India to order eight minesweepers from South Korea

[SpArK]

India to order eight minesweepers from South Korea
​

17 APR, 2011

NEW DELHI: India is all set to place an order with a South Korean shipyard for building eight minesweepers for its navy in its quest to overhaul its existing fleet of such specialised warships, defence ministry sources say.

The ministry has zeroed in on Pusan-based Kangnam Corporation as the lowest bidder that is technically qualified to execute the order for which Italian firm Intermarine was among the shortlisted companies.

"The defence ministry has initiated cost negotiations with Kangnam Corporation that is expected to be completed in a month or two, when the order will be finally placed," a senior defence ministry official told IANS.

Though the final price is yet to be fixed, it is likely to be in the region of Rs.3,000 crore ($670 million) for each of the eight warships, defence ministry sources have indicated.

As per the tenders for the Mine Counter-Measure Vessels (MCMV), Kangnam will be asked to build the first two warships, following which Goa Shipyard Limited will be commissioned to build the rest six minesweepers under licensed technology transfer.

Minesweepers are specialised warships capable of detonating sea mines.

These eight vessels will be capable of playing the roles of both minesweepers and minehunters and hence will lie somewhere in between the two in terms of its capabilities, the official said.

The contract, which was originally scheduled for signing this month, got delayed as the Kangnam's competitors went to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) against its selection.

But after the defence ministry and the navy explained the rationality of Kangnam's selection as the lowest bidder to the CVC, the matter was settled and the cost negotiations are now progressing well, he added.

The navy currently operates 12 minesweepers of the Pondicherry/Karwar class that are equally divided between the two operational Mumbai-based Western Naval Command and Visakhapatnam-based Eastern Naval Command for deployment.

The Pondicherry/Karwar class of warships, built in the 1970s and 1980s, are fast approaching obsolescence and need to be replaced within this decade.

Kangnam will deliver the first two MCMVs by 2016 and Goa Shipyard Limited will complete its side of the contract by 2018.

The navy is also considering buying two used Osprey-class minesweepers from the US that were decommissioned by the US Navy in 2007. The US Congress has already cleared the prospective sale of these two vessels to friendly countries.

The Obama administration had in 2010 offered these two minesweepers to India, which had expressed its interest in acquiring them in April 2005.

India to order eight minesweepers from South Korea - The Economic Times

 

[Nirvana]

Osprey class - 2
MCMV [Mine counter measure vehicles] - 2 under construction
And now Another 8 minesweepers.

 

[SpArK]

Navy planning to procure warships from the US, South Korea
​

New Delhi: India is planning to procure eight new South Korean minesweepers for its Navy to augment its fleet of warships capable of detonating sea mines.

The Navy is also considering procuring two American used Osprey-class minesweepers, navy officials said here.


"Defence Ministry is holding commercial negotiations with the Kangnam Corporation of South Korea for procuring eight minesweepers of which two would be constructed at the vendors' shipyards and the rest would be built in India," they said.

At present, the Navy operates 12 minesweepers of the Pondicherry and Karwar class that are deployed in equal numbers along the Eastern and the Western sea board.

The warships were built in the 1970s and 1980s and the Navy is planning to replace them with the modern vessels.

The ministry had shortlisted two vendors including the Pusan-based Kangnam Corporation and Italian firm Intermarine but the Korean firm was chosen as it was the lowest bidder and met the technical and other requirements, they added.

The contract was to be signed with Kangnam earlier but it got delayed after the Italian firm went to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) against the decision.

But the issue has been resolved now and the contract negotiations are progressing well, officials said.

According to the tender, Kangnam will be required to build the first two warships, following which Goa Shipyard Limited will be commissioned to build the rest minesweepers at its facilities.

The first ship is likely to be delivered by 2016 and Goa Shipyard Limited will deliver the remaining ships by 2018.

In addition, the navy is also planning to induct two used Osprey-class minesweepers from the US that were decommissioned by the US Navy in 2007.

PTI

Navy planning to procure warships from the US, South Korea

 

[Abingdonboy]

Why are the IN also pursuing the Osprey class from the US if they are second hand?

 

[GORKHALI]

If you people look at the tender signed here.You also get the sense ,how things work in MOD tender ..

1> Bidder should have lowest cost ..

2> Bidder should met the technical and other requirements.

In this format we can easily conclude to MMRCA that winner might be between Gripen NG and F/16 untill someone play dirty tricks ...

 

[Abingdonboy]

If you people look at the tender signed here.You also get the sense ,how things work in MOD tender ..

1> Bidder should have lowest cost ..

2> Bidder should met the technical and other requirements.

In this format we can easily conclude to MMRCA that winner might be between Gripen NG and F/16 untill some play dirty tricks ...

Let's be honest in a black and white world this is how things would work (rightly or wrongly). But we all know the MMRCA is much more complex than the above tender and is more politics than anything else. The two planes you have stated are possibly the two LEAST likely to win the MMRCA.

 

[GORKHALI]

Let's be honest in a black and white world this is how things would work (rightly or wrongly). But we all know the MMRCA is much more complex than the above tender and is more politics than anything else. The two planes you have stated are possibly the two LEAST likely to win the MMRCA.

That's what i said ,till some one plays dirty games

 

[DelhiDareDevil]

Would be great if South Korea, Japan, India, China and Russia can make a military block, would be able to defend itself against Nato imo.

Not that it will happen, but just hinting, all those Asia giants combine together.

 

[JPUSINVNSCK]

Though the final price is yet to be fixed, it is likely to be in the region of Rs.3,000 crore ($670 million) for each of the eight warships, defence ministry sources have indicated.

I dont know why Indian Navy would accept this deal,it would be too expensive for each and I think IN should think the quality of it.Its a bad deal,it would be better if indian navy buy from US,europe or russian.

---------- Post added at 04:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 04:56 PM ----------

Would be great if South Korea, Japan, India, China and Russia can make a military block, would be able to defend itself against Nato imo.

Not that it will happen, but just hinting, all those Asia giants combine together.

It wont.Never happens.

 

[angeldemon_007]

I dont know why Indian Navy would accept this deal,it would be too expensive for each and I think IN should think the quality of it.Its a bad deal,it would be better if indian navy buy from US,europe or russian.

Can you tell us what might be the cost of other warships in this category ???/