Five Defense Firms Fight for Supplying 150 Heavyweight Torpedoes for Indian Navy

The Indian Navy has approached five global manufacturers to deliver heavyweight torpedoes for its Scorpene class submarines, production of which is currently underway at the Mazagon dock shipyard. According to defense sources, Indian Navy contacted Rosoboronexport of Russia, Swedish SAAB, French Naval Group, German ThyssenKrupp, and Japanese Mitsubishi for supplying 150 heavyweight torpedoes.

Project75, under which six Scorpene class submarines are being built with the help of French firm DCNS, originally envisaged equipping the submarines with Black Shark heavyweight torpedo as their primary weapons.

However, in June last year, the Indian government canceled a $200million deal with Whitehead Alenia Systemi Subacquei (WASS), a subsidiary of Italian arms manufacturer Finmeccanica, due to corruption allegations involving another Finmeccanica subsidiary, Agusta Westland.

The first of the Scorpene class submarine built by India — INS Kalavvari is expected to be inducted in the Indian Navy by end of August. It has successfully undergone a series of weapons trials including the test firing of a German SeaHake heavyweight torpedo and the launch of a French-made Exocet SM39 anti-ship missile, already in use by the Indian forces. The second Scorpene class submarine christened INS-Khanderi is also on the final stages of sea trial and is expected to be formally inducted in the Indian Navy by the end of this year.

 sputniknews