Major Shaitan Singh
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If we are to believe what the outgoing Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy (IN), Admiral Nirmal Verma, said yesterday at his farewell press conference, then it is virtually certain that the six conventional submarines (SSK) to be procured for the IN under Project 75I will most certainly be a larger derivative of the DCNS-designed CIM-2000 Scorpene SSK, six of which are presently being licence-built by the MoD-owned Mazagon Docks Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai for delivery between 2015 and 2018. Admiral Verma had stated yesterday that the IN HQ had already completed its part of the drafting of the RfP, which is now awaiting release by the MoD. He added that of the six SSKs to be procured, the first two will be acquired off-the-shelf from the yet-to-be-selected foreign OEM, to be followed by three to be licence-built by MDL, and one by the Vizag-based and MoD-owned Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL). Late last year he had stated that the IN wants to go for a proven and mature SSK ocean-going design for Project 75I, inclusive of a proven air-independent propulsion (AIP) system. If one were to join the dots between what he had stated late last year and what he revealed yesterday, it would thus appear that the S-80 derivative of the Scorpene SSK, being proposed by NAVANTIA of Spain and dubbed as the Super Scorpene, is reportedly by far the INs preferred choice, as opposed to Russias Amur 1650 SSK offer (which has been rejected by even the Russian Navy), and ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems of Germanys Type 216 SSK, which as of now is just a paper design.
As far as AIP systems go, the IN is believed to be favouring the Stirling Engine option, which is available from Swedens Kockums AB in a modular configuration, is being offered for licenced-production in India (similar to the arrangement between Kockums and Japans Kawasaki Heavy Industries), and can easily be accommodated within a 9-metre plug-in hull compartment. According to the IN, the Stirling Engine is the least risky and most cost-effective of all other available AIP options. The S-80 Super Scorpene, whose design has been derived from the CIM-2000 Scorpene (which was jointly developed by DCNS and NAVANTIA), features substantial commonality with the CIM-2000 and its licenced-manufacturing will therefore pose far fewer risks and challenges for MDL, when compared with those associated with the construction and fabrication of an all-new SSK design. The customised version of the S-80 for the IN will also most definitely retain the same SUBTICS combat management system as that on the CIM-2000 Scorpene. It will have an overall length of 71.05 metres, hull length of 51.76 metres, hull diameter of 7.30 metres, submerged displacement of 2,426 tons, surfaced displacement of 2,198 tons, 9.5% floatability, 360 battery elements, crew complement of up to 40, submerged speed of 20 Knots, and an endurance of 50 days.
In addition to the six SSKs, Acceptance of Necessity for 43 more warships has been obtained by the IN from the MoD. These include four water-jet FACs to be built by Kolkata-based Garden reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), a second sea cadet training ship to be built by ABG Shipyard, two GRP-hulled minehunters to be built by South Korea-based Kangnam Corp and another six to be licence-built by Goa Shipyard Ltd, one Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) to be procured off-the-shelf, four LPHs of which two will be built abroad by the OEM and two by HSL, 16 shallow-water ASW patrol vessels of a foreign design (being proposed by Thyseenkrupp Marine Systems, DCNS and Rosoboronexport State Corp) to be built by two as yet unidentified two shipyards, one locally-built survey training vessel and two diving support vessels, three Project 1135.6 FFGs (Batch 3) from Russia, and two more Arihant-class SSBNs (S-3 and S-4) and the first of three projected 20,000+ tonne displacement SSBNs (S-5, S-6 and S-7)all to be built by Larsen & Toubro.
A few concluding points: Firstly, it is difficult to fathom a logical reason for HSL being chosen to fabricate just one SSK, as this will only increase the overall procurement costs for Project 75I. Secondly, the outgoing CNS, after his retirement, is likely to be appointed as the Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar islands. Thirdly, the present Chief of HQ Integrated Defence Staff (CIDS), Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha, is likely to be appointed as the new FOC-in-C Western Naval Command to replace Vice Admiral Devender Kumar Joshi, who will succeed Admiral Verma as the CNS on August 31. Vice Admiral S P S Cheema, presently the Deputy Chief at HQ Integrated Defence Staff (perspective planning and force development), is tipped to take over from Vice Admiral Sinha as the new CIDS.
As far as AIP systems go, the IN is believed to be favouring the Stirling Engine option, which is available from Swedens Kockums AB in a modular configuration, is being offered for licenced-production in India (similar to the arrangement between Kockums and Japans Kawasaki Heavy Industries), and can easily be accommodated within a 9-metre plug-in hull compartment. According to the IN, the Stirling Engine is the least risky and most cost-effective of all other available AIP options. The S-80 Super Scorpene, whose design has been derived from the CIM-2000 Scorpene (which was jointly developed by DCNS and NAVANTIA), features substantial commonality with the CIM-2000 and its licenced-manufacturing will therefore pose far fewer risks and challenges for MDL, when compared with those associated with the construction and fabrication of an all-new SSK design. The customised version of the S-80 for the IN will also most definitely retain the same SUBTICS combat management system as that on the CIM-2000 Scorpene. It will have an overall length of 71.05 metres, hull length of 51.76 metres, hull diameter of 7.30 metres, submerged displacement of 2,426 tons, surfaced displacement of 2,198 tons, 9.5% floatability, 360 battery elements, crew complement of up to 40, submerged speed of 20 Knots, and an endurance of 50 days.
In addition to the six SSKs, Acceptance of Necessity for 43 more warships has been obtained by the IN from the MoD. These include four water-jet FACs to be built by Kolkata-based Garden reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), a second sea cadet training ship to be built by ABG Shipyard, two GRP-hulled minehunters to be built by South Korea-based Kangnam Corp and another six to be licence-built by Goa Shipyard Ltd, one Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) to be procured off-the-shelf, four LPHs of which two will be built abroad by the OEM and two by HSL, 16 shallow-water ASW patrol vessels of a foreign design (being proposed by Thyseenkrupp Marine Systems, DCNS and Rosoboronexport State Corp) to be built by two as yet unidentified two shipyards, one locally-built survey training vessel and two diving support vessels, three Project 1135.6 FFGs (Batch 3) from Russia, and two more Arihant-class SSBNs (S-3 and S-4) and the first of three projected 20,000+ tonne displacement SSBNs (S-5, S-6 and S-7)all to be built by Larsen & Toubro.
A few concluding points: Firstly, it is difficult to fathom a logical reason for HSL being chosen to fabricate just one SSK, as this will only increase the overall procurement costs for Project 75I. Secondly, the outgoing CNS, after his retirement, is likely to be appointed as the Lt Governor of Andaman & Nicobar islands. Thirdly, the present Chief of HQ Integrated Defence Staff (CIDS), Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha, is likely to be appointed as the new FOC-in-C Western Naval Command to replace Vice Admiral Devender Kumar Joshi, who will succeed Admiral Verma as the CNS on August 31. Vice Admiral S P S Cheema, presently the Deputy Chief at HQ Integrated Defence Staff (perspective planning and force development), is tipped to take over from Vice Admiral Sinha as the new CIDS.
