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‘Scorpene P75 programme progressing well’

Rangila

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‘Scorpene P75 programme progressing well’ | Business Line

Says Bernard Buisson, MD, DCNS India


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Mazagon Dock Limited, the shipyard that manufactures warships and submarines for the Indian Navy, is producing six Scorpene submarines under transfer of technology from DCNS, a French industrial group that specialises in naval defence and energy. The first submarine (INS Kalvari) was undocked this April after much delay. All six SSK Scorpene submarines (the P75 programme) are slated to be ready to serve the nation by 2020.

DCNS is a private limited company in which the French state holds a 64 per cent stake, and Thales Group holds 35 per cent of the capital. The Group generated annual revenues of around €2.93 billion in 2013. To enable local production of the Scorpene equipment, DCNS India, DCNS Group’s subsidiary in India, has selected and is to qualify certain Indian companies as partners. Bernard Buisson, Managing Director, DCNS India, tellsBusinessLine that on-the-job training in France for the first Scorpene submarine would have saved precious time, but asserts that all the teething problems have been overcome, and that the P75 programme is progressing at cruising speed. Edited excerpts:

Give us an idea about the company and its operations in India. How long has it been present in the country?

DCNS has been involved with the Indian Navy since the mid 80’s when we first participated in the preliminary design phase (a small study on feasibility study) of the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier, (INS Vikrant), now being built at the Cochin shipyard.

We are now assisting Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai to build, through comprehensive and genuine transfer of technologies, six P75 submarines. DCNS is committed to long-term partnerships and close collaboration with the Indian Navy and the local shipbuilding industry. It is for this reason that the Group set up DCNS India Private Limited, a subsidiary specialising in naval services, in March 2009.

The company is known as a leader in naval defence...

The company is a unique player in naval systems. We are the only company developing such a range of solutions with OPVs (offshore patrol vessels) to CVN (the Group has provided refuelling and complex overhaul of the aircraft carrier CVN Charles-de-Gaulle), and from SSKs (Scorpene class) to SSBNs (ballistic missile submarines) and associated services.

Give us an idea about the DCNS Scorpene submarine programme to the Indian Navy and what is its current status?

We are assisting Mazagon Dock to build six P75 submarines through transfer of know-how at unprecedented levels and are providing our Indian partners with technical assistance and transfer of technologies to manufacture equipment through indigenisation programmes.

The P75 programme is progressing well at cruising speed now. After the undocking of the first submarine on April 6, 2015, INS Kalvari was set afloat on October 29, to start harbour and sea acceptance tests.

Could you give us a take on the P75 timelines, given that the project has been running behind schedule?

One of the big constraints in this programme is there was no On-the-Job Training (OJT) in France for the first submarine, since all six submarines are to be constructed entirely in India. OJT would have allowed a faster learning curve and saved time.

However, all initial teething problems, inevitable when any shipyard resumes manufacturing submarines after a break of many years, have been overcome, and Mazagon Dock Limited is now proceeding at a nominal pace for the construction of all the six submarines. We are confident that the timelines announced by Mazagon Dock for the commissioning of the first P75 submarine should be met, with the others being delivered at nine months intervals.
 
Follow on orders for 3 subs...would it be given to original manufacturer shipyard...or MDL?
 
That sux!! They could've ordered atleast 2 subs directly!!
No way dude,if we order now MDL can produce these subs as fast as their shipyard.
And complete the order one sub per year by 2022-23
 
That sux!! They could've ordered atleast 2 subs directly!!
Even we didnt order very first directly to DCNS then why now after overcoming tons of issues and making MDL capable to produce Subs...WE must keep production line up and running at MDL as long as possible to retain the technical know how we have gained over the period of time.We should now invest in making MDL self reliant in putting AIP on scopens..
 
Even we didnt order very first directly to DCNS then why now after overcoming tons of issues and making MDL capable to produce Subs...WE must keep production line up and running at MDL as long as possible to retain the technical know how we have gained over the period of time.We should now invest in making MDL self reliant in putting AIP on scopens..

Keeping the production line is ok... but don't tell me this people would utilize the Technology that was learned... These same bloody people got toT for the Type 209 Sub from Germany and build 2 of them but never used them.. Even look at the mess they made with Scorpene Project!!!
 
I think we should keep ordering a tranche of 3 for some more time and get Scorpenes in MDL procued form present 6 to 9 to 12 or more over a period of time. Next tranche should be ordered round about 2020 by which we can see if 6 are delivered and 3 follow on order of 2015-16 timeframe is progressing for 2021-23 delivery schedule or not. This is the best way of utiising this capability as well as rewarding MDL for performance as well as DCNS for ensuring no more delays.

The scorpenes can effectively help us first retire older SSKs of HDW and also help during the timeframe of Kilo upgrades.
 
I think we should keep ordering a tranche of 3 for some more time and get Scorpenes in MDL procued form present 6 to 9 to 12 or more over a period of time. Next tranche should be ordered round about 2020 by which we can see if 6 are delivered and 3 follow on order of 2015-16 timeframe is progressing for 2021-23 delivery schedule or not. This is the best way of utiising this capability as well as rewarding MDL for performance as well as DCNS for ensuring no more delays.

The scorpenes can effectively help us first retire older SSKs of HDW and also help during the timeframe of Kilo upgrades.

With next Gen Subs Tender is being issued Next year, is it necessary to add another 3(i mean 9 +3) ?? Why don't we add 3 or 6 more of the stealth Sub which will have VLS and Brahmos instead of increasing scorpene number from 9 to 12
 
With next Gen Subs Tender is being issued Next year, is it necessary to add another 3(i mean 9 +3) ?? Why don't we add 3 or 6 more of the stealth Sub which will have VLS and Brahmos instead of increasing scorpene number from 9 to 12

The P75I even if the tender is issued next year the selection and finally the delivery schedule should be in 2024+ timeline. The tender selection announcement will be very well into 2017-18 with at least another 2 years for pvt sector to set up the requisite infrastructure implying around 2019-20. Post that i see 4 years needed for modular construction to start showing its effect and a sub churned out every year so 6 subs in 2024-30 timeline. So actual joining into IN fleet should be 2025-26 to 2031-32 for these subs.

Now my idea was 6+3=9 will keep MDL busy till 2023 surely.. With old HDW to retire and slowly reducing workload of Kilos even after upgrades due to ageing of vessels and keeping them operational for another 15 years i see a scope of replacement of at least 8 such SSKs by 2025. (The older Kilos and HDW ones). Thus my logic states either get new kilos or get the MDLcontinue churning out more SSKs.

Eventually the 14 SSKs of Kilo and HDW needs to be replaced completely. and For that i see Scorpenes 12 and P75I also 12 subs. IF 2030 is the timeline then getting 12 Scorpenes and 4 P75I inducted could give us a more than 1-1 replacements advantage over older vessels. Frankly looking at IN and vast role of subs in our region, we shoud have 24+ SSKs all the time.

The UVLS addin unit or integrated unit of Brahmos or similar LACM (Nirbhay) can come in P75I. The scorpenes are adequate for Anti ship and sub roles (with heavy torpedoes and Exocets or may be more something Indian like Varunastra or even a new tube launched supersonic LACM). The efficacy of Brahmos in real sense will be only when we have it move closer to its parent (Onyx/Yakhont) range. That is when such UVLS units with a revolver facility of Long Ranged Brahmos or Nirbhay makes a much more sense. For 300 Kms range Brahmos, the VLS unit does not suit much. I agree for Nirbhay we do require it and may be add K series also in that UVLS revolver facility, (K15 with say 220 kg warhead and 1400-1500 km range). Yes then the potency of P75 I could be really exploited. But as such the timeline for induction and ageing vessel retirement also needs to be addressed.

The SSNs and SSBNs i am not counting in this. the 6 SSNs i see a pair each in 3 CBGs. The SSBNs all together seperate. If IN wants 5-6 CBG group then SSNs will reach 12 numbers (2 each CBG) and few more for other patrolling. So a huge number of SSNs but slow hush hush building and will take time for induction.A timeframe i dont think i have enough data to comment upon. But definitely a good number of SSNs (12-15) and SSBN (6-10) over next 20-25 years..

Again all this could be wishful thinking...
 

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