BY : TNN
With the gigantic Rs 18,798-crore project to construct six French Scorpene killer submarines at Mazagon Docks in Mumbai finally gainin
g momentum, India’s hunt for six new-generation submarines in a mammoth project worth well over Rs 30,000 crore is now well underway.
Interestingly, the Navy has clearly specified that under this second line of diesel-electric submarines, called Project-75 A, all the six vessels will be equipped with air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems to significantly boost their operational capabilities.
“They will also have high degree of stealth, land-attack capability and ability to incorporate futuristic technologies. Like the Scorpenes, they will be built in an Indian shipyard, public or private, with special emphasis on full transfer of technology,’’ said a source in the defence ministry.
“After we issued RFIs (request for information) to Russian (Rosoboronexport), French (Armaris) and German (HDW) firms, among others, two rounds of discussions have already taken place. Another round will be held this month before we issue the RFP (request for proposal) or global tender in late-2008 or early-2009,’’ he added.
Conventional diesel-electric submarines have to surface or snorkel every few days to get oxygen to recharge their batteries. If equipped with AIP systems, they can stay submerged for much longer periods, narrowing the gap with nuclear-powered submarines which can operate silently underwater for virtually unlimited periods.
Pakistan, incidentally, commissioned its first Mesma AIP-equipped submarine PNS Hamza last month, the third of the French Agosta-90 B submarines it has inducted since 1999.
With the gigantic Rs 18,798-crore project to construct six French Scorpene killer submarines at Mazagon Docks in Mumbai finally gainin
g momentum, India’s hunt for six new-generation submarines in a mammoth project worth well over Rs 30,000 crore is now well underway.
Interestingly, the Navy has clearly specified that under this second line of diesel-electric submarines, called Project-75 A, all the six vessels will be equipped with air-independent propulsion (AIP) systems to significantly boost their operational capabilities.
“They will also have high degree of stealth, land-attack capability and ability to incorporate futuristic technologies. Like the Scorpenes, they will be built in an Indian shipyard, public or private, with special emphasis on full transfer of technology,’’ said a source in the defence ministry.
“After we issued RFIs (request for information) to Russian (Rosoboronexport), French (Armaris) and German (HDW) firms, among others, two rounds of discussions have already taken place. Another round will be held this month before we issue the RFP (request for proposal) or global tender in late-2008 or early-2009,’’ he added.
Conventional diesel-electric submarines have to surface or snorkel every few days to get oxygen to recharge their batteries. If equipped with AIP systems, they can stay submerged for much longer periods, narrowing the gap with nuclear-powered submarines which can operate silently underwater for virtually unlimited periods.
Pakistan, incidentally, commissioned its first Mesma AIP-equipped submarine PNS Hamza last month, the third of the French Agosta-90 B submarines it has inducted since 1999.