Griffon Hoverwork wins £34million contract for 12 Hovercraft for India ....

[Jason bourne]

Griffon Hoverwork wins £34million contract for 12 Hovercraft for Indian coast guard

Vince Cable, UK Business Secretary, made the announcement that Griffon Hoverwork has won the £34million contract to supply the Indian Coastguard with twelve 8000TD hovercraft. Speaking from Delhi, where he is part of Prime Minister David Cameron’s party, Mr Cable stated that “this contract is a very significant step for this Southampton-based firm. Patrolling a coastline as long as that of India is a huge challenge and I am delighted that a UK firm has been selected to help the Indian coastguard in this task. I wish the company every success in their future, and hope this partnership leads on to further cooperation.”

This contract is the largest order ever for UK hovercraft and provides some 3 years of work for the company, including extensive training both in the UK and India, where their product support distributor MSC Mumbai will deliver a full spares/maintenance programme.

The 8000TD is a popular craft for Coastguard operations, as it can be configured to carry passengers, vehicles and equipment for disaster relief or medical evacuation. At 21.3m in length and with a payload of 8 tonnes, it can reach speeds of 45 knots and is powered by two Iveco diesel engines.

The Indian Coastguard acquired six 8000TDs in 2001, pictured above, two of which were built at Griffon Hoverwork’s UK premises and four in Calcutta.

The craft proposed by Griffon Hoverwork are an upgraded version of the Indian Coast Guard’s existing fleet, but with several enhancements thanks to design and technology improvements and the research invested by Griffon Hoverwork in product development.

Due to the benefits these craft have brought to the Indian Coastguard’s capabilities, a tender was announced in November 2009 for the procurement of another 12 hovercraft. Griffon Hoverwork prepared a bid, which was submitted on Christmas Eve 2009, and the process of negotiation was successfully brought to its final stages last week.

Other customers of the Griffon 8000TD include the Saudi and Kuwait Coastguards, for whom the hovercraft is a vital asset to border patrol and policing shallow water areas.

The company hopes to clinch other contracts in India.


http://www.griffonhoverwork.com/posts/41

 

[ILLUMINATO]

Great!!Their specs are pretty impressive.But they are not armed,it's bit disappointing.

In the military role, these craft are particularly useful for amphibious assault, logistics support and fast attack - perhaps lying up on an unprepared beach under trees and then taking the direct line (regardless of deep water channels, mud, sand, rock etc.) to intercept.

Shallow waters along Rann of Kutch could be patrolled better by using them.

 

[Imran Khan]

Great!!Their specs are pretty impressive.But they are not armed,it's bit disappointing.

8000TD carries a 8 -10 tonnes payload.In the military role, these craft are particularly useful for amphibious assault, logistics support and fast attack - perhaps lying up on an unprepared beach under trees and then taking the direct line (regardless of deep water channels, mud, sand, rock etc.) to intercept.

Shallow waters along Rann of Kutch could be patrolled better by using them.

yes dear they are best in R&K don't worry they can arm it with LMG as PN .

 

[Abingdonboy]

Great!!Their specs are pretty impressive.But they are not armed,it's bit disappointing.

In the military role, these craft are particularly useful for amphibious assault, logistics support and fast attack - perhaps lying up on an unprepared beach under trees and then taking the direct line (regardless of deep water channels, mud, sand, rock etc.) to intercept.

Shallow waters along Rann of Kutch could be patrolled better by using them.

Actually I believe the ICG hovercrafts are armed with MMGs and the ICG VBSS Teams are also armed with SMGs and LMGs.

 

[Yeti]

Very nice shape and good looking!

 

[Solar Flare]

Where are we getting all the money to buy all these things? MMRCA, missile deal, attack helis, hovercrafts, new assault rifle???

I think it will serve dual purpose: better defence and more foreign investment.

 

[jha]

Must be nice to ride one of these... Had designed a small one in engineering days...

 

[Varunastra]

is it just me or do they actually have stealth features?????

 

[Yeti]

Must be nice to ride one of these... Had designed a small one in engineering days...

Went on a hovercraft once i felt kinda

 

[Roybot]

 

[Yeti]

POLICING/CUSTOMS/COASTGUARDS

With the very shallow water around some of India’s extensive coastline and offshore islands, this Griffon 8000TD (Photo 2nd from top), with a top speed of 50 knots and armed with a half-inch machine gun, has proven to be the ideal craft for policing / customs duties for the Indian Coast Guard.

All of the Griffon Hoverwork range can be configured to carry differing levels of weoponary and ballistic protection to suit a clients requirements.

 

[jha]

Went on a hovercraft once i felt kinda

Really ..?

Looks can be really deceptive ....

 

[Yeti]

Whereas the 8000TD is the same overall length as the 4000TD, it is nearly one metre wider. However, with its two 596kW (800hp) engines compared to the 4000TD's two 386kW(525hp) engines, it is far more powerful and seems to be the preferred choice for military operators. Please see the news page for the news on the six 8000TD(M) ordered by the Indian Coast Guard. Depending upon configuration, the 8000TD carries a 8 -10 tonnes payload.

In its commercial role, this high speed amphibious craft can carry 80 passengers in airline - type seats, plus their luggage. It is also proving of interest to various airport crash rescue authorities where it is capable of rescuing many more people and can be equipped with full fire fighting, first aid and rescue apparatus. The 8000TD can also be equipped with a bow ramp and carry small conventional or tracked vehicles, or a combination of people, cargo/freight and a vehicle.

In the military role, these craft are particularly useful for amphibious assault, logistics support and fast attack - perhaps lying up on an unprepared beach under trees and then taking the direct line (regardless of deep water channels, mud, sand, rock etc.) to intercept.

Another very important role for the 8000TD (M) is Mine Counter Measure(MCM). Hovercraft do not set off mines over which they travel (they produce virtually no acoustic, magnetic or pressure signatures) and the Royal Navy proved that, should a mine inadvertently be set off beneath a hovercraft, the air cushion will absorb the shock wave, there will be no injures to the crew, and the craft will travel back to its base under its own power. Equipped with today's light-weight sonars, navigation and tracking systems, the hovercraft can travel under its own power (or be transported to the mined area) operate off an unprepared beach and carry out rapid mine clearance in the surf zone (i.e. from ten meters water depth right up to and onto the beach).



More info on the model Indian has bought.

---------- Post added at 08:26 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:25 AM ----------

Really ..?

Looks can be really deceptive ....

It was a big craft that goes from England to France but it might just mean I get sea sick because some of my friends were fine but i got a headache and felt quite sick.