‘Midgets’ on navy mind

[TimeTraveller]

The defence ministry today ordered the building of midget submarines,
also called “manned torpedoes”, a super-special project to deliver and
recover commandos in twos and threes.

Going by the innocuous abbreviation SOB/SDV, which expands to “special
operations boats/swimmer delivery vehicle”, the two midget submarines
ordered to be built in an Indian shipyard have been approved for an
initial cost of Rs 2,000 crore.

The navy projected a need for midget submarines, which weigh less than
150 tonnes, after the 26/11 attacks.

In a typical operation involving midgets, the commandos in it “swim out”
of either a larger vessel (a ship or a larger submarine) or a berth at a
coast, go underwater to the intended target, attach mines and return to
base without giving up their location. Midget submarines are capable
only of short-range operations.

The navy’s marine commandos (MARCOS) will be expected to be given the
midgets, which are also called “Chariots”.

The decision to order the midgets marks the revival of a nearly
45-year-old project. A few were also acquired and based in Mumbai in
1975, a few years after Pakistan’s navy too acquired midgets from an
Italian firm.


Source : ‘Midgets’ on navy mind | idrw.org

 

[Skull and Bones]

We should take cues from Iranian midget subs.

 

[l'ingénieur]

inda pride world wide baby

 

[Tshering22]

the two midget submarines
ordered to be built in an Indian shipyard have been approved for an
initial cost of Rs 2,000 crore.

2000 crores!! And these things don't have any weaponisation!
WTF?

We should take cues from Iranian midget subs.

They aren't exactly for the same purpose as this. This is a USMC concept. But this would be a big boost to MARCO operations.