RIA Novosti
August 23, 2011
Mazagon sees opening in submersible drift
With India's submarine acquisition programme tangled in a decade-old logjam, defence shipyard Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) has staked claim for Project 75I, a line of six advanced submarines for the Indian Navy.
MDL is already building Project 75, for six Scorpene submarines, using technology from Armaris, the Franco-Spanish shipbuilder. It believes the decision-making paralysis that has stymied Project 75I will allow MDL to build at least three, and possibly six, more Scorpenes after completing Project 75. Project 75I is in the doldrums, after three Ministry of Defence (MoD) committees failed to zero on the Indian shipyards capable of participating in such a project. Besides MDL, already engaged in Project 75, Larsen & Toubro is competing fiercely for Project 75I, flaunting its role in building INS Arihant, the country’s first nuclear submarine. As time has passed without a decision, new contenders, particularly Pipavav Shipyard and the MoD's newly-acquired Hindustan Shipyard Ltd have also emerged as contenders.
Meanwhile, the MoD is more fuddled than ever after its third and latest high-power committee, headed by
V Krishnamurthy, chairman of the National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council, failed to agree on which shipyard(s) should be awarded Project 75I. The MoD is currently pondering the Krishnamurthy committee's divided recommendations. An earlier MoD decision to build three Project 75I submarines at MDL, one at HSL and two in the private sector or abroad now stands scrapped.
With tendering nowhere in sight, the chief of MDL, Vice Admiral (retd) H S Malhi, says their Project 75 Scorpene production line provides a handy springboard for Project 75I. MDL, as Malhi notes, has the facilities, the experience, the workmen and an ongoing workflow that make it easy to extend the six-Scorpene order of Project 75, improving the specifications if the navy so requires.
Malhi mobilises a powerful financial argument: India has already paid Rs 6,000 crore for Scorpene technology. Building additional Scorpenes would only require the payment of licence fees. Choosing another design would require paying for technology afresh.
“If the tender for Project 75I is going to be delayed by another two-three years, we can easily extend the current Scorpene order by another three submarines. Else, Project 75I could be a Scorpene-plus, a more potent submarine, with Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) and the ability to launch missiles. The technology we have already paid for would be amortised over a larger number of submarines, making these cheaper,” he argues.
BACKGROUND
Sections of the Indian Navy would welcome more Scorpenes quickly, in the face of a worrisome submarine build-up by China and Pakistan. However, a powerful lobby within the navy, which favours Russian submarines, opposes extending the Scorpene order. They have a potent political argument against ordering more Scorpenes, that Project 75 was not competitively bid but was a controversial, single-vendor purchase. Enlarging the order would be fraught with political risk.
Further, going by the navy's 30-year Submarine Construction Plan, which the apex Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) okayed in 1999, Project 75I must build Russian submarines. The 30-year plan for constructing 24 conventional submarines in India envisages two simultaneous construction lines: one building six submarines from western technology and another building six submarines from eastern bloc (i.e. Russian) know-how. Based on the experience gathered, India would build another 12 submarines to an indigenous design.
Project 75, for six Scorpenes, is the western technology line. The next six must incorporate Russian technology, according to the 30-year plan. Indian Navy submarine folklore believes Russian designs feature greater endurance and firepower; while western designs are stealthier and harder to detect. Indian designers are to incorporate the best of both traditions into the 12 indigenous submarines.
MDL faces flak for a three-year delay in Project 75, but Malhi has strongly defended his shipyard's record. Admitting the first Scorpene would indeed be delivered three years late (in mid-2015, instead of 2012), Malhi says he will deliver the remaining five submarines at eight-month intervals instead of the 12-month interval originally planned. That means all six Scorpenes will be delivered by September 2018, just nine months later than the scheduled completion of Project 75.
MDL plans to achieve this by setting up a second Scorpene line at a recently acquired shipyard, the Alcock Yard, within its premises in Mumbai. After mid-2013, all six submarines will be outfitted simultaneously, the first three in the current workshop, and the next three in Alcock Yard.
Business Standard , Ajai Shukla
August 22, 2011
South Korea develops cruise missiles based on Russian ones – media
The missile will fly low over the water 2.5 times faster than sound speed and have operational range of 300 km. Detection and tracking of such missile would be quite complicated.
"The Agency for Defense Development has been conducting the full-scale development work on supersonic antiship missiles for several years", reports the source referring to an undisclosed representative of South Korean government.
According to the source, the missiles "are designed to protect the country from sea threats proceeding from other regional states, not only North Korea".
Representatives of South Korea's Agency for Defense Development and Defense Procurement Agency refused to comment the information released by Chosun Ilbo.
Rusnavy
Ka-52K helicopters to be equipped with Zhuk-AE radars
The helicopter radar should have mass only 80 kg (compare to 275 kg of airplane version based on multirole fighter MiG-35). Being equipped with such light-weight radar, helicopters would be capable to carry antiship guided missiles Kh-31 and Kh-35. The company plans to produce the first prototype of that radar in 2012.
Executive director of holding company Russian Helicopters Dmitry Petrov told to the American magazine that development of Ka-52K had been already started. The first sample is to be constructed in 2014, i.e. by the time when Russia would receive the first Mistral. The ships will be armed with mixed air wings consisting of attack helicopters Ka-52K and multipurpose helicopters Ka-29. Reportedly, Phasotron-NIIR has completed testing of mechanically scanned radar Arbalet for Ka-52 helicopters currently in service. First radars have been already delivered to Progress plant (Arseniev, Far East) which assembles Ka-52. First 4 helicopters were handed over to Russian Air Force in May 2011.
The company's chief designer Yury Guskov expressed his disagreement with Indian commission as of MMRCA tender. Russian fighter MiG-35 competed in the tender, although failed due to allegedly low performance of Zhuk-AE radar. Prototype radar did meet India's requirements and detected air targets at the range of 130 km. Take note, the prototype radar participated in the India's tender had only 680 transceivers, while serially produced radar has 1 016 transceivers which increases detection range of air targets up to 250 km.
Rusnavy
August 20, 2011
India commissions 2nd indigenous stealth frigate
The state of the art frigate - 142.5 metres long and displacement of 6,200 tonnes - was commissioned by Naval Chief Admiral Nirmal Verma.
The stealth frigate was to be inaugurated by Defence Minister A.K. Antony but he cancelled his trip to Mumbai at the last minute.
The commissioning was marked by hoisting of the naval flag on the ship by Verma and a naval band playing the national anthem.
IANS / Zeenews
Singaporean Navy Receives First Swedish Archer-Class Submarine
Singaporean Navy received the first Swedish Archer-class submarine (former Västergötland class), reports Defense Aerospace.
Totally, Singapore is to receive two such subs. Earlier on, Singaporean submariners passed training period in Sweden and learned navigation and maintenance of Archer-type subs.
The contract for two Västergötland class diesel electric submarines decommissioned from Swedish Navy was tied with Singapore in Sept 2005. The contract’s cost was not specified. According to the agreement, Swedish shipbuilding company Kockums is to modernize the subs and conduct the full-scale trials. These submarines will join Singaporean Navy as Archer class by the name of the first sub received.
When all required works were finished, Archer was launched in June 2009. The second – Swordsman – left the dock in Oct 2010. While revamping of those subs for Singaporean Navy, Sweden used same technology as for similar submarines modernized for Swedish Navy – Södermanland and Östergötland. In particular, Archer class subs are powered with air-independent propulsion plants.
Having displacement of 1,500 tons, Archer class subs are capable to sail at up to 15 knots. These submarines are armed with six 533-mm and three 400-mm torpedo tubes.
: Naval today
Russian Navy to receive 12 Su-30SM fighters
"State Arms Program plans the deliveries of those airplanes to start in 2013. Perhaps, we'll hand over a couple of them next year to complete state tests, and hopefully, serial deliveries would start since 2013", added Fedorov.
State Arms Program 2011-2020 provides procurement of 28 fighters Su-30SM for Air Force and 12 same aircrafts for Navy. "We have almost settled all technical aspects with defense ministry", said Fedorov adding that defense ministry had earlier requested all information regarding the aircraft costs.
It was reported late in July 2011 that twelve Su-30SM fighters would join Black Sea Fleet aviation and replace obsolete front-line bombers Su-24 stationed at Gvardeysky air base in Crimea. Irkut plans to sign the aircraft delivery contract with Air Force in 2012. Apart from 28 Su-30SM fighters, that agreement would contain an option for other 12 aircrafts. It is planned to start Su-30SM flight tests late in 2011.
Rusnavy
MDL bats for bigger Scorpene submarines
(The Hindu ) : Building a similar kind would leverage the technology, says official
Unfazed by mounting criticism over time and cost overruns in building six Scorpene submarines for the Navy under the beleaguered Project 75, Defence shipyard Mazagaon Dock Limited (MDL) would rather have the Navy go in for bigger Scorpenes under the proposed Project 75-I.
“The decision [to choose the type of submarine] is left to the powers-that-be in Delhi, based on their requirements and needs. I cannot really comment on that. But as a shipbuilder, I think we would be tremendously leveraging our skills and expertise attained over a period of four to five years [of building the Scorpenes] if we carry on with a similar kind of submarine. It will certainly make us happy,” Vice-Admiral (retd.) H.S. Malhi, Chairman and Managing Director of MDL told The Hindu at a recent interaction in Mumbai.
“The money shelled out for transfer of technology [ToT] for the Scorpenes currently under construction would be well worth it if you have similar submarines, the Scorpene Plus. Then you are leveraging the technology over many more submarines,” Mr. Malhi added.
With depleting submarine force levels staring it in the face, the Navy had, last year, sought information on bigger conventional submarines with improved attack and stealth features, besides endurance. A request for proposal (RFP) in this regard is awaited. While two of the P75-I submarines thus contracted would be built at the collaborators' yard, the remaining four would be split between two Indian shipyards.
Mr. Malhi said there was no official communication on the MDL being handpicked by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) to build three of these. He, however, maintained that the yard “should be the natural choice, having made six [Scorpenes].” (Reportedly, another PSU, Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), Visakhapatnam, would get to build one).
It was to MDL's credit, Mr. Malhi said, that it reconfigured all German equipment and stations set up for the construction of HDW submarines in the 1980s and early 1990s to suit the French Scorpenes. So, if the Navy chose a submarine type other than Scorpene, the yard would have to reconfigure the stations all over again as different submarine types used different grades of steel and welding technology. This would also engender teething issues such as difficulty in absorbing technology.
“Since material and technology for different submarine types are different, the skill sets required to build them are varied, too. In terms of pressure hull fabrication, MDL is rated very high and our collaborators sometimes say, not entirely in jest, that they wouldn't mind sourcing pressure hull for the submarines they are going to manufacture for Brazil from us,” said Mr. Malhi.
On the Scorpenes under construction, he said, procurement of material posed a problem in the initial stages. “As we started procuring, we realised the sanctioned amount for material won't be enough to buy the entire lot. So we approached the government with revised figures and got the go-ahead in turn.”
The revised timeline envisages commissioning of the first Scorpene in 2015 following which a submarine would be delivered every nine months. “September 2018 is when the last boat would be due for delivery. The first may take a longer time than originally planned, but when the entire project is completed, the delay would be no more than nine months,” he said.
“The structural and regular outfitting [laying of pipe and cabling] of the first Scorpene has begun and the second is soon to follow suit. Now we are absolutely on track to meet the new contractual provisions. The teething issues are way behind us. Supply of material and armament is steady and the steel comes from France, but ironically, DCNS, the company originally manufacturing Scorpenes, buys it from ArcelorMittal.”
To fastrack Scorpene construction, the yard is setting up a new workshop and a launching platform in the adjoining Alcock Yard. “From the fourth submarine onwards, construction will concurrently take place in two yards. Which means you will have two lines of construction, which will be fully operation when P75-I commences.”
Asked about the reported breach in the East Yard in July that led to submergence of components in the submarine dry dock, the CMD said the flooding would have ‘zero impact' on the course of construction. “We are making a wet basin jutting out into the sea. The basin is also connected to the dry dock of the East Yard. When it was dried up for construction, it was checked for leaks. There was a fissure and water came into the dry dock. We have now filled up the fissure and water is being pumped out. There has been zero impact of this on the Scorpene project,” he said, adding this would have no cost or time implication.
To a query, Mr. Malhi said the termination of collaboration between Spanish Navantia and French DCNS — the developers of Scorpene — had not affected the yard. “We have people from Spain here as part of the ToT agreement carrying out their contractual obligation.”
August 19, 2011
Agni-II prime to be test-fired again on August 29
DRDO sources said the test-firing would be done from Wheeler's Island in Bay of Bengal.
On December 10, the maiden test-firing of the missi;e ended in a massive failure after the missile dropped off into the sea a few seconds after it was launched from Wheeler Island. The Agni-II prime, a modified version of Agni-II, is an intermediary between Agni-II and Agni-III. It has two stages and both are powered by solid propellants.
DRDO officials said they hoped that the test-firing would add teeth to India's nuclear deterrence. The Agni-II prime or A-2, manufactured by DRDO’s Advanced System Laboratory (ASL) in Hyderabad, has a longer range and higher performance with respect to the thrust and weight ratio than Agni-II missile. The new missile was expected to perform better at various levels in terms of accuracy, strength and distance covered in comparison to Agni-II.
Agni II prime can carry extra fuel and will have a new motor in its re-entry vehicle for better manoeuvrability, a flex nozzle in the second stage to avoid anti-ballistic missile defences and an improved navigation system. New technologies introduced into the missile to make it lighter have also provided it with greater thrust.
Indian Express
JSC Russian Helicopters to equip Mistrals
"This is an internal order, such contract would be signed between JSC Russian Helicopters and defense ministry", he said. Rosoboronexport participates only in procurement of the ships themselves, but not helicopters, emphasized Isaikin.
The EUR 1.2 bln contract for construction of two French Mistral-class landing ships for Russian Navy was signed in June 2011 at St. Petersburg International Economic Forum after months of painstaking negotiations. The first ship is supposed to join Russian Navy in three years. The notorious contract for construction of other two Mistrals in Russia will be tight later.
Displacement of Mistral-class assault landing ship is 21,000 tons; overall hull length is 210 meters; speed is over 18 knots; operational range is up to 20,000 miles; crew is 160 plus up to 450 men. Air wing includes 16 helicopters; six of them can be simultaneously placed on the flight deck.
Rusnavy
MAKS: Su-34 central to Russian modernisation plan
(Flight Global) : The Russian air force wants to procure 120 Sukhoi Su-34 strike aircraft, the service's commander has revealed.
Speaking at the MAKS air show in Moscow, Gen Aleksander Zelin said five squadrons will eventually be armed with the two-seat type, with each to have 24 aircraft.
The Russian defence ministry's procurement plan for this year includes 12 Su-34s, and production activities at Sukhoi's NAPO plant in Novosibirsk are gradually picking up.
The Su-34 holds a prominent position in Russia's state arms-acquisition programme, which was validated earlier this year and runs until 2020.
It has been developed as a replacement for the air force's Su-24 swing-wing strike aircraft, currently the most numerous type in its combat aircraft inventory and the backbone of its frontal bomber units.
Powered by two AL-31FM engines - developed by NPO Saturn and produced by MMPP Salut - the Su-34 can carry 8,000kg (17,600lb) of weapons on 12 hard points.
In 2010, Russian president Dmitry Medvedev offered Beijing an export version dubbed the Su-32, but there has been no indication so far that China, or any other international customer, is seeking to acquire the aircraft.
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