Zarvan
ELITE MEMBER
- Joined
- Apr 28, 2011
- Messages
- 54,470
- Reaction score
- 87
- Country
- Location
KOLKATA: When INS Kavaratti, fourth and last of the Kamorta-class of Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) corvettes is launched at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata on Tuesday, it will add yet another feather to the cap of the oldest defence shipyard in the country. GRSE, before it underwent modernization a few years ago, had been nearly written-off as a failed unit. In 2014-15, it recorded a Value of Production (VoP or turnover) of Rs 1,650 crore and has bagged the order for three stealth frigates under the Navy's Project 17A. The INS Kavaratti will have indigenous content of nearly 90%.
"We delivered the first indigenous ship, the INS Ajay, to the Navy in 1961. In 2015, we became the first shipyard in the country to deliver the Barracuda, the first warship to be exported by the country. This was our 94th warship. No shipyard in the country has achieved this. GRSE has been making profits for the last 22 years and our order book is full," said Rear Admiral (retd) A K Verma, chairman-cum-managing director, GRSE.
The last two ASW corvettes of the Kamorta-class not only have higher indigenous content but are more advanced. Their superstructures have been built with composite material instead of steel. This has been possible with the help of technology imported from Sweden. This material is much lighter than steel but matches it in strength. Steel used for all the four ASW corvettes was developed in India and built by SAIL. These are the first class of ships to be built by indigenous steel known as 249A.
"All the ships of this class carry helicopters. Before the INS Kamorta, helo-decks used to have rail systems. The rails would project above the deck and prove a hindrance. GRSE, with technology from the UK, developed a wire-based system known as 'Railless Helo-traversing System' that is extremely successful. These ships also have foldable hanger doors developed by L&T. The earlier rolling hangers weren't reliable. We shall continue to deliver ships to the Navy at short intervals after this," Verma said.
Minister of state for defence Rao Inderjit Singh and Admiral R K Dhowan, chief of naval staff, will be present during Tuesday's event at GRSE.
"GRSE is very important for us. Our quest for indigenization started here 54 years ago. Our design directorate was also born 54 years ago and we set out on the road of self reliance. Presently, there are 48 ships and submarines under construction in India. We are committed to 'Make in India'. The INS Kavaratti has nearly 90% indigenous content. Our endeavor is to achieve 100%," Dhowan said on Monday.
Kolkata shipyard is now talk of the Navy - The Times of India
"We delivered the first indigenous ship, the INS Ajay, to the Navy in 1961. In 2015, we became the first shipyard in the country to deliver the Barracuda, the first warship to be exported by the country. This was our 94th warship. No shipyard in the country has achieved this. GRSE has been making profits for the last 22 years and our order book is full," said Rear Admiral (retd) A K Verma, chairman-cum-managing director, GRSE.
The last two ASW corvettes of the Kamorta-class not only have higher indigenous content but are more advanced. Their superstructures have been built with composite material instead of steel. This has been possible with the help of technology imported from Sweden. This material is much lighter than steel but matches it in strength. Steel used for all the four ASW corvettes was developed in India and built by SAIL. These are the first class of ships to be built by indigenous steel known as 249A.
"All the ships of this class carry helicopters. Before the INS Kamorta, helo-decks used to have rail systems. The rails would project above the deck and prove a hindrance. GRSE, with technology from the UK, developed a wire-based system known as 'Railless Helo-traversing System' that is extremely successful. These ships also have foldable hanger doors developed by L&T. The earlier rolling hangers weren't reliable. We shall continue to deliver ships to the Navy at short intervals after this," Verma said.
Minister of state for defence Rao Inderjit Singh and Admiral R K Dhowan, chief of naval staff, will be present during Tuesday's event at GRSE.
"GRSE is very important for us. Our quest for indigenization started here 54 years ago. Our design directorate was also born 54 years ago and we set out on the road of self reliance. Presently, there are 48 ships and submarines under construction in India. We are committed to 'Make in India'. The INS Kavaratti has nearly 90% indigenous content. Our endeavor is to achieve 100%," Dhowan said on Monday.
Kolkata shipyard is now talk of the Navy - The Times of India
