Scorpenes To Become Navy’s Mainstay

[Zarvan]

Mazgaon Dock commissions second submarine workshop

French Scorpenes will replace Russian Kilo class vessels as the mainstay of the Navy’s conventional submarine fleet in a few years. Mazgaon Dock Ltd., Mumbai, commissioned a second submarine assembly workshop on Saturday. Six Scorpenes are under construction in the first one.

Second Workshop

“This second workshop will cater to building additional submarines as and when the government takes a decision. We will be in a position to quickly begin work once approved,” an MDL official said.

Having once abandoned the German HDW submarine line in the past, government sources said they were determined not to lose the technical expertise and skilled manpower gained from construction of the six Scorpenes. In view of that, the number of additional Scorpenes could go beyond nine, one official said.

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who inaugurated the facility, said that overall level of indigenisation in the next line of submarines “must be substantially higher” compared with the Scorpenes which have around 35 per cent indigenous content.

He had already stated on several occasions that the government would order two or three additional Scorpenes to keep the production line running and maintain the force levels on the fleet.

The new assembly workshop built at a cost of Rs.153 crore is a pre-engineered building structure to handle construction of five submarines simultaneously, MDL officials said. It can be used to construct additional Scorpenes or the new line of submarines under Project-75I as and when it is selected.

But the Request for Proposal (RFP) for P-75I is held up for want of clarity on Strategic Partnerships under the new Defence Procurement Procedure. The proposal from the Ministry intended to promote domestic manufacturing capabilities in critical areas has generated a mixed response and consultations are on to get a consensus. With current platforms fast ageing, Scorpenes will play a major role in ensuring fleet strength.

The first of the Scorpenes, Kalvari, is currently undergoing sea trials and is scheduled to be commissioned in October and the remaining are expected to be rolled out at nine-month intervals. This means that the present line is occupied till 2020, officials said and the new assembly line will speed up construction of additional submarines to meet timelines. Incidentally the Scorpenes will roll out without their major weapon, heavy weight torpedoes, which are caught up due to allegations of corruption in other defence deals.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/scorpenes-to-become-navys-mainstay/article8663565.ece

 

[ghauri05]

After india gets these scorpene subs.....what will be ta status of pak subs advantage???

 

[GURU DUTT]

as per indian Navy it wants at least 12 scorpenes and if everything goes as per plan then even P-75I contract will go to french as rumors are after australiun sub deal French chances are very high as navy is showing its interest in new propulsion technologies like "pump jet propulssion"

 

[MKC]

I think, these are only for coastal defense not for blue water operations , P175I will have blue water capability otherwise, there is no reason to buy another class of submarines.

as per indian Navy it wants at least 12 scorpenes and if everything goes as per plan then even P-75I contract will go to french as rumors are after australiun sub deal French chances are very high as navy is showing its interest in new propulsion technologies like "pump jet propulssion"

Yes, I think ultimately navy will get 12 Scorpenes as IN woon't get any new type of submarine very soon, however in 2015 a report was published that claiming completion of P75I before 2025 or 2027(I couldn't remeber) & 6xSSN before 2030.
That too is long time for getting 6 submarines so navy has only one option scorpenes remains, that navy can build 15 by 2025 easily or may be more as 2nd line also became operational(but I think more than 15 won't get but won't stop at 9.

On P75I, Russia offers Amur which is downgraded version of still problematic Lada-class, Germany offering only Type 214 not U216 which was rejected in favor of Scorpenes(In last interview by TKMS representative for P75I they only offered U214 even after failing in Oz), Japan already rejected for ToT, Barracuda is too costly we can't bring cost of that to half of what Oz is paying even that will be out of budget, P75I must have blue water capability, Japan already denied ToT, now tell me which submarine now India can get?

It would have been much much better if we collaborated with Oz on both replacement of Anzac-class/P17A & Project SEA 1000/P75I that would have been much much better we would have provided them cheaper & better option than FREMM?GCS & for Project SEA 1000/P75I economy of scale would have helped both countries.

Edit: But GCS was offered to IN & in this regard neither IN, nor RAN took initiative.
Is there any problem on collaboration between RAN & IN on such projects?

 

[GURU DUTT]

I think, these are only for coastal defense not for blue water operations , P175I will have blue water capability otherwise, there is no reason to buy another class of submarines.

Yes, I think ultimately navy will get 12 Scorpenes as IN woon't get any new type of submarine very soon, however in 2015 a report was published that claiming completion of P75I before 2025 or 2027(I couldn't remeber) & 6xSSN before 2030.
That too is long time for getting 6 submarines so navy has only one option scorpenes remains, that navy can build 15 by 2025 easily or may be more as 2nd line also became operational(but I think more than 15 won't get but won't stop at 9.

On P75I, Russia offers Amur which is downgraded version of still problematic Lada-class, Germany offering only Type 214 not U216 which was rejected in favor of Scorpenes(In last interview by TKMS representative for P75I they only offered U214 even after failing in Oz), Japan already rejected for ToT, Barracuda is too costly we can't bring cost of that to half of what Oz is paying even that will be out of budget, P75I must have blue water capability, Japan already denied ToT, now tell me which submarine now India can get?

It would have been much much better if we collaborated with Oz on both replacement of Anzac-class/P17A & Project SEA 1000/P75I that would have been much much better we would have provided them cheaper & better option than FREMM?GCS & for Project SEA 1000/P75I economy of scale would have helped both countries.

Edit: But GCS was offered to IN & in this regard neither IN, nor RAN took initiative.
Is there any problem on collaboration between RAN & IN on such projects?

well you are partly right but mixing things actually IN want a four tire sub defnce network over a decade

1. tyre one will be costal defnce and that will be given to midget subs

2. tyre two will have 12 scorpenes and remaining kilo class

3. tyre three will have 6-9 P17I type which i guess will have VLS from Bhramos and nirbhay

4.tyre four will have neuklear subs of which 3-5 will be SSN and at least 3 SSBN