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Nod for stealth destroyers to boost Indian Navy strength
Express news service
Posted: Aug 20, 2010 at 0307 hrs IST

New Delhi The government has given its nod for the acquisition of a new class of stealth destroyers for the Indian Navy that will augment its force levels and replace ageing warships. The nod for four of the new Project 15 B stealth destroyers was given by the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting on Thursday that also discussed projects for fencing along the International Border.

The four Project 15 B destroyers, which will be fully designed and manufactured indigenously, are estimated to be valued at over Rs 20,000 crore and will be another feather in the cap for Indian shipyards, which have over the past few years reduced dependence on foreign yards to a minimum.

The warships will most likely be built by the Mazgaon Docks Limited (MDL), which is currently rolling out the Shivalik Project 15 A stealth destroyers and has achieved expertise in modular construction. The new warships, with an expected displacement of 6,800 tons will be an improvement over the Shivalik class, the first class of stealth warships to be built in India. The navy is on a modernisation drive with several new warships, including two aircraft carriers, to be added to its fleet over the next five years.

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Nod-for-stealth-destroyers-to-boost-Indian-Navy-strength/662714/
 
Chindits: Navy Re-categorises Its Medical Categories To Include Maximum Personnel For Sea-time, Leading To Subsequent Promotions

The Indian Navy has gone in for re-categorisation of its medical categories to include as many officers and sailors to go in for sea-tenure on ships. Earlier only those who were fit to go on ships, falling under the category S-2 A-2, were allowed, but now the personnel falling in the third category S-3 A-2, would be kept on medication and treatment for a year and then upgraded on to the higher category which is S-2 A-2 and sent on ships. It may be noted that the category S-2 A-2 is also not an absolutely medically fit category but is fit enough to go on ships. The only absolutely medically fit category is S-1 A-1, which is fit on ship as well as ashore. 'S' stands for Sea and 'A' for Ashore.

The re-categorisation policy has been implemented since March this year and is expected to benefit a large number of naval personnel who were missing out on their sea tenures and subsequent promotions, and were earlier being given sheltered appointments earlier on account of ailments like life-style related diseases, diabetes, heart and kidney related diseases and severe injuries, all of which fall under S-3, but can now be controlled and changed to S-2 after medication and treatment for a year to two years.

A source said that this new policy would benefit atleast 50 percent middle-aged officers and sailors in the navy. S-3 category also has HIV included in it, in which there are about 40-50 cases in the Indian navy, which includes an officer also.

In the Indian Navy S-4 category is when a personnel is hospitalised and unable to move, and S-5 A-5, which is the last category is when someone is boarded out of service, an example of which is alcohol dependence syndrome.

A source said the aim behind this was to prevent people from going to sea so that their ailments which could further give them ship-related stress, would not aggravate till it was controlled, and now after medication and review for a year or two, they would be upgraded to a higher category so that they are able to avail their sea-time, and be considered for promotions.

Personnel in the armed forces undergo an annual medical examination each year, which determines their medical fitness leading to their postings and promotions. In the Army the fittest category is SHAPE-1 Alpha. A lot of high altitude related diseases prevent army officers from going to certain places for command, but recently a shift in policy came in the army too, wherein officers falling in SHAPE-1 Bravo category were being considered for promotions, unlike before where they had to be in the fittest category which was SHAPE-1 Alpha. SHAPE-1 Bravo is a personnel suffering from an ailment which can be controlled through medication.

SHAPE stands for Psychiatry, Hearing, Appendages, Physical and Eyes, all of which are tested once a year.

In the Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel are checked for Air and Ground fitness, in which the most stringent medical examination is for fighter pilots.The fittest category in the IAF is A-1G-1 and lowest on fitness being A-5 G-5.
 
Russian Akula N-sub handed over to India, homeward bound

By admin at 21 August, 2010, 2:03 am

BY: TNN

With India all set to get the K-152 Nerpa submarine from Russia on a 10-year lease towards end of this year, Indian sailors have begun training on the nuclear-powered attack submarine.

Nerpa quietly left its base on Russia’s Pacific coast earlier this week, with over 50 Indian sailors on board, on what will be an extensive and complex process of training, testing and acceptance trials spread over several weeks before the Akula-II class submarine is commissioned into Indian Navy as INS Chakra.

The ‘Charlie-I’ class nuclear submarine India had leased from Russia from 1988 to 1991 was also named INS Chakra but the expertise gained on it was steadily lost since Indian Navy did not operate any other nuclear submarine thereafter.

Nerpa’s lease flows from an agreement inked between New Delhi and Moscow in January 2004, with India funding part of Nerpa’s construction with an initial sum of $650 million. The final lease and training agreements were finalized during Russian PM Putin’s visit.
 
Good News Nerpa is heading Our way, with Indian Sailors Onboard..... Well this would be a great training and Experience in Operating N submarines, It would be handy When Arihant Get Inducted after sea trials
 
Akula_II-RS_Nerpa-INS&


ISN_CHAKRA_DNSC8903179_JPG.jpg
 
Only 7 out of 16 Submarines in Indian Navy are Operational


The CAG said in its report that not only were many of the 16 Indian submarines at the end of three-fourths of their life, but that only seven of them were actually operational, with nine undergoing repairs and refit. Two of the submarines, INS (Indian Naval Ship) Vela and INS Vagli, both Foxtrot-class, are due to be decommissioned this year and next year.The report reads, “75 per cent submarines in the IN fleet have already completed three fourths of their estimated operational life. It is pertinent to mention that only 7 out of 16 submarines in IN are operational and 9 submarines are under refit/repair as of October 2009.

As of November 2009, Padeyes fitment has been completed in 11 out of 16 submarines out of which only 4 SSK (Diesel Electric Attack) submarines have been certified by USN for mating with US DSRV for a period of three years effective from 20 December 2007 and of which at least 2 are presently under refit. Two of the serving Foxtrot submarines, on which Padeyes were fitted, INS Vela and INS Vagli, would be de-commissioned in 2010 and 2011 respectively”.The CAG report has also pointed out that any actual submarine rescue would depend on the presence of a USN DSRV, which would take at least 72 hours to get to station from its nearest base, and for the services of which, an agreement was not even in place. “The DSRV is to perform rescue operations on submerged or disabled submarines.
 
Scorpene Submarines Delivery Delay to Affect Indian Navy's Force Levels


The delay in delivery of Scorpene submarines is likely to have an impact on the envisaged under-water force levels of the Indian Navy, Government told the Lok Sabha on Monday. The gaps in the submarine capacity were being addressed by modernising and upgrading the weapon and sensor systems on theexisting fleet, Defence Minister AK Antony said in a written reply.

These steps have significantly increased the combat worthiness, he said.In 2004, India had signed a contract with France for supply of six Scorpene submarines, which were to be built in Mumbai’s Mazagon Dockyards.


The delivery of submarines has been adversely affected due to initial teething problems, absorption of technology, augmentation of MDL infrastructure and delay in procurement of material by MDL.

Due to the delays, the Navy is relying on its fleet of Russian-origin Kilo class submarines, which are being upgraded for capability enhancement and life extension.Answering another query on the Coast Guard, he said the force has 24 aircraft and 21 helicopters located at various points across the country.The Coast Guard fleet includes the Dornier surveillance aircraft and the advanced light helicopters.PTI
 
This is the present fleet strength , Nothing wrong with the CAG report but several subs that were under refit have infact been handed over to the navy and some of the newer subs have been delivered for Mid life upg

Current Fleet
(PRESENTLY 15)

Class Name Pennant No. Commission Date Status

Foxtrot class INS Vagli S42 August 10, 1974 To decommission 2011[1]

Shishumar (Type 209) Class INS Shishumar S44 September 22, 1986, Refit complete, at Sea
INS Shankush S45 November 20, 1986 , Refit Complete, in Sea
INS Shalki S46 February 7, 1992 Under Refit at Mazgoan Docks
INS Shankul S47 May 28, 1994 Refit Complete, in Sea

Sindhughosh (Kilo) Class INS Sindhughosh S55 April 30, 1986 Refit completed , in Sea
INS Sindhudhvaj S56 June 12, 1987, Refit completed, in Sea
INS Sindhuraj S57 October 20, 1987, Refit completed, in Sea
INS Sindhuvir S58 August 26, 1988, Refit completed, in Sea
INS Sindhuratna S59 December 22, 1988, Refit completed, in Sea
INS Sindhukesari S60 February 16, 1989, Refit completed, in Sea
INS Sindhukirti S61 January 4, 1990, Undergoing Refit at Mazgoan Docks
INS Sindhuvijay S62 March 18, 1991, Refit completed, in Sea
INS Sindhurakshak S63 December 24, 1997, Delivered to Russia for Refit
INS Sindhushastra S65 July 19, 2000, Refit to start in year 2013

Akula II Class Nerpa/INS Chakra , 2010, Handed over to Indian Navy ,To be formally inducted as INS Chakra in October
INS ?? 2011

Arihant Class INS Arihant S73 2012 Launched on 26 July 2009[2]
ATV-2 2011 Being built by the Ship Building Center, Vishakhapatnam
ATV-3 2012 Under construction

Scorpene Class (Project 75) Scorpene-1 2012 Under construction
Scorpene-2 2013
Scorpene-3 2014
Scorpene-4 2015
Scorpene-5 2016
Scorpene-6 2017
Construction of Scorpene Class delayed due to teething problems at Mazgaon Docks , Delivery to begin in 2015 , With all 6 Subs being delivered by 2018











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6 Kilo class Submarines are to be upgraded to launch Klub S Cruise missiles with a range of 300 Km
Out of this 4 Upgraded subs have been delivered to Indian navy each carrying 6 Klub S Cruise Missiles
While 2 Subs are undergoing this Upgrade
The last Kilo Class Submarine INS Sindhushastra inducted on July 19, 2000 already has these Missiles and hence will only undergo system Upgrade when it goes for MLU in 2013

While it is expected that 4 Kilo Class and 2 Type 209 Subs will remain in service in 2020 , along with the 6 Scorpene class , 1-2 Akula II , 3 Arihant class . However additional 3 upgraded Kilo Class Could remain operational till 2024 should there be a delay in P-75B submarines beyond 2020
 
CAG pokes finger at inferior steel in navy tankers | StratPost

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has criticized the acceptance of inferior-grade steel used in the manufacture of fleet tankers of the Indian Navy by Italian firm, Fincantieri, saying it amounted to ‘undue favor to a foreign vendor in (the) procurement of fleet tankers’.

Not just the steel, the CAG also has a problem with the ‘excess provisioning of spares worth more than INR 300 million (USD 6 million) and under realization of offset benefit to Indian industry’ in the procurement worth INR 9.36 billion (USD 200 million).

The CAG’s report says the original Request For Proposal (RFP) had a mandatory stipulation requiring the use of ‘DMR 249A or equivalent grade steel’ in the construction of two fleet tankers, which it says is ‘almost double the cost of ordinary steel’.

The report recaps, “In order to maintain its approved force levels, Indian Navy’s Ship-building Plan envisaged addition of two fleet tankers (tanker) by 2008 and 2011 respectively. Accordingly, a Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued to 12 firms in November 2005. In response to the RFP, only three firms responded, namely M/s Rosoboronexport, Russia (ROE), M/s Hyundai Heavy Industries Limited (HHIL) and M/s Fincantieri, Italy.”

It says, “Out of the three firms, only ROE offered a technical proposal for using DMR 249A/ or equivalent steel. The offer of HHIL was rejected due to noncompliance with RFP provisions which included non-usage of DMR 249A steel. Fincantieri’s proposal was stated to be compliant with the RFP conditions. However, the firm proposed to use DH 36 steel in place of DMR 249A steel.”


The justification offered by Fincantieri for selection of DH 36 grade steel to the Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) of the Ministry of Defense included problems in sourcing DMR 249A steel, the normal use of ordinary steel for tankers and that high resilience performance of DMR 249A was not necessary for the ship.

“According to the firm’s own admission, DH 36 grade steel has less weight and less resilience when compared to DMR 249A. The chemical compositions of DH-36 grade steel and DMR 249A steel are different and they cannot be treated as equivalent to each other. The prices of these two grades of steel are also different in as much as DMR 249 A grade is more expensive than DH-36 grade steel,” says the report, adding, “Nonetheless, the TEC opined that the DH 36 steel was equivalent to DMR 249A grade steel and accepted the technical bid of Fincantieri without taking cognizance of the offer made by the other two bidders. The Technical Oversight Committee also recommended the offer of Fincantieri. Later, when the commercial bids were opened, Fincantieri emerged as L1 (lowest bid) with a quote of Rs 723 crore. The offer of ROE was rejected as it was costlier, being based upon the prices of DMR 249A / or equivalent steel.
 
Australian Naval ship `HMAS Parramatta” visits Mumbai

Royal Australian Naval Ship, HMAS Parramatta, an ANZAC class frigate, paid a goodwill visit to Mumbai port from August 18 to 23. The name Parramatta is the oldest name for a ship in the Australian Navy, and is the fourth Royal Australian Navy Vessel to bear this name, a defence spokesperson said. The ship has a compliment of 25 officers and 150 sailors and is commanded by Commander Heath Robertson. HMAS Parramatta is based at Sydney and was on her passage back after a six-month deployment in the North Arabian Sea, as part of Maritime Coalition Forces. There were extensive interactions between the ship’s crew and Indian Navy personnel from the Western Naval Command, the spokesperson said. These included ship visits, onboard receptions and friendly sports fixtures. The Commanding Officer of the ship also paid a courtesy call on Rear Admiral Sunil Lanba, the Flag Officer Commanding, Maharashtra and Gujarat Naval Area. The past few years have witnessed a steady growth of Indo-Australian Naval cooperation and the visit by HMAS Parramatta underscores this growth, the spokesperson said. Besides exercises at sea, this cooperation also manifests itself through port visits by ships, maritime seminars and exchange of personnel, he said.
 
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