the Ministry of Shipping.

The first two will be delivered in 2010.

The Indian Navy’s professional hydrographic arm has immensely helped the island nations in the Indian Ocean and neighbors for charting their waters and will soon advise Saudi Arabia. It will be the third navy after Australia and Italy to employ catamaran ships for survey.

Conclusion

To bring up operational readiness, the Indian Navy has exercised with foreign navies in waters off India and abroad in Japan, south east Asia and in the Atlantic. It has provided 706 training billets to foreign navies and was in the forefront to come to the aid of civil power in floods and emergencies.

Post 26/11, the Navy and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) have launched three joint coastal security operations on the West coast, when information of increased threat perception was available. Such operations were launched specifically for 03 days in Jul 09 and 28 days in Sep-Oct 2009. During this period ships and aircraft of the Navy and Coast Guard kept the West coast of India under continuous surveillance and thorough investigations and checks of various ships, boats and fishing vessels were carried out.

During one such operation conducted on the West coast, about 165 merchant vessels and 260 fishing vessels were interrogated and investigated by IN and ICG units. Surveillance of the Offshore Defence Areas has also been enhanced.

Nearly 100-200 boats are examined/ interrogated every month in the Western Offshore area by naval ships to bring about security awareness. Coastal areas are being toured by Navy teams to improve intelligence by teaching residents how to report untoward happenings to the Multi Agency Centres (MACs) and alert the Joint Operations Rooms of the newly instituted Coastal Commands.

The Navy’s template for the early 21st century is set, and the Navy’s top brass have articulated their vision for a Mission Denominated Capability in a classified document titled Maritime Capability Perspective Plan-2022.

The Navy grows, and with pride.

Pics: DPR

© India Strategic

..:: India Strategic ::.. Navy News: Indian Navy: Power Packed for A Strong Nation

 

[ppgj]

They don't want to continue with MiG29K or what


Navy plans to acquire multi-role fighter aircraft

The aircraft firms included: the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS) for their Eurofighter Typhoon, the Boeing Integrated Defence System (for the F/A-18 Super Hornet), Sweden’s SAAB (who are offering the Gripen JAS 39) and France’s Dassault (for the Rafale).

The new naval aircraft are meant for deployment on the Navy’s third aircraft carrier, which is expected to be commissioned around 2018.

While the Rafale and the F/A-18 are natural choices for naval operations as they were built specifically for carrier-based multi-role operations, the manufacturers of the Typhoon and the Gripen have indicated that their aircraft could be suitably modified for naval carrier-based flying.

nitesh, there has been news reports that india's second indigenous aircraft carrier is going to be CATOBAR compliant.

The Indian Navy is also analysing concept studies for a second indigenous aircraft carrier which will have a displacement capacity of over 50,000t and will be equipped with steam catapults to launch fourth-generation aircraft.

Naval Technology - India to Launch First Indigenous Aircraft Carrier in 2010

mig 29k's are only STOBAR capable. i am not sure if the russians can modify them for CATOBAR operations. some of our russian friends can throw light on this.

it is reasonable to expect that IN will look for a/c's which are capable of that.
for one f-18 is capable and so is rafale.
am not sure on the eurofighter though there has been talk on that but doubtful if they can come up with a solution anytime soon.
as for gripen -

the Sea Gripen is intended for both CATOBAR (Catapult Assisted Take Off But Arrested Recovery) as well as STOBAR (Short Take Off But Arrested Recovery) operations.

Saab offers naval Gripen to India | StratPost

so it appears migs will operate only from the gorshkov and IAC 1 where as IAC 2 will have aircrafts from the group of 4 you posted.
what is to be noted, from the catapult mechanism, is that payload carrying capability of the aircrafts increase significantly.

 

[notinlove]

can anyone temme what are the major differences between STOBAR and CATOBAR .... all i know is an aircraft like su -33 cannot take off with max. operational load from kuznetsov due to it being STOBAR ... how does CATOBAR compares to it ... pros and cons ??

 

[F-14]

CATOBAR or Catapult Assisted Take Off But Arrested Recovery Under this technique, aircraft launch using a catapult assisted take off and land on the ship (the recovery phase) using arrestor wires. Although this system is more costly than alternative methods, it provides greater flexibility in carrier operations, since it allows the vessel to support conventional aircraft. STOBAR or Short Take Off But Arrested Recovery is a system used for the launch and recovery of aircraft from the deck of an aircraft carrier, combining elements of both STOVL and CATOBAR. Aircraft launch under their own power using a ski-jump to assist take-off (rather than using a catapult like most carriers). However, these are conventional, rather than STOVL aircraft, and thus require arrestor wires to land on the ship. The STOBAR system is simpler to build than CATOBAR — but it works only with light, and lightly armed, fighter aircraft that have a high thrust to weight ratio.

 

[SATISH]

o it appears migs will operate only from the gorshkov and IAC 1 where as IAC 2 will have aircrafts from the group of 4 you posted.
what is to be noted, from the catapult mechanism, is that payload carrying capability of the aircrafts increase significantly.

well that is the time frame for the induction of the third IAC, which is said to be a 65k tonne AC. It will be the flagship of the navy. It will be a full fledged medium aircraft carrier.

 

[notinlove]

India Prepares For The Worst

India Prepares For The Worst
December 28, 2009: India is preparing for the worst, when it comes to its submarine fleet. This can be seen by the fact that India paid the U.S. Navy $100,000 to be one of the countries that can have American SRDRS (submarine rescue equipment) flown in, on 48 hours notice.

India is expecting a submarine disaster.

Indian admirals are resigned to the fact that their submarine fleet (of 16 boats) will shrink before new subs can be built. By 2012, five of India's 16 subs (10 Kilo and two Foxtrot class Russian built boats and four German Type 209s) will be retired (some are already semi-retired because of age and infirmity). Two years after that, India will only have five working subs. Meanwhile, the older subs still go to sea for training. While it would be safer to just keep these boats in port, without the training, these subs, and their crews, would be in even greater danger if war broke out.

The Indian military procurement bureaucrats dithered for nearly a decade, and it wasn't until 2005 that India signed a deal to buy six French Scorpene class diesel-electric submarines. But now problems have developed. The first Scorpene was supposed to enter service by 2012, with each boat costing about $500 million. But political and management problems have delayed that date by two years, and raised the price per boat by over $100 million. The French have raised the prices for some key components, and India has had some problems in getting production going on their end. The first Scorpene was to be built in France, with the other five built in India.

Thus the need for possible submarine rescue services. The new American submarine rescue system, the SRDRS (Submarine Rescue Diving and Recompression System) is a modular system that weighs under 200 tons and can be flown anywhere on the planet within 72 hours (faster depending on the distance and availability of heavy transport aircraft.) The Indians paid to get the faster delivery guarantee, and have made preparation on their end to quickly get SRDRS on an Indian ship and off to the scene of any submarine crew in need of rescue.

The SRDRS was designed to be operated from most merchant ships. SRDRS consists of two main components. There is the rescue module, which is a remotely controlled submersible that descends to the stricken sub, attaches itself to the rescue hatch, and has room for 16 sailors. Once on the surface, the sub links to a decompression chamber, where the sailors have to stay for a while to acclimate them to surface pressures (and prevent the bends). In addition to the rescue vehicle and decompression module, there is support equipment. There are also smaller underwater vehicles and pressure suits for divers. These are flown in first, to explore the stricken sub in detail, clear any debris from the subs rescue hatch, and basically gather information to the actual rescue can be carefully planned.

Two years ago, Britain, Norway and France completed the construction of the NATO Submarine Rescue Vehicle (SRV). This is very similar to the SRDRS. NATO SRV was a $95 million project that resulted in a deep water rescue device that can be airlifted to anywhere in the world on short notice, fit on the deck of at least 140 identified ships, and mate with the escape hatches on most of the worlds submarines, and carry up to 15 men at a time to the surface. This system is shipped in eleven waterproof cargo containers, that can be flown by military or civilian cargo aircraft. Including flight time, set up time on the ship, and movement time to the site of the distressed submarine, the NATO SRV should be able to get there and have the SRV in the water within 72 hours. The SRV itself is 31 feet long and weighs 27 tons, has a crew of three and can go as deep as 3,000 feet (which is the maximum depth for most submarines.)

The U.S. and NATO systems are very similar, but not identical. The basic idea behind this modular design is to enable the rescue system to reach the stricken sub as soon as possible. Once the air runs out down there, rescue is no longer possible. All the navies of the world are invited to modify, if necessary, their rescue hatches (usually just the main hatch on the top of the sub) to accept the U.S. or NATO rescue vehicles. If they do that, the NATO or U.S. rescue systems (depending on whose is closest) will be sent to attempt a rescue. The U.S. systems is based in California, the NATO one in northern Europe. India selected the American system, even though it is stationed twice as far away (14,000 kilometers, versus 7,200 for the NATO one) because the U.S. would guarantee arrival on time, and the American gear is considered a bit better

Submarines: India Prepares For The Worst

 

[sandeepdg]

Finally, this important aspect of submarine rescue systems has been addressed by our Navy, but I still feel that its high time we start building a similar system like that on our own !

 

[nitesh]

now this is good news:

domain-b.com : Weapons fit-out commences on Indian stealth frigate

 

[neo29]

since our sub fleet depleting .. we shud make some emergency purchase of subs from some country who can deliver us by 2012.
in such a case production of the subs shud be done in the country of origin so as to avoid delay and not have probs just like the scorpene.

 

[jakojako777]

India's first homegrown carrier passes production milestone

India's first homegrown carrier passes production milestone

The keel of the Indian Navy's first indigenous aircraft carrier (Project 71) was laid by Cochin Shipyard Ltd in Kochi, Kerala state, on 28 February.

The 37,500-ton carrier - to be named Vikrant - will be built in two phases: the first covering work up to launch at the end of 2010, the second for fitting out and other activities prior to delivery in 2014.

According to an Indian Ministry of Defence (MoD) statement on 27 February, Vikrant will be powered by four LM2500 gas turbines developing 80 MW in total and providing a speed of more than 28 kt.

The 252 m-long carrier will have two take-off runways and a landing strip with three arrestor wires. The embarked air arm will eventually comprise up to 30 aircraft, including Russian-built MiG-29K multirole fighters, locally designed light combat aircraft and about 10 Ka-31 airborne early warning helicopters.

India's first homegrown carrier passes production milestone - Jane's Defence News

 

[bengalraider]

Indian maritime strategy and vision for 21st century

I am attaching a copy of India's maritime military strategy(at least the one out in the open) .This is the genuine deal from the MoD. would like all of you to go through it so that we can then discuss any possible shortcomings and views on it.Thank You

P.S It has loads of cool IN pictures as well

 

[ZOOM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erq6tVnTUm4&feature=related

A good video dedicated for Indian Navy.

 

[bengalraider]

Navy tests new waters with N-subs, indigenous carrier​

Navy tests new waters with N-subs, indigenous carrier

Unlike the Army and Air Force, the Navy has its modernisation plans on track and the coming year will see a massive addition in capabilities of the country’s smallest armed force. On all fronts — underwater, on the surface, in the air and even outer space — the Navy is set to acquire and add new platforms and assets that will widen its edge over maritime forces of neighbouring countries.


While the Navy has reached blue water capabilities, the absence of a few vital assets has constrained it from showcasing its true potential. The biggest asset the Navy is set to get in 2010 is the Nerpa nuclear attack submarine on a 10-year lease from Russia.

After several delays and hiccups, the re-entry of a nuclear powered platform in the Navy (after the INS Chakra that was also leased from Russia in the 1980s) will be a massive force addition. Besides the obvious benefits of having a stealthy submarine that can stay underwater for several weeks and even give US warships a run for their money, the Nerpa will be a vital training platform.

The Nerpa will help train Indian Navy personnel on nuclear submarine operations, a skill that will be needed to be imparted to a large number of officers and men who will operate the indigenous Arihant class of nuclear submarines in coming years.


While Nerpa will shake things underwater, the Navy will also get longer legs in the coming year that will enable it to deploy ships for longer periods, in further waters than ever before. The induction of a modern tanker ship, which is currently being built by Italian firm Fincantieri, by the end of 2010 is being keenly watched by players in the region.

The tanker ship, which will refuel and replenish warships on the high seas, is a major force multiplier for any nation. Its induction in the Indian Navy will mark the entry of a modern tanker that will be used for overseas deployments and will be showcased at all forthcoming exercises.


Also on the surface, the coming year will mark the historic launch of India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier. The first of the Vikrant class aircraft carriers, which is under construction in Kochi, will be launched towards the end of 2010. This will be followed by fitment of weapon systems, sensors and other equipment on the warship.


While the induction will not take place before 2014, the launching of the warship itself will be a major feat, considering that it will be India’s first aircraft carrier as well as the first warship built on a modular design.


Corresponding with the carrier, the Navy will finally see its new fighter aircraft, the MiG 29 K flying in Indian skies. While four of the fighters were delivered a few weeks ago, the first flight is expected in early January once the aircraft have been assembled by Russian technicians.


Integrating all these platforms, and bringing the Navy a step closer to network centric warfare, will be the Navy’s first dedicated satellite that is set to be launched by the middle of next year. While the Navy currently relies on other channels of communication, the first ever dedicated military satellite to be launched next year will give it a vital communication link to bring all platforms — fighters, warships, aircraft carriers, submarines and even UAVs — on a common ground. Besides a secure communication channel, the satellite will make it easier to deploy and manage assets as part of the Navy’s network centric strategy.


While delays, hiccups and cancellations are common to all acquisitions in the armed forces, the Navy is set for a complete makeover in the coming year and decade, taking it to its rightful position as the deciding platform for military diplomacy.

The navy seems to have gotten it right the first time around can't wait to see all the new goodies(salivating at the lips now)!

 

[enlightened1]

Govt to set up international shipyard worth up to 4k cr

Govt to set up international shipyard worth up to 4k cr​

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/biz/india-business/Govt-to-set-up-international-shipyard-worth-up-to-4k-cr-/articleshow/5406790.cms​

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/biz/india-business/Govt-to-set-up-international-shipyard-worth-up-to-4k-cr-/articleshow/5406790.cmshttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/biz/india-business/Govt-to-set-up-international-shipyard-worth-up-to-4k-cr-/articleshow/5406790.cms

NEW DELHI: The government plans to set up a shipyard to produce large-sized vessels under public-private partnership with an investment of Rs 3,000-4,000 crore, in lieu of the Hindustan Shipyard going to the Defence ministry.

"The government will set up another shipyard, most likely on the east coast (of the country) under the the PPP mode to make VLCC and other large vessels ... the total investment will be at Rs 3,000-4,000 crore," a senior government official said.

This will be the only facility in the country after Pipavav shipyard to produce huge vessels such as very large crude carriers (VLCCs).

"The government will hold anywhere between 26-49 per cent in the project...land will be acquired (for the project) by the private developer to expedite the project," he said.

The government will appoint a consultant to work out the detailed project report and then invite bids.

"The project is likely to be awarded by February-March next year ... It will take three-five years for the shipyard to come up," he added.

The Cabinet last week approved transfer of Hindustan Shipyard Ltd from the Ministry of Shipping to the ministry of defence to meet the country's security requirements of building vessels for the Indian Navy.