NEW DELHI\u00a0\u2014\u00a0In a reversal, the Indian Navy has dropped plans to mount homegrown air-independent propulsion (AIP) technology on the last two of its six Scorpene submarines under construction, putting into question the development status of the technology.
The last two Scorpene submarines, known locally as Kalveri-class subs, are slotted for induction in 2020 and 2022.\u00a0A second Navy official said that\u00a0while Indian defense scientists claim the AIP tech will be ready by 2020, the “Indian Navy is not confident for its integration on the last two Scorpene submarines.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to a DRDO scientist, the organization is to conduct the first-ever trails of land-based AIP technology in December.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Substantial design changes will be required to fit the homemade AIP on the Scorpene submarines,” said Sujeet Aammadar, a retired Indian Navy commodore and defense analyst.\u00a0“It is better to commission the Kalveri-class submarines as designed. Later when they fall due for long refits, the homemade AIP can be installed.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shyam Kumar Singh, a retired Indian Navy captain, said: “The exhaustive testing of DRDO-developed AIP is yet to be completed. In case of submarine you can install any equipment once it is fully proven.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u200b”The 75(I) tender is about 15 years overdue and if not floated soon could lead to yet another force-level crisis for the Indian Navy. The homemade AIP\u00a0\u2014\u00a0if one is in existence\u00a0\u2014\u00a0should be\u00a0considered\u00a0only after it has undergone stringent testing on other test beds. An operational submarine is no place for a development or experimental AIP,” Prakash said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rubin Design Bureau of Russia, Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, Saab of Sweden and DCNS of France are the front-runners for the Project 75(I) tender.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Five domestic shipyards\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Larsen & Toubro, and Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (formerly Pipavav Defence)\u00a0\u2014\u00a0have been recognized as being capable of building the AIP subs. The tender is to be issued only to domestic shipyards, which in turn will tie up with an overseas shipyard to complete the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Anil Jai Singh, a retired Indian Navy commodore and defense analyst, said of the homegrown technology’s importance here: “The indigenous AIP development will definitely take priority over any foreign original equipment manufacturer doing so in India.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In a reversal, the Indian Navy has dropped plans to mount homegrown air-independent propulsion (AIP) technology on the last two of its six Scorpene submarines under construction, putting into question the development status of the technology.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":60455,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":16,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[45,11,16],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3390],"class_list":["post-28159","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-asia-pacific","category-global","category-naval"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"CZUZM47ZPNHBFFIQWQGJWKAHUE","arc_canonical_url":"\/naval\/2016\/10\/26\/indian-navy-not-to-mount-homegrown-aip-on-scorpene-subs\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"\n