India's GRSE launched two warships of different classes together on 13 June 2023

[NG Missile Vessels]

Indigenously Developed
ASW-SWC which will replace the aging Russian Abhay-class corvettes that have been in service with the Indian Navy since 1989. The watercraft’s primary function is to conduct anti-submarine operations in shallow waters along with handling low-intensity maritime undertakings and mine laying operations

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The craft whose keel was laid recently will have the ability to carry out full-scale subsurface surveillance of coastal waters. It will not only serve as a Search Attack Unit (SAU) but also coordinate anti-submarine warfare operations with aircraft.

In their secondary role, these ASW-SWCs will have the ability to prosecute intruding aircraft and lay mines in the sea bed.

Importance of ASW-SWC
With the increasing number of potent undersea forces in the concerned area of operations, ASW has gained significance at the strategic, operational as well as tactical levels. With their potential adversaries inducting modern submarines and relying on sea denial tactics, ASW has become an important way of enhancing their naval capability for most countries.

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Speaking to EurAsian Times, Vice Admiral Shekhar Sinha (Retd.) who is also on the editorial board of The EurAsian Times, highlighted the importance of anti-submarine capabilities. He said, “irrespective of the geopolitical situation, submarines will continue to operate absolutely silently.

Any time that the tension becomes high, submarines generally remain deployed in the likely area of operation- even during peacetime. So it is important on the part of the country for its Navy to have adequate anti-submarine detection ability first and then the destruction capability.”

Key Features

The shallow water corvettes are going to be huge. The planned overall length of each vessel is 78 meters while its breadth is to be 11.3 meters. The ships are expected to have a maximum draft of 2.7 meters at full load capacity. In addition, the corvettes will have the capacity to accommodate around 57 personnel, including seven officers, on board.

Owing to a water jet-powered propulsion system, the vessels will be able to reach a maximum speed of 25 knots. These warships will be given the ability to travel quickly for short periods in order to be able to maintain contact with submarines that are detected. These anti-submarine SWC vessels will have a displacement of 750-900t.

Moreover, they will be equipped with high-performance stealth and signature technologies. This will enable them to be largely undetectable as targets for surveillance systems as well as enemy submarines.

These technologies are especially helpful given the difficulties of detection in shallow waters. On this, the Admiral noted that shallow water submarine detection is tricky because the sound waves (used in sound navigation and ranging systems) tend to hit the soft mud and get reflected or get absorbed.

However, he said, “there are smaller corvettes which have a shallow draft themselves. Their SONAR equipment can function in slightly shallower waters.”

Weapon Systems Onboard
The warships will also have the ability to employ antisubmarine weapons, including the likes of lightweight torpedoes, anti-submarine warfare rockets, and combat management systems. The vessels will also be equipped with two 12.7 millimeters stabilized remote control guns with optronic control systems.

Various automated systems, including an integrated platform management system (IPMS), automatic power management system (APMS), and battle damage control system (BDCS) will be featured on these ASW-SWCs. Other important features of the corvettes include seabed and platform-based detection and monitoring systems, future underwater sensors, weapons, and decoys.

With this ensemble of technologies and weaponry, the warships are likely to be a good addition to maritime security wherever they are deployed.

When asked about the operational areas of the ASW-SWC, Sinha said, “generally speaking, anti-submarine crafts are outside the harbors where the ships are traversing day-in and day-out—Bombay, Goa, Gujarat—all the coastlines wherever the ships are operating.

However, if this shifts into trade warfare then it can be put outside harbors where the merchant ships are also coming and going.”

Touted As 'Game-Changer', What Are Indian Navy's 'Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts'?

GRSE laid the keel of the fifth of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASWSWCs) recently for Indian Navy.

eurasiantimes.com

 

[NG Missile Vessels]

@JX-1 @PanzerKiel The underwater gradient in the Arabian Sea is so restricted that submarine cannot come in close to the shore without scraping against the seabed. 25 km out of Karachi, the seabed is just 40m deep, which is too shallow for submarine operations. These shallow water anti-submarine warships can detect Pakistani submarines in the unusually shallow Arabian Sea

 

[PanzerKiel]

@JX-1 @PanzerKiel The underwater gradient in the Arabian Sea is so restricted that submarine cannot come in close to the shore without scraping against the seabed. 25 km out of Karachi, the seabed is just 40m deep, which is too shallow for submarine operations. These shallow water anti-submarine warships can detect Pakistani submarines in the unusually shallow Arabian Sea

Yes dear, but that would hold good only for sub surface operations in shallow waters. However, in the deep waters, finding a submarine and sinking it might not be cost effective for subcontinent navies, considering their limited assets which can be brought to bear only in a specific sector.... Leaving other sectors, or sea flanks, to be exploited by other sub surface groups.

 

[NG Missile Vessels]

Yes dear, but that would hold good only for sub surface operations in shallow waters. However, in the deep waters, finding a submarine and sinking it might not be cost effective for subcontinent navies, considering their limited assets which can be brought to bear only in a specific sector.... Leaving other sectors, or sea flanks, to be exploited by other sub surface groups.

So these are going to be part of Anti submarine asset group which will immediately start acting whenever there is any level of threat alert issued by navy i.e. Intial stages when their is chance of any conflict or any chance of enemy asset near our shores i) for gathering the Acoustic signatures of our submarine/ships ii)Submarines also come near to shore for laying the mines iii) for intelligence purposes so their are lots of threat that can be posed through submarines in shallow waters!
In High seas, Variable depth sonars are necessary whereas in shallow waters where the depth is not so much here we can track and get the submarine even through Bow mounted sonars! So our ASW-SWC will be equipped with VDS+Hull mounted sonars and in combination with Low acoustic + waterjet propulsion it will be a great submarine hunting asset! With 6 numbers of light weight torpedos it will be even more lethal for offensive missions!
Actually MPA or ASW helis can provide early warning of submarine presence so that our ships don't get surprised! These highly advanced platforms are going to become a chain of ships with high quality sensors which will be escorted by other airborne ASW assets. Later in second chain ASW helicopter equipped P15A/P15B ships will take part in the operations

@Abu Shaleh Rumi Am I right?

 

[JX-1]

@JX-1 @PanzerKiel The underwater gradient in the Arabian Sea is so restricted that submarine cannot come in close to the shore without scraping against the seabed. 25 km out of Karachi, the seabed is just 40m deep, which is too shallow for submarine operations. These shallow water anti-submarine warships can detect Pakistani submarines in the unusually shallow Arabian Sea

Depends on how far this new ASW ship can detect subs and how well defended it is by SAM/CIWS. If it has to come within range of coastal defence systems it's not going to last very long.

This might also push PN to move its assets to Ormara and Gwadar where the water is deep right next to the port.

A nuclear submarine would not need to resurface at Karachi for the entire duration (less than a month) of a short India-Pakistan war

 

[NG Missile Vessels]

Depends on how far this new ASW ship can detect subs and how well defended it is by SAM/CIWS. If it has to come within range of coastal defence systems it's not going to last very long.

This might also push PN to move its assets to Ormara and Gwadar where the water is deep right next to the port.

A nuclear submarine would not need to resurface at Karachi for the entire duration (less than a month) of a short India-Pakistan war

First of all none of our ASW SWC will operate so near to Pak coast where they will have biggest threat from Air force of pakistan/Coastal defence systems/Pak surface groups + missile boats!
So operation of Any of our ASW-SWC inside your EEZ is zero!

Now ASW-SWC will opearte and build a defensive layer at end point of our EEZ!
so that these submarines cannot lay sea mines+denying them to get the data of our deployements+gathering other Datas regarding our ships propeller+noise of engines and lot of things which submarine can gather in our water will be denied by these assets!