First Scorpene submarine to be delivered in 2014, France says

[WHITESMOKE]

ABOARD FNS MONTCALM (MORMUGAO, GOA): After hitting rough waters for several years with bribery allegations, the first of the six Scorpene submarines, ordered by the Indian Navy as part of technology transfer from France, is to be delivered in 2014, French ambassador Francois Richier said on Saturday. The rest five submarines are to be delivered every year.

"The first submarine would be ready by 2014, heralding an important and strategic tie-up between both the nations on the defence front", said Richier told mediapersons on board French naval destroyer FNS Montcalm, anchored at Goa's Mormugao harbour for a naval exercise. 'Project-75' is under way at Mazagon Docks Ltd (MDL) in cooperation with French company DCNS.

"It is a full transfer of technology, something we don't do with everybody. Defence component of India-French relations is very important to us," said Richier.

The Scorpene deal has been under a cloud of controversy with the government conducting an inquiry into financial irregularities committed by a former director in-charge of the whopping Rs 23,562-crore project, which has been dogged by huge time and cost overruns. Defence minister AK Antony told the Lok Sabha last month that a complaint was received alleging financial irregularities against the then director in-charge of the Scorpene submarine project in a defence shipyard (MDL) and the complaint is under inquiry.

The French envoy met Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar to discuss areas of cooperation between France and Goa, including higher education and urban development.

 

[Mitro]

Does this sub have AIP ?

 

[Abingdonboy]

Does this sub have AIP ?

No, the P-75I (follow-on series) will, it is claimed.

 

[WHITESMOKE]

No, the P-75I (follow-on series) will, it is claimed.

I guess there were news that if DRDO develops own AIP, may be the last two of these could get.

 

[selvan33]

Does this sub have AIP ?

currently no. but IN has an option to install Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems in the last two Scorpenes that MDL builds, and then retrofit AIP into the other four Scorpenes as well.

 

[Hulk]

How does Scorpene add value to IN, what is special about it?

How does Scorpene add value to IN, what is special about it?

 

[JohnSeb]

We need more shipyards...

 

[janon]

How does Scorpene add value to IN, what is special about it?

It's a submarine, and IN doesn't have any. So it adds value.

 

[Hulk]

It's a submarine, and IN doesn't have any. So it adds value.

Does not have any or kind of none. How about the 10 Kilos and Chakras.

 

[kaykay]

How does Scorpene add value to IN, what is special about it?

How does Scorpene add value to IN, what is special about it?

man these submarines will replace some ageing submarines in our fleet who badly needs replacements.....I guess 2-3 kilos and 2 shishumar class subs are very old and will be replaced with these one....anyway senior membere can shed more light on this.

 

[janon]

Does not have any or kind of none. How about the 10 Kilos and Chakras.

It has one chakra, and that's for training the IN in nuclear sub operations.

As of now we have some 14 ageing subs, 7 of which will be retired by 2015. So by 2015, we will have fewer subs than pakistan.

For a navy the size of IN, with a coastline the length of India's, with interests in a region as large as the IOR, the number of subs they have is abysmally low. The IN's own assesment is that they need 18 conventional subs of high quality and capability, to be at the minimum comfort level WRT the threats they face. All they have are 14 ancient submarines with underwhelming performace, and that will soon go down to 7, with the imminent retirement of the oldest ones. And they dont have a single submarine that can be called modern or cutting edge.

So any submarine that is relatively modern will come as a shot in the arm. Doesn't have to be too special.

 

[acid rain]

@janon, chakra is purely for training and not for offense??? IN already has a decade of training on nuke sub.

 

[janon]

@janon, chakra is purely for training and not for offense??? IN already has a decade of training on nuke sub.

Unfortunately that training and experience was lost, because they did not continue to operate it after the lease. The batch of personnel who trained on it have all gone away. The continuity of experience was not there. That is why we had to lease another nuke sub now and train another batch.

I did not say it cannot be used in war, but there have been many reports suggesting so. I am not sure about that. However, we are still evolving a doctrine around it, sitll learning and mastering that complex piece of machinery, and the quantum leap of capability it brings. It will be a few years before they can fit it into the navy's warfighting doctrine. Also, we need more than one sub to have a doctrine around it. Hopefully they will have three or four SSNs eventually. That will give credibility to IN's blue water ambitions.

 

[scarcry]

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

PLAN

 

[Viet]

any pictures from the sub, inside & outside?