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Torpedo deal for scorpene scrapped
The Defence Ministry has scrapped a Rs1,700-crore proposed deal for procuring torpedos from Finmeccanica for Scorpene submarines now under construction at Mazagon Docks Limited(MDL), Mumbai. The deal was put on hold in 2014 by the then UPA Government in the wake of AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal controversy. Finmeccanica, the Italian conglomerate is the parent company of AgustaWestland. The Government is likely to float a fresh golbal tender or request for proposal(RFP) to procure torpedos.
Disclosing this here on Tuesday, sources said Black Shark torpedo, manufactured by Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquel(WASS), a subsidiary of Finmeccanica, emerged as the lowest bidder and negotiations began in 2013 for fitting 98 torpedos on to six Scorpene submarines. Incidentally, the first submarine christened INS Kalvari is now undergoing final trials and expected to join service in September.
When asked how the Government proposed to maintain operational preparedness of the submarines in the absence of torpedos, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told a reputed national daily that “I will make the Scorpenes functional. Don’t worry about it.”
Replying to another question whether the Governemnt will go for ‘Make in India’ option, the Minister said there are other companies who can supply it. He, however, refrained from giving further details and said these issues could not be discolsed due to security reasons.
Given the urgency of the project, sources said fresh RFP will take time and the Ministry may go for Governemnt to Governemnt deal. This process entails that the foreign made torpedo finally selected will be backed by that Government instead of the vendor.
Germany’s Atlas Elektronik had emerged as the second lowest bidder and sources said at the time of technical trials there were some differences between the German manufacturers and the French firm building the Scorpene submarinies in collaboration with MDL.
“However, it seems that the differences have been resolved now,” sources said adding that either a fresh tender could be placed or the Government may go in for direct purchase. If the issue is not resolved fast, the Navy would be inducting the first Scorpene submarine without its main anti-ship attack system.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/torpedo-deal-for-scorpene-scrapped.html
The Defence Ministry has scrapped a Rs1,700-crore proposed deal for procuring torpedos from Finmeccanica for Scorpene submarines now under construction at Mazagon Docks Limited(MDL), Mumbai. The deal was put on hold in 2014 by the then UPA Government in the wake of AgustaWestland VVIP helicopter deal controversy. Finmeccanica, the Italian conglomerate is the parent company of AgustaWestland. The Government is likely to float a fresh golbal tender or request for proposal(RFP) to procure torpedos.
Disclosing this here on Tuesday, sources said Black Shark torpedo, manufactured by Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquel(WASS), a subsidiary of Finmeccanica, emerged as the lowest bidder and negotiations began in 2013 for fitting 98 torpedos on to six Scorpene submarines. Incidentally, the first submarine christened INS Kalvari is now undergoing final trials and expected to join service in September.
When asked how the Government proposed to maintain operational preparedness of the submarines in the absence of torpedos, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar told a reputed national daily that “I will make the Scorpenes functional. Don’t worry about it.”
Replying to another question whether the Governemnt will go for ‘Make in India’ option, the Minister said there are other companies who can supply it. He, however, refrained from giving further details and said these issues could not be discolsed due to security reasons.
Given the urgency of the project, sources said fresh RFP will take time and the Ministry may go for Governemnt to Governemnt deal. This process entails that the foreign made torpedo finally selected will be backed by that Government instead of the vendor.
Germany’s Atlas Elektronik had emerged as the second lowest bidder and sources said at the time of technical trials there were some differences between the German manufacturers and the French firm building the Scorpene submarinies in collaboration with MDL.
“However, it seems that the differences have been resolved now,” sources said adding that either a fresh tender could be placed or the Government may go in for direct purchase. If the issue is not resolved fast, the Navy would be inducting the first Scorpene submarine without its main anti-ship attack system.
http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/torpedo-deal-for-scorpene-scrapped.html