GSL given central nod to build 8 MCMVs: CMD

PANAJI: The Union government has given the go-ahead to Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL) for the construction of all eight mine countermeasure vessels, or MCMVs, for the Indian Navy, with the option of additional vessels, chairman and managing director of GSL Shekhar Mital said on Wednesday during the launch of the first of a series of six offshore patrol vessels, or OPVs, designed by GSL.



Nearly two weeks ago, Union defence minister Manohar Parrikar, during his visit to GSL, had said that the decision on acquiring eight minesweepers for the Indian Navy would be taken soon. Parrikar had dropped hints that the central government was thinking of giving orders to GSL and would like the PSU to go into technical collaboration.



On Wednesday, Mital said GSL has undertaken massive infrastructure upgradation to construct the MCMVs for which it has been nominated by the Union ministry of defence. The shipyard is near-ready to start the constructions, he added.



The Indian Navy is keen on acquiring minesweepers to replace their aging fleet of 12 Pondicherry and Karwar class minesweepers, which are expected to be phased out by 2020.



The minesweepers are usually deployed with local naval defence and search-and-rescue missions.



The Navy requires at least 24 mine countermeasure vessels to clear mines laid by enemy warships and aircraft to blockade harbours during war.



Earlier, the OPV was launched by Rachna Thapliyal, wife of vice-admiral Anurang G Thapliyal, director general, Indian Coast Guard.



Mital said the construction of six OPVs for the Coast Guard is in full swing and the first vessel will be ready for delivery as per schedule by October 2015. All six vessels will be delivered by November 2017, he added.



The powering requirement for these vessels is about 10% less compared to other such vessels, even while the OPVs breadth and displacement have been increased to improve habitability, operability and survivability of the ship, Mital explained.



Recalling the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, Thapliyal said the six OPVs being built by GSL were envisaged in the 11th Coast Guard development plan, 2007-2012, later rolled over to the 12th Coast Guard development plan covering the period 2012-17.



"These new inductions are to augment the OPV force level which is our all-weather workhorse, and so is essential for our oceanic geography comprising two open seas on both coasts," Thapliyal said.



He further said, "I am assured that all six OPVs being built here will join the Indian Coast Guard fleet soon and will operate together to provide the much needed fillip to our surveillance and operational capabilities."



He said the Indian Coast Guard is looking forward to inducting five more such vessels from GSL in the future. These would be in addition to the current six OPVs.



An offshore patrol vessel is powered by twin diesel engines and is fitted with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment. It carries four boats for boarding-party operations.



One 30mm gun and two 12.7mm guns with associated fire control system, form the main weaponry package.



GSL given central nod to build 8 MCMVs: CMD - The Times of India

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Goa Shipyard to launch new generation Offshore Patrol Vessel

Goa Shipyard Ltd (GSL), Goa-based Defence shipyard will launch the largest new generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) designed in-house and built by it for the Indian Coast Guard(ICG) on Wednesday in south Goa.



Rachna Thapliyal will launch the vessel in company of Vice Admiral Anurag G. Thapliyal, Director General, ICG. Chairman and Managing Director of GSL Shekhar Mital and many other senior dignitaries from



government, Navy and Coast Guard.



This state-of-the-art OPV is the first of six being built by GSL for Indian Coast Guard. The OPV will help meet the increasing requirement of the ICG for undertaking policing and patrolling of the vast Indian Exclusive Economic Zone.



The vessel is also capable of other Coast Guard functions like search and rescue operations, pollution control and external fire-fighting.



This vessel will also be deployed for ocean surveillance and for monitoring sea lanes of communication. The ship is capable of supporting embarkation and operation of the indigenously-designed Advanced Light Helicopter.



“The ongoing construction of OPVs for Coast Guard is in full swing. Despite delay in receipt of several critical equipment like shafting, DG Sets, ‘A’ Bracket etc., we are working hard to ensure that the vessel is made ready for delivery as per schedule by October 15. This will further reinforce our unwavering commitment for timely delivery of ships,” said CMD Mital ahead of the launch of the vessel on Monday.



The OPV is powered by twin diesel engines and is fitted with state-of-the-art navigation and communication equipment. The vessel carries four boats for boarding party operations. One 30 mm gun and two 12.7 mm guns with associated fire control system, form the main weaponry package.



The contract for the construction of six OPVs for the ICG was signed on May 9, 2012.



Goa Shipyard to launch new generation Offshore Patrol Vessel - The Hindu

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Sonar contract provides major boost to navy

Without advanced towed array sonar systems, all warships the navy has built and bought since the 1990s would be sitting ducks in war

Ajai Shukla | New Delhi November 25, 2014 Last Updated at 00:47 IST



On November 12, without announcement or fanfare, the ministry of defence (MoD) signed a small contract with enormous implications for itself and the Indian Navy. This formalised the purchase of six advanced towed array sonar (ATAS) systems from Atlas Elektronik, the German naval systems giant, for just under Euro 40 million (Rs 306 crore).



These ATAS systems will equip three Talwar-class frigates (INS Talwar, Trishul and Tabar) and three Delhi-class destroyers (INS Delhi, Mumbai and Mysore), allowing them to detect enemy submarines in the Arabian Sea, where the warm, shallow waters confound conventional hull-mounted sonars.



Without ATAS, all the warships the navy has built and bought since the 1990s - each costing a few thousand crores and crewed by a couple of hundred sailors - would be sitting ducks in war. Enemy submarines, lurking unseen 50-80 kilometres away, could leisurely torpedo Indian warships.



So vulnerable has been India's fleet that when INS Vikramaditya, the navy's new aircraft carrier, was sailing home from Russia, it was escorted through the Arabian Sea by several Indian warships. There was no certainty that Pakistan's Agosta 90B submarines could be detected by sonar systems other than ATAS.



All that protects India's 25 latest frontline warships from enemy submarines is a relatively ineffective Passive Towed Array Sonar (PTAS), and an indigenous hull-mounted sonar called HUMSA.



So important is the ATAS contract that the MoD abandoned even the pretence of indigenisation. Atlas Elektronik will build all six ATAS systems in Germany, and has been exempted from offsets.



ATAS is especially vital in the Arabian Sea. Warships detect underwater objects (like submarines) with sonar - a "ping" of sound emitted into the water that reflects from submarines, just as radar bounces back from aircraft. In our warm, shallow waters, the returning signal often gets lost. Since the water is warm on the surface and cools rapidly as one goes deeper, the sharp "temperature gradient" refracts sonar waves, bending them away from the warship's sensors. Unable to receive the returning signal, the warship cannot detect the submarine.



ATAS overcomes the "temperature gradient", since it is towed by a cable that extends deep below the surface, into the cooler layers where submarines lurk. With the sensors themselves in the colder water layers, there is no "temperature differential". Even the faintest return signal from a submarine is detected.



The navy will fit ATAS externally onto the rear of its warships, which have been built for this reason with an empty compartment at the rear.



With this contract, Atlas Elektronik has taken pole position for supplying the navy a range of high-end sonars. Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), which is required to build ten ATAS with foreign partnership, has been encouraged by the navy to tie up with Atlas so that sonar equipment is standardised across warships.



BEL is learnt to be in discussions with Atlas for building ten ATAS for three Shivalik-class frigates (INS Shivalik, Satpura and Sahyadri), three Kolkata-class destroyers (Kolkata, Kochi and Chennai), and four Kamorta-class anti-submarine corvettes (INS Kamorta, Kadmatt, Kiltan and Kavaratti).



That leaves 20 warships that will remain in naval service for some years. These include: three aircraft carriers (INS Vikramaditya, Vikrant and Vishal); three Brahmaputra class frigates (INS Brahmaputra, Betwa and Beas); three Talwar-class follow-on frigates (INS Teg, Tarkash and Trikand); four Project 15-B destroyers (unnamed, under construction); and seven Project 17-A frigates (unnamed, contract being negotiated).



Given its first-mover advantage, the infrastructure and partnerships it will build and its already demonstrated price advantage, Atlas hopes to supply sonar systems for these and for other smaller surface warships and submarines. In April, the MoD tendered for 16 Anti Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASWC), which need sophisticated sonar with electronically controlled beams.



Atlas Elektronik sources say they are eager to establish a joint venture company with either BEL or an Indian private sector company to build sonars in India. That would grant majority ownership of 51 per cent to the Indian entity.



ATAS import has been blocked since the mid-1990s because the Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) was developing an indigenous ATAS called Nagan. In 2012, the Nagan project was officially shut down and work began on another system called ALTAS. With this making slow progress, the DRDO finally okayed import.



In November 2012, two years ago, Atlas was declared the lowest bidder. That was followed by a string of complaints to the MoD against Atlas, apparently motivated, since the MoD found no wrongdoing. Even so, with the ministry painstakingly investigating every complaint, each caused a 3-4 month delay. Earlier this year, with the elections impending, the United Progressive Alliance decided to leave the signing to the next government. Atlas Elektronik is owned 51 per cent by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH (KMW) and 49 per cent by Airbus Defence & Space.



Sonar contract provides major boost to navy | Business Standard News

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Seven naval officers indicted in Sindhuratna mishap probe

Seven naval officers have been indicted for culpability in the INS Sindhuratna tragedy which left two officers dead and several injured.



The Naval probe into the incident ended today after it indicted seven officers as culpable of omission for the Sindhuratna mishap, Times Now reported. Disciplinary proceedings have also been initiated in the matter.

AFP.AFP



In May, the Supreme Court had dismissed a PIL seeking a court-monitored probe into the fire tragedy in the Indian Navy submarine and a compensation of Rs 1 crore each for relatives of the two naval officers who died in the incident.



At the time, the SC had declined to pass any direction on the petition which claimed the officers died allegedly due to technical and maintenance failure of batteries in the submarine.

The PIL, filed by advocates Subrata Das and N Rajaraman, had also sought a direction for producing the communication between the Defence Ministry and the Navy Command relating to the maintenance of submarines, particularly Sindhuratna.



Seven sailors were also injured when fire had erupted on board Sindhuratna around 40 nautical miles off Mumbai on 26 February. Navy Chief Admiral D K Joshi resigned taking moral responsibility for the incident. The Navy had said human miscalculation led to the fire that broke out in the cables of the submarine. The probe had mentioned a deviation from standard operating procedure.



The PIL had sought the court's direction to the Defence Ministry to submit the status report on the action taken by it on the requisitions concerning repairs and replacement of safety equipment of the armed forces.



Seven naval officers indicted in Sindhuratna tragedy probe

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India just saved its warships from being sitting ducks

Without advanced towed array sonar systems, all warships the navy has built and bought since the 1990s would be sitting ducks in war. Ajai Shukla reports




On November 12, without announcement or fanfare, the defence ministry signed a small contract with enormous implications for itself and the Indian Navy. This formalised the purchase of six advanced towed array sonar systems from Atlas Elektronik, the German naval systems giant, for just under Euro 40 million (Rs 306 crore).



These ATAS systems will equip three Talwar-class frigates (INS Talwar, Trishul and Tabar) and three Delhi-class destroyers (INS Delhi, Mumbai and Mysore), allowing them to detect enemy submarines in the Arabian Sea, where the warm, shallow waters confound conventional hull-mounted sonars.



Without ATAS, all the warships the navy has built and bought since the 1990s - each costing a few thousand crores and crewed by a couple of hundred sailors - would be sitting ducks in war. Enemy submarines, lurking unseen 50-80 kilometres away, could leisurely torpedo Indian warships.



So vulnerable has been India's fleet that when INS Vikramaditya, the navy's new aircraft carrier, was sailing home from Russia, it was escorted through the Arabian Sea by several Indian warships. There was no certainty that Pakistan's Agosta 90B submarines could be detected by sonar systems other than ATAS.



All that protects India's 25 latest frontline warships from enemy submarines is a relatively ineffective Passive Towed Array Sonar (PTAS), and an indigenous hull-mounted sonar called HUMSA.



So important is the ATAS contract that the MoD abandoned even the pretence of indigenisation. Atlas Elektronik will build all six ATAS systems in Germany, and has been exempted from offsets.



ATAS is especially vital in the Arabian Sea. Warships detect underwater objects (like submarines) with sonar - a "ping" of sound emitted into the water that reflects from submarines, just as radar bounces back from aircraft. In our warm, shallow waters, the returning signal often gets lost. Since the water is warm on the surface and cools rapidly as one goes deeper, the sharp "temperature gradient" refracts sonar waves, bending them away from the warship's sensors. Unable to receive the returning signal, the warship cannot detect the submarine.



ATAS overcomes the "temperature gradient", since it is towed by a cable that extends deep below the surface, into the cooler layers where submarines lurk. With the sensors themselves in the colder water layers, there is no "temperature differential". Even the faintest return signal from a submarine is detected.



The navy will fit ATAS externally onto the rear of its warships, which have been built for this reason with an empty compartment at the rear.



With this contract, Atlas Elektronik has taken pole position for supplying the navy a range of high-end sonars.



Bharat Electronics Limited, which is required to build ten ATAS with foreign partnership, has been encouraged by the navy to tie up with Atlas so that sonar equipment is standardised across warships.



BEL is learnt to be in discussions with Atlas for building ten ATAS for three Shivalik-class frigates (INS Shivalik, Satpura and Sahyadri), three Kolkata-class destroyers (Kolkata, Kochi and Chennai), and four Kamorta-class anti-submarine corvettes (INS Kamorta, Kadmatt, Kiltan and Kavaratti).



That leaves 20 warships that will remain in naval service for some years.



These include: three aircraft carriers (INS Vikramaditya, Vikrant and Vishal); three Brahmaputra class frigates (INS Brahmaputra, Betwa and Beas); three Talwar-class follow-on frigates (INS Teg, Tarkash and Trikand); four Project 15-B destroyers (unnamed, under construction); and seven Project 17-A frigates (unnamed, contract being negotiated).



Given its first-mover advantage, the infrastructure and partnerships it will build and its already demonstrated price advantage, Atlas hopes to supply sonar systems for these and for other smaller surface warships and submarines.



In April, the MoD tendered for 16 Anti Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASWC), which need sophisticated sonar with electronically controlled beams.



Atlas Elektronik sources say they are eager to establish a joint venture company with either BEL or an Indian private sector company to build sonars in India.



That would grant majority ownership of 51 per cent to the Indian entity.



ATAS import has been blocked since the mid-1990s because the Defence R&D Organisation was developing an indigenous ATAS called Nagan. In 2012, the Nagan project was officially shut down and work began on another system called ALTAS. With this making slow progress, the DRDO finally okayed import.



In November 2012, two years ago, Atlas was declared the lowest bidder. That was followed by a string of complaints to the MoD against Atlas, apparently motivated, since the MoD found no wrongdoing.



Even so, with the ministry painstakingly investigating every complaint, each caused a 3-4 month delay. Earlier this year, with the elections impending, the United Progressive Alliance decided to leave the signing to the next government.



Atlas Elektronik is owned 51 per cent by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH (KMW) and 49 per cent by Airbus Defence & Space.





:: Bharat-Rakshak.com - Indian Military News Headlines ::





AK Anthony should be tried for treason.. pathetic

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RIP INS Vikrant

Guys starting this thread dedicated to INS Vikrant.



Use it to post pictures, stories of its illustrious career in Indian Navy etc

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Learning Curve on Way to Indigenization

Learning Curve on Way to Indigenization



A sure sign of thrust to the nation’s ongoing endeavour on indigenization is apparent with the recent commissioning of two Naval platforms INS Kolkata and INS Kamorta have been commissioned recently. It is matter of pride for a nation which has been importing almost everything till now that it has develop the capability in producing wholly constructed ship in the country itself. Incidentally, INS Kolkata belongs to the Destroyer Class and is the first of three ships currently under construction. Indigenously built stealth anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kamorta is the first of the four ASW stealth corvettes designed by Directorate of Naval Design. The development provides credence to India’s defence capabilities in a geo-politically unstable region.



Kamorta



However, the skeptics do always have some cribs fuelled by interested segment to make an issue out of known facts, which the Govt had considered before inauguration. Reportedly these elements raised issues on absence of the Long Range Surface to Air Missile (LR-SAM) and the Advanced Towed Array Sonar (ATAS). These are issues of concern and are being attended to. The question that comes up in one’s mind is that is it worth to hold up the whole project for such fitments? A knowledgeable person expressed it as the right approach to commission a ship pending installation sub-systems, as a ship takes time to evolve as a cohesive unit and this training needs to start forth with. This will also allow the machinery to settle down. Existing sub-systems can be carried on deck, till a suitable substitute is identified.



LR SAM



The development of LR-SAM project, a Indo-Israeli joint project, the development began in 2006 and was to be completed in 2012. The INS Kolkata project itself delayed by four years. It would not worth delaying the commissioning of the ship for LRSAM any further, which is likely to be ready for fitment within 8-9 months or may be more.



ALTAS



NAGAN Active Towed Array Sonar developed by DRDO’s Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), NPOL (National Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory, Cochin) in conjunction with BEL. The initial trials of the system re-engineered NAGAN, were conducted in early 2012 with user participation and showed encouraging results. However, the shift in wish list of user due to rapid advancements in technologies available made the system no more desirable. Hence, NAGAN project was officially wrapped up as a technology demonstrator. While, the time delay and cost over run is a concern, there is a need to resolve differences in percieved qualitative requirements during the project between the DRDO and Users which leads to non-acceptance of the developed systems, at a later stage.



In 2008, DRDO had given go ahead for import of the system; however the import could not materialize due to various reasons. Incidentally, German company, Atlas Elektronic emerged as frontrunner in a global tender to supply cutting edge ATAS to the navy. Predictably, allegations of corruption were raised against Atlas and the import was put on hold.



In April 2012, a fresh project ‘Advanced Light Towed Array Sonar’ (ALTAS) was sanctioned by Ministry of Defence based on the revised NSQR with PDC of April 2016. Project ALTAS a Low-Frequency had enhanced performance parameters incorporated in NSQR to meet present and futuristic requirement of the Navy. The development and Laboratory tests were completed by the concerned DRDO Lab in record time by 2014, almost two year ahead of schedule. DRDO requested the availability of trial platform ship (INS Sharda) for installing the equipment for sea trials in early 2014. The ship was made available in mid 2014 and DRDO installed one complete system on the ship. However, the trials could not proceed due to onset of rainy season. DRDO Scientists are confident of the performance during sea trials. It is to the credit of DRDO that the system has been realized with production grade systems and sub-systems produced by the Indian industry. Once accepted by Users the production can go ahead and equip all the platforms needing the systems. To me it seems like major achievement and sure signs the way the things to come. The India’s warships built since 1997 shares the vulnerability as none of which have an ATAS and remain reliant on its less capable hull-mounted sonar, the indigenous HUMSA-NG. Hopefully, both the systems are likely to be operational in about years time.


We need to acknowledge that development projects take time and such hick-ups do come up due to the process of design, production or procurement. These projects are on learning curve of our defence industry for concurrent development. The Prime Minister has been reminding the stakeholders to speed up projects and advance delivery schedules. Waiting for one system or upgrade, we should not lose opportunity on the overall realization. All stakeholders rather than pointing finger should support the developmental efforts.



Let us face the fact that the Indian defence development and production industry is improving on their shortcomings & capabilities and need some



hand holding and encouragement by all the stakeholders. These fighting vessels are from our shipyards and not imported and so will be the two systems which are likely to be fitted within a year’s time. The emphasis of government’s policy on indigenization is evident, as it is immensely benefiting the country in the present situation.

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Dismantling of iconic warship INS Vikrant begins

मुंबई। भारत-पाकिस्तान के बीच 1971 में हुए युद्ध के दौरान दुश्मनों के दांत खट्टे करने वाले भारत के पहले विमानवाहक पोत आईएनएस विक्रांत के सेवामुक्त होने के बाद उसे तोड़ा जा रहा है। इस पोत को खरीदने वाले मालिक ने शुक्रवार को कहा कि इस प्रक्रिया में सात-आठ महीनों का समय लगने की संभावना है। गुरूवार को इसके आगे के हिस्से पर पहला हथौड़ा चला।



इस पोत को ई-नीलामी में मुंबई की आईबी कॉमर्शियल्स लिमिटेड ने खरीदा है। कंपनी के निदेशक और अब पोत के मालिक अब्दुल करीमा जाका ने यह जानकारी दी। जाका ने दक्षिण-पूर्व मुंबई के पाउडर बंडर स्थित ब्रेकिंग यार्ड में आईएएनएस से कहा, ""सभी कानूनी और तकनीकी औपचारिकताएं पूरी करने तथा संबंधित एजेंसियों से मंजूरी मिलने के बाद पोत को तोड़ने के लिए लगभग 200 लोगों के एक दल को लगाया गया है।""



इसे पहले एचएमएस हरक्यूलस के नाम से जाना जाता था। इसे भारत में 1957 को लाया गया था और 16 फरवरी, 1959 को नौसेना में शामिल किया गया। 31 जनवरी, 1997 को इसे सेवामुक्त कर दिया गया था। 71 वर्ष पुराने इस पोत को स्टील और अन्य महत्वपूर्ण सामग्रियों के लिए अंतत: तोड़ा जा रहा है। -



भारत-पाक युद्ध के हीरो रहे आईएनएस विक्रांत पर चला पहला हथौड़ा - Dismantling of iconic warship INS Vikrant begins -Patrika.com

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Navy begin hunt for anti-submarine protection

The Indian Navy has launched a hunt for integrated anti-submarine warfare suites to fill a void in the security framework that renders its frigates and destroyers vulnerable to underwater threats.



The new system is being procured as there has been a substantial delay in the development of advanced towed array sonars, a crucial component of the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) suite, by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).



The defence ministry, which was earlier in favour of waiting for the DRDO to complete its project, has given the go-ahead for procurement.



The towed array sonar is essential for warships in anti-submarine warfare. Even the last inducted INS Kamorta (pictured) does not have the advanced component



Sources said progress on the home-made towed array sonar is far from satisfactory.



The delay has already exposed the Navy’s fleet to threats from submarines and torpedoes. Even the latest warships, like aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya and brand new destroyer INS Kolkata, were inducted without advanced towed array sonars, which are more effective in detecting underwater threats than hull-mounted sonars.



Hostile submarines pose a grave challenge as Pakistan has a superior underwater arm.







The new Kamorta-class anti-submarine warfare corvette too joined the fleet without a towed array sonar and it is fitted only with the HUMSA hull-mounted sonar, which offers partial deterrence at best. The towed array sonars trail behind ships to detect traces of hostile submarines and torpedoes more effectively.



Read more: Navy begin hunt to procure anti-sub armour- | Daily Mail Online

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DRDO builds propulsion system, may be fitted into Scorpene subs

PARIS (PTI): A DRDO-developed propulsion system, that enhances the underwater stay of conventional diesel - electric submarines, could be fitted in the last two Scorpene submarines India is building locally under transfer of technology from a French defence major.



The work on the Scorpene submarines is on at the Mazagaon Dock, Mumbai and the first of the six vessels is expected to enter service in late 2016.



The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)-developed air independent propulsion (AIP) system could be fitted in the last two submarines, but the plans could take some time to evolve into a final shape.



The original Scorpene maker, DCNS, says that it can put in place the indigenous system in the submarine.



The AIP enhances the underwater stay of conventional diesel-electric submarines. Normal diesel-electric submarines have to come up at periscope level every two days to recharge their batteries, making them easy prey of anti-submarine platforms on sea and in air.



Top DCNS officials told a group of visiting Indian journalists that the P75 (Scorpene) submarines are designed to be fitted, should this be required, with an AIP system.



In order to increase yet more the indigenous content of the P75 submarines, the company is working with DRDO to integrate the indigenous AIP solution in P75 submarines.



"Should the Indian Navy require such system, a fully indigenous AIP solution could be integrated on submarines 5 and 6 while respecting the existing timelines," said Bernard Buisson, MD,DCNS India.



Philippe Berger, submarines operational marketing manager of DCNS, said without AIP, Scorpenes can stay underwater for four days.



He said the DCNS' role is limited to integrating safely the DRDO-developed AIP to the submarine.



A generator set for the Scorpene under construction at Mazgaon dock is ready to be shipped by early next year. A clutch of heat transfer systems, which work as radiators, are also ready to be shipped to Mumbai in a few days in one of the company's facilities in Nantez.



The French ship building company is also working on its own AIP system, a second-generation hydrogen fuel cell.



DRDO builds propulsion system, may be fitted into Scorpene subs - The Economic Times

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The Emerging India-Australia Maritime Relationship

There was a palpable excitement in India when Prime Minister Narendra Modi jetted off to attend the G-20 summit at Brisbane. This was partly because of the announcement that Modi would be embarking on a bilateral tour of Australia at the completion of the meeting of world leaders, and that he would be addressing the Indian diaspora in Sydney tomorrow, in what was a much anticipated recreation of the Madison Square Garden moment in New York two months ago. This time, Modi is expected to speak to a crowd of around 20,000 people.



Engaging with the Indian expatriate community is, indeed, fast becoming Modi’s signature move on his tours abroad. There is nothing quite as effective as mass fervor in conveying political strength and India’s charismatic premier realizes its inherent potential. From a foreign policy and regional security perspective, however, it is Modi’s meeting with his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott that promises a more interesting outcome.



There are a number of issues for discussion, but one that is likely to top strategic agenda is “maritime security.” Ever since Canberra officially declared its interests in the Indian Ocean last year, there has been speculation in the strategic community about an evolving maritime coalition in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Indeed, Australia has in recent years sought to strengthen its nautical posture in the Indian Ocean, reviving its ties with regional states. It is, however, the vigorous pursuit of its relationship with India that has provided evidence of Canberra’s desire to play a larger security role in the IOR.



Maritime watchers point out that Australia’s consistent efforts for a deeper, more purposeful maritime association with India have begun to bear fruit. Last year, at the special invitation of Australia, the Indian Navy sent its latest indigenous warship INS Sahyadri to participate in the International Fleet Review (IFR) in Sydney – a move widely perceived as a sign of a growing nautical convergence. The maritime interaction was widely perceived as the first concrete achievement in a set of deliverables envisaged during AK Anthony’s visit to Canberra in June last year, when the two sides had signed an agreement on regular ministerial level meetings, frequent defense exchanges, and deeper maritime collaboration. Safety of sea-borne trade was on the agenda during Abbot’s visit to New Delhi in September this year, with both sides reaffirming the need for a “peaceful, prosperous and stable Asia-Pacific region, underpinned by cooperative mechanisms.”



By all accounts, however, it is the decision to hold a bilateral maritime exercise in 2015 that has been the most encouraging development in India-Australia maritime ties – especially since the last time the two navies engaged operationally was during Exercise Malabar in 2007. Still, the maritime interaction between the Indian Navy and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) has yet to attain the critical mass needed for a self-sustaining relationship. While it is true that the two navies have worked together in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, joint maritime endeavors still lack the momentum needed for a durable partnership. The statements of intent have been encouraging, but they have yet to trigger operational cooperation in all areas of maritime security.



Maritime analysts believe the Indian navy is keen to expand the scope of the 2015 exercises, but a continuing political ambivalence is preventing the injection of strategic substance into the maritime relationship. If security cooperation has to be taken to a higher level, India has little choice but to focus on high-end engagement during the exercises next year. For this, the current template of operations that limits the interaction to exercises such as search and rescue (SAR) and disaster relief and humanitarian assistance (HADR) needs to be expanded to include high-spectrum operations like anti-submarine warfare and anti-air drills, VBSS operations, and special forces engagement.



It is pertinent that Canberra’s options for maritime partnerships in the Indian Ocean are not limited to New Delhi. Australia recently announced a partnership with Seychelles and Mauritius in a “blue economy” project in the Indian Ocean. The centerpiece of the proposal is a plan for greater hydrocarbon exploration and better Australian technology to harvest renewable energy from the ocean’s waves. Conceivably, this might prove to be an expensive proposition for Australia. Nonetheless, by underwriting marine economy projects Canberra has shown it is willing to think imaginatively in nurturing its Indian Ocean ties.



Even in its maritime relationship with India, the impetus for bilateral collaboration has come from Australia. The extent to which Canberra regards cooperation with New Delhi as critical for regional maritime security is clear from Australia’s 2013 Defence White Paper, which prioritizes relations with India and Indonesia. Interestingly, only a few months after the release of the White Paper, Australia released a Country Strategy Document on India that identified the Indian Navy as possessing the most potential for a close maritime partnership.



The attempts to deepen Australia’s maritime ties with India come at a time when Canberra is drawing closer with Tokyo, and developing a more pragmatic political equation with Jakarta. Reports from Canberra about a potential deal for the procurement of the Soryu-class submarines from Japan, and Tony Abbott’s invitation to Indonesia’s new President Joko Widodo to attend the G20 summit, indicates a keenness on Australia’s part to improve its strategic relationships in its maritime neighborhood. Friendly relations with Japan and Indonesia are a key factor in India’s own geopolitical calculus, and critical in maintaining strategic balance in the Asia-Pacific region.



The two most important factors driving India-Australia maritime security cooperation are the growing Chinese naval presence in the Indian Ocean, and the concept of the “Indo-Pacific.” In the past few years China has expanded its military-maritime footprint in the IOR – a reality starkly brought home by the recent deployment of a Chinese submarine to the region. But even as India has watched a greater PLA-N presence in the Indian Ocean with studied wariness, it has desisted from a closer maritime partnership with the U.S., Japan and Australia.



New Delhi does have a point. Close alignment with the U.S. and its allies in the Pacific is a provocative move and one likely to disturb the regional maritime equilibrium. In the search for alternate ideas, however, a suggestion to create Indo-Pacific “middle power coalitions” – an informal arrangement where the powers in the middle would make it a priority to strengthen and help one another, working in self-selecting groups, or “minilateral” arrangements that do not include Beijing or Washington, seems interesting. This sort of arrangement could indeed achieve a favorable end-state without India having to overtly align with the U.S. A number of Indian analysts, in fact, now agree that in the implementation of the current government’s “Act East Policy” there is a need to legitimize the “Indo-Pacific” concept – even if in a qualified sense.


The imperative for India to cooperate with Australia is also driven by the fact that the latter is prominent in both the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), two multilateral institutions in which New Delhi has a significant stake. The Indian Navy has been the motivating force behind the IONS initiative and is keen to see the grouping enhance its stature and utility. Meanwhile, New Delhi continues to play an important role in shaping the IORA agenda, which now has a clear maritime security slant.



In his interactions with Australian policymakers, Modi will be aware that India’s interests are best served by a strong nautical relationship with Australia. In the past few weeks New Delhi has shown it is ready to refocus attention on its Indo-Pacific partnerships by reaching out to Japan, the U.S, and Vietnam. A maritime security arrangement with Australia will serve as an auspicious augury.


There is a symbolism in the India-Australia maritime relationship that quietly but firmly reiterates New Delhi’s strategic imperatives – a need for presence in the Indo-Pacific, a security role in the region commensurate with India’s international stature and a power-projection capability that helps it secure its long-term commercial interests. More importantly, aligning with Australia in the Indo-Pacific reflects a strong political commitment for sustaining a framework of cooperative security in India’s near and extended maritime neighborhood.



Abhijit Singh is a research scholar at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses and looks at Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean. He is co-author of the book Indian Ocean Challenges – A Quest for Cooperative Solutions.



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Tough call for Manohar Parrikar on mine-hunters

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Tough call for Manohar Parrikar on mine-hunters



One of the first controversial issues confronting Manohar Parrikar as defence minister is to take a call on whether to scrap the long-pending deal for hi-tech South Korean warships that detect and destroy deadly underwater mines laid by enemy forces to choke harbours and disrupt shipping traffic.



The project for eight mine countermeasure vessels (MCMVs) has run into deep trouble due to allegations that South Korean firm Kangnam Corporation hired agents to help in the negotiations to clinch the deal, as was earlier reported by TOI.



Attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, too, has recommended scrapping of the almost decade-old selection process for the MCMVs. But the Navy is now strongly opposing the move to "close the case and start afresh" for what it considers to be "a critical operational requirement", said sources.



Under the deal finalized three years ago, which is yet to be inked, two of the MCMVs were to be acquired from Kangnam for Rs 2,700 crore, in what would have been the first major defence deal with South Korea. Goa Shipyard, in turn, was to build the other six vessels with transfer of technology.



In his first full day at South Block on Tuesday, Parrikar received a series of briefings on the operational readiness along the borders with Pakistan and China to the "huge capability gaps" being faced by the armed forces in fields ranging from howitzers to fighters, said sources.



The Navy placed the MCMVs right at the top of its critical acquisition list, even ahead of multi-role helicopters, submarines and the like. Down to just seven ageing Karwar and Pondicherry-class of minesweepers for both the east and west coasts, which were inducted in the 1980s, the Navy says it "simply cannot afford another delay" in the induction of MCMVs.



While one of the existing minesweepers is to retire soon, the other six will have to be phased out over the next few years. There is, in fact, a need for 24 specialized MCMVs, which are made of fibre-reinforced plastic to avoid electro-magnetic signatures that can activate mines, to clear harbour approaches and offshore installations for shipping activity.



This is all the more important due to the increasing activity of Chinese submarines, which can easily lay mines, in the Indian Ocean region. The almost 1,000-tonne MCMVs are equipped with high-definition sonars as well as acoustic and magnetic sweeps to first detect all kinds of marooned and drifting mines and then use remote-controlled systems like small underwater vehicles to then detonate them at safe distances.



Incidentally, the Modi government in August scrapped the long-pending acquisition of 197 light-utility helicopters from abroad, the selection process for which had been dogged by corruption allegations and technical deviations. Instead, it decided all the new 484 light-utility choppers required by the armed forces to replace their ageing & obsolete Cheetah/Chetak fleets would be made indigenously in tune with Modi's "Make in India" policy.

Tough call for Manohar Parrikar on mine-hunters - The Times of India

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Tough call or not, it is time to take the call.



Anthony has done much damage. The Indian defence has been put back at least 10 years behind.



It is time to wake up and smell the coffee.

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Test of Indo-Israel warship missile system successful

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Test of Indo-Israel warship missile system successful



There is finally some hope for frontline Indian warships being commissioned without an adequate "area defence weapon" to guard against enemy aircraft, drones, missiles and helicopters.



The long-range surface-to-air missile (LR-SAM) system, being developed by DRDO and Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) with an interception range of 70 km, was finally tested for the first time on Monday after a long delay.



The defence ministry said the LR-SAM's "hot test" against a flying target was "successfully" conducted in Israel in the presence of DRDO chief Avinash Chander, IAI president Joseph Weiss and top Israel Defence Force officials.



"All the systems, including the radar, communication launch systems and the missile system, performed as expected and hit the target directly. The system is being developed for both the Indian and Israeli armed forces," said an official.



Test of Indo-Israel warship missile system successful - The Times of India

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This development by IAI will go a long way to ensure the safety of IN ships.



What was the contribution to it by the DRDO?

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'Delays In New Induction Force Navy To Extend Service Life Of Ships

Voicing "grave concern" over the recent sinking of a torpedo recovery vessel off Visakhapatnam coast, Navy Chief Admiral R K Dhowan on Monday rued that the force cannot induct new platforms as quickly as it wants to.

Voicing "grave concern" over the recent sinking of a torpedo recovery vessel off Visakhapatnam coast, Navy Chief Admiral R K Dhowan on Monday rued that the force cannot induct new platforms as quickly as it wants to.



He also said that the chances of recovering the four Navy personnel, missing after the November six accident, appears a "little grim" but said the search will go on at least till November 13. One sailor was killed in the mishap.



"We must understand this is an aspect related to force levels. The life of a ship is about 25-30 years depending on what type of ship this is and therefore in the Navy, at any point of time, you will have 50 per cent of the Navy which is more than 20 years old," Dhowan told reporters outside the South Block.



The Navy chief, who took over this year after his predecessor resigned following a spate of accidents, was asked if the force was facing a maintenance issues or was there a need for an upgrade.



Maintaining that the Navy takes great pride in maintaining old platforms, he said, "And of course since we cannot induct in platforms so quickly, we would like to optimally utilise every platform and see how life can be extended. This is where refits come in".



The vessel had undergone 27 refits since its induction in 1983, including major one last year and a short refit earlier this year.



"We would like to induct new platforms but at times delays takes place and to overcome those delays we have to extend the service life. That is the situation as far as TRV 72 (that sunk on November 6) is concerned," he said.



The Navy chief said that since the vessel had undergone a major refit last year and short refit this year, "We will now have to see and go into details as to why kind of material failure took place which resulted in the uncontrollable sinking of this vessel".



He said the search operation is still continuing though the chances "appear a little grim".



"But certainly, as per the procedure, the ships, aircraft and helicopter of the Navy will continue the search for seven days which is up to November 13 and we will continue to make all efforts to see whatever can be done to locate the crew of the TRV," he said.



Dhowan termed the sinking of the vessel as "an unfortunate incident" which is being taken with "grave seriousness" and with all "due grave concern".



'Delays in New Induction Force Navy to Extend Service Life of Ships' - The New Indian Express

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China Copies BrahMos

The story's behind a paywall on Aviation Week; this is the best I can do for now.



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Naval vessel sinks, 1 killed, 4 missing

Naval vessel sinks off Visakhapatnam harbour, sailor killed, 4 missing

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NEW DELHI: In yet another tragic accident in the Navy, a sailor was killed and another four were reported missing after a torpedo recovery vessel (TRV) sank 30 nautical miles south of Visakhapatnam at about 8pm on Thursday.



Till late in the night, hectic search and rescue operations were in progress to find the missing personnel.



The mishap took place when the aging 110-tonne TRV A-72, which was commissioned way back in February 1983, was on a routine mission to "recover" practice mines and torpedoes fired by fleet warships off the Vizag coast in the evening.

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This is unfortunate. Mishaps happen, but aren't mishaps with the Indian Navy a bit too frequent?

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Indian Navy Torpedo Recovery Vessel Sinks

An Indian Navy torpedo recovery vessel A-72 of the Astravahini-class has sunk off the coast of Visakhapatnam. One sailor has died, 23 rescued and four remain missing. An extensive search and rescue operation is currently on at the Eastern Naval Command. The vessel experienced 'abrupt flooding' according to a navy official I spoke to. The 110 ton ship was on a routine primary mission to recover practice torpedoes fired by vessels of the Eastern fleet.



Livefist: Indian Navy Torpedo Recovery Vessel Sinks

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Finmeccanica out, US’s Sikorsky joins Navy copter acquisition race

DELHI: The infamous VVIP helicopter scandal has claimed another victim. The defence ministry has ejected the European NH-90 chopper, linked to Italian conglomerate Finmeccanica, out of the race to supply 16 multirole helicopters to the Navy.



The commercial bid of the other contender in fray, American Sikorsky-70B choppers, will now be opened this month after a long delay. "Both NH-90 and Sikorsky-70B choppers had cleared the technical trials held a couple of years ago," said a MoD source.



"But their commercial bids were not opened due to various controversies. Now, the Sikorsky bid will undergo evaluation and final price negotiations will follow. The defence procurement policy permits single-vendor situation if the bids were earlier submitted in a competitive manner," he added.



The long-pending acquisition of the 16 helicopters is critical for the Navy since it is fast running out of choppers that can detect, track and kill enemy submarines at a time when the Chinese navy has stepped up its forays in the Indian Ocean region.



The Navy is also keen to kick-start a much bigger project for manufacturing 124 multi-role helicopters, armed with anti-submarine warfare (ASW) and early-warning capabilities as well as customized for amphibious commando operations, in an indigenous project worth around $3 billion.



The procurement process for the 16 new helicopters, which was initiated several years ago, had been kept on hold since the CBI began investigating the now-scrapped 556 million euro contract for the 12 VVIP AW-101 helicopters of AgustaWestland, the UK-based subsidiary of Finmeccanica.



With the Modi government implementing "a partial ban" on Finmeccanica, under which ongoing contracts will continue but there will be no fresh deals, the European NH-90 chopper has now been eliminated from the naval chopper procurement case.



Finmeccanica out, US’s Sikorsky joins Navy copter acquisition race - The Times of India



Summary

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Navies of friendly countries keen on Indian sonars

Source: Navies of friendly countries keen on Indian sonars - The Hindu



India is looking to export indigenously developed hull-mounted sonars and negotiations are at an advanced stage with the navies of three to four friendly nations.



SONAR (an acronym for Sound Navigation and Ranging) is used to detect underwater targets. Like radar, used to detect long-range aerial and other targets, sonars have applications in underwater surveillance, communication and marine navigation.



Three units of these sonars have been exported to Myanmar. Officials from Bharat Electronics Limited and the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory visited the neighbouring country and installed them a fortnight ago. BEL produced the sonars while the Kochi-based NPOL, a naval lab of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), designed and developed them. BEL had signed the Rs.150-crore contract for the three sonars with Myanmar in January 2013. Director-General of DRDO (Naval Systems and Materials) Bhujanga Rao told The Hindu that there was a demand from other nations too. Naval officials from three to four countries came to India and held discussions. Mentioning different sonars developed for the Navy, he said that a versatile, new-generation system USHUS has been installed on India’s first indigenous nuclear-powered submarine, Arihant. It has a higher range and can withstand high static pressure of water. Observing that it was superior to Russian equivalents and comparable to the best in the world, he said that sonars on all Russian-class submarines being operated by the Indian Navy would be replaced with USHUS.



Another advanced hull-mounted sonar HUMSA-NG (new generation) was also developed and the Navy had placed orders for its installation on different platforms such as destroyers, frigates and corvettes, Dr. Rao said.



A sonar for detecting intruders like divers had been developed for installation at harbour entry points and to protect offshore installations. It will be ready for deployment in a year. Similarly, ship-towed array sonar technology that could detect targets up to 100 km was ready for user-evaluation trials. ABHAY, a compact sonar for fitting on warships of smaller size or shallow watercraft, was currently undergoing technical trials on board INS Ajay, Dr. Rao said.

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All above board | Naval shipbuilding hopes get a boost

While Indian yards may find it difficult to compete with Japanese, Korean and Chinese yards for commercial ship orders for a number of reasons, they could convert their expertise in naval shipbuilding into an opportunity by tapping export orders from friendly nations



It’s becoming clear that Indian shipyards, starved of commercial orders, are being thrown a life line by the government in the form of naval contracts. Last week, the defence acquisition council headed by defence minister Arun Jaitley (also India’s finance minister) approved multi-billion-dollar defence projects including constructing six submarines in India worth a combined Rs.50,000 crore. India’s shipbuilders—both state-owned and private—did not foresee a crisis when they rapidly added new capacities and expanded existing facilities during the shipping super boom of 2004-2007. But the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. in September 2008 changed their fortunes. Local shipyards quickly changed tracks to focus on naval orders. With commercial ship orders in the doldrums, yards have been surviving on government-funded naval contracts such as fast patrol vessels and interceptor boats. That’s how state-owned Cochin Shipyard Ltd was given the mandate to build India’s first home-made aircraft carrier.



The six submarines cleared by the defence acquisition council will be air independent propulsion-capable, enabling them to stay under water longer than a conventional submarine, besides having enhanced stealth features. While Indian yards may find it difficult to compete with Japanese, Korean and Chinese yards for commercial ship orders for a number of reasons, they could convert their expertise in naval shipbuilding into an opportunity by tapping export orders from friendly nations. In early August, the government raised the limit for foreign direct investment (FDI) in the defence sector to 49% from 26% in a bid to cut imports by indigenizing defence production.



India is one of the world’s largest arms importers. This is also an area where technological collaboration with an overseas naval shipbuilding specialist could be relatively easy to come by, given the sheer size of India’s naval ship market, unlike other specialized shipbuilding segments such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. The government did play a role, as part of the “Make in India” campaign, by mandating that three of the nine new LNG ships to be hired by state-owned natural gas firm GAIL (India) Ltd from fleet owners for 20 years for shipping gas from the US be built in India. But Indian yards are struggling to get technological tie-ups to be able to take up the contracts.



The stiff qualification criteria for shipyards set forth by GAIL will make only a tiny number of well entrenched yards in South Korea eligible to build these carriers. And these are the yards that have the least incentive to share technology with Indian yards. Rightly so, perhaps, because they don’t want to create competition for themselves from Indian yards. Local shipbuilders have started lobbying the government to help put technological tie-ups in place without which India will miss an opportunity to get started in the LNG shipbuilding business and open new frontiers. Nations having control/ownership of large volumes of cargo such as LNG are seen leveraging that strength to build their own national fleet. The just concluded tender floated by Korea Gas Corp. (KOGAS), the world’s biggest LNG buyer, for hiring six LNG carriers for 20 years is a case in point.



The tender was open only to South Korean companies and the ships must be South Korean-flagged and built domestically. On the defence shipbuilding side, it would be interesting to see how the Narendra Modi government tackles the stalled joint ventures of state-owned Mazagon Dock Ltd with Larsen and Toubro Ltd (L&T) and Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering Co. Ltd. In order to enhance self-reliance in defence shipbuilding and for improving the throughput of defence public sector units in producing state-of-the-art naval vessels within the timelines and price lines that are globally competitive, the Manmohan Singh-led government framed norms in 2012 for formation of such joint ventures. Pursuant to this policy, Mazagon Dock, India’s biggest warship-builder, signed shareholder agreements (SHA) for setting up joint ventures (JVs) with private shipyards—for warships with Pipavav Defence and for submarines with L&T. After the completion of the selection of partners based on these guidelines, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, however, said that the JVs would have to bid on a competitive basis for taking a portion of the state-run firm’s huge order book, stalling the operation of the ventures.



The JVs, if operated as per the original plan, could potentially have given Pipavav and L&T access to some portion of the Rs.1 trillion order book currently under execution by Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock without going through a public tender, while significantly accelerating the execution of the orders. A decision on the JVs is critical to India’s plan to build the six submarines locally, given the infrastructure constraints at Mazagon Dock. The direction of Indian shipbuilding will also depend a lot on what the government has to offer shipbuilders in the policy for promoting the industry assured by Jaitley in the budget.



Read more at: All above board | Naval shipbuilding hopes get a boost - Livemint

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