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Navy ‘toothless’ as several warships lack critical offensive capability

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Navy ‘toothless’ as several warships lack critical offensive capability
By Pradip R Sagar | Express News Service | Published: 20th October 2017 02:28 AM |

Last Updated: 20th October 2017 11:45 AM

NEW DELHI: THE Indian navy may be on a warship commissioning spree, but it’s actually ‘toothless’. Earlier this week, the INS Kiltan-Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes joined the eastern naval command but without any offensive capability like the Active Towed Array Sonar (ACTAS) system, which is essential to detect enemy submarines.


The navy is yet to get six low-frequency ACTAS systems for which it’s awaiting Atlas Elektronik from a German firm since 2015. But due to the new blacklisting policy, things are moving in the right direction, a naval official said.

“ACTAS is still some distance away and we are hoping for Nagin, a similar system which is under development by the DRDO,” said an official. Launching the stealth corvettes was aimed at giving a fillip to India’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities, keeping in view China’s dominance in the Indian Ocean Region.According to naval sources, Indian ships currently use bow-mounted or hull-mounted sonar which is less effective. The towed-array sonar provides observation of the sea space at ranges considerably over 60 km, depending on the propagation conditions of the water. This gives the sonar an operational range that far exceeds that of radars and the weapons range of submarines, making it not only ideal for hunting submarines but also for wide-area reconnaissance of surface combatants.

Incidentally, INS Kamorta, another anti-submarine warfare corvette, which was inducted in the navy in August 2014, is still floating without its strike capability.It’s a similar story with the navy’s submarine fleet as well. Kalveri class (popularly known as Scorpene submarines) was commissioned without the key weapon of a submarine — torpedo. But, the navy desperately requires these torpedoes to be mounted on its already-delayed six Scorpene submarines under construction by state-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in collaboration with French firm DCNS.

A naval official claimed that without the heavyweight torpedoes, the submarines are almost “toothless”. The navy is waiting for the next Kalveri class submarine — INS Khanderi — to be inducted by November.
It happened because Black Shark torpedoes — multi-purpose weapons designed to be launched from submarines — are produced by a subsidiary of Finmeccanica called WASS (Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei). It was declared the winner in 2014 after competitive bidding. But the contract could not be signed as the government put a ban on signing the deals in the wake of a probe into the VVIP helicopter deal. Earlier this year, India had cancelled its contract to buy 98 Black Shark heavyweight torpedoes at an estimated cost of $200 million.

According to a navy official, the strength of the navy’s submarines has dwindled from a total of 21 submarines in the 1980s to 13 conventional submarines plus one indigenous Arihant-class nuclear submarine and one Russian Akula-class submarine operating on lease. China, in comparison, has a strength of 65 subs, which “is a matter concern”.
“What is the point of commissioning warships which are not ‘battle ready’, asked a senior defence official.
 
Navy ‘toothless’ as several warships lack critical offensive capability
By Pradip R Sagar | Express News Service | Published: 20th October 2017 02:28 AM |

Last Updated: 20th October 2017 11:45 AM

NEW DELHI: THE Indian navy may be on a warship commissioning spree, but it’s actually ‘toothless’. Earlier this week, the INS Kiltan-Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes joined the eastern naval command but without any offensive capability like the Active Towed Array Sonar (ACTAS) system, which is essential to detect enemy submarines.


The navy is yet to get six low-frequency ACTAS systems for which it’s awaiting Atlas Elektronik from a German firm since 2015. But due to the new blacklisting policy, things are moving in the right direction, a naval official said.

“ACTAS is still some distance away and we are hoping for Nagin, a similar system which is under development by the DRDO,” said an official. Launching the stealth corvettes was aimed at giving a fillip to India’s anti-submarine warfare capabilities, keeping in view China’s dominance in the Indian Ocean Region.According to naval sources, Indian ships currently use bow-mounted or hull-mounted sonar which is less effective. The towed-array sonar provides observation of the sea space at ranges considerably over 60 km, depending on the propagation conditions of the water. This gives the sonar an operational range that far exceeds that of radars and the weapons range of submarines, making it not only ideal for hunting submarines but also for wide-area reconnaissance of surface combatants.

Incidentally, INS Kamorta, another anti-submarine warfare corvette, which was inducted in the navy in August 2014, is still floating without its strike capability.It’s a similar story with the navy’s submarine fleet as well. Kalveri class (popularly known as Scorpene submarines) was commissioned without the key weapon of a submarine — torpedo. But, the navy desperately requires these torpedoes to be mounted on its already-delayed six Scorpene submarines under construction by state-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in collaboration with French firm DCNS.

A naval official claimed that without the heavyweight torpedoes, the submarines are almost “toothless”. The navy is waiting for the next Kalveri class submarine — INS Khanderi — to be inducted by November.
It happened because Black Shark torpedoes — multi-purpose weapons designed to be launched from submarines — are produced by a subsidiary of Finmeccanica called WASS (Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei). It was declared the winner in 2014 after competitive bidding. But the contract could not be signed as the government put a ban on signing the deals in the wake of a probe into the VVIP helicopter deal. Earlier this year, India had cancelled its contract to buy 98 Black Shark heavyweight torpedoes at an estimated cost of $200 million.

According to a navy official, the strength of the navy’s submarines has dwindled from a total of 21 submarines in the 1980s to 13 conventional submarines plus one indigenous Arihant-class nuclear submarine and one Russian Akula-class submarine operating on lease. China, in comparison, has a strength of 65 subs, which “is a matter concern”.
“What is the point of commissioning warships which are not ‘battle ready’, asked a senior defence official.

They indians make and field alot of junk that is simply not fit for purpose

They post alot of pictures and chest beat about ships but most are worthless

From the insas to Arjun to Tejas its a long line of crap that they keep churning out
 
Tell me Windie...how many vessels are commissioned world over fitted for certain weapon systems, but not with ?
Then again not many are floating without even after three years.....


''Incidentally, INS Kamorta, another anti-submarine warfare corvette, which was inducted in the navy in August 2014, is still floating without its strike capability''.
 
Then again not many are floating without even after three years.....


''Incidentally, INS Kamorta, another anti-submarine warfare corvette, which was inducted in the navy in August 2014, is still floating without its strike capability''.
Wow any funny Post !!! .... that is just sad!!!

INS kamorta is a ASW ... just to be clear for you! "Anti Submarine Warfare" where its primary weapon system is its rockets and torpedoes! .... so you quoting is JUST BS!

Thanks for the laughs

Good Day!
 
Then again not many are floating without even after three years.....

HMS Daring, first of the £1.1bn+ Type 45 destroyers now coming into service with the Royal Navy, has finally fired her primary (and only significant) armament, the Sea Viper missile system.

The glad news comes five years after the ship was launched, three years after she was accepted into the Royal Navy and well into the tenure of her third commanding officer.


https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/05/20/daring_armed/

''Incidentally, INS Kamorta, another anti-submarine warfare corvette, which was inducted in the navy in August 2014, is still floating without its strike capability''.

these don't count...

Sensors and processing systems:
  • 1 × HUMSA-NG bow-mounted sonar
  • 1 × Central acquisition radar (3D-CAR)
  • 1 × EL/M-2221 STGR fire-control radar
  • 1 × BEL Shikari[4]
  • 1 × BEL Ajanta[4]
  • 1 × Atlas Elektronik towed array sonar (to be fitted)
Electronic warfare & decoys:
Armament:
Aircraft carried:
 
TBH, given the tonnage of the ships, they are not fully armed to their potential.
 
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