An Indian Navy Sea King multi-role helicopter in action
By Ajai Shukla
Business Standard, 1st Nov 17
The procurement of 111 “naval utility
helicopters” (NUH) is the first acquisition to have been cleared by the defence
ministry under its new “strategic partner” (SP) model, which seeks to bring the
private sector into defence manufacturing.
On Monday, the ministry’s apex procurement
body, the “Defence Acquisition Council” (DAC) headed by Defence Minister
Nirmala Sitharaman, accorded the NUH procurement “acceptance of necessity”
(AoN) for an estimated Rs 21,738 crore.
According to this “Make in India” sanction,
the first 16 helicopters will be supplied by the selected “original equipment
manufacturer” (OEM) fully built, while the remaining 95 will be built in India
by the selected SP, with transfer of technology (ToT) from the OEM.
With the AoN accorded, the defence ministry
will now start shortlisting suitable private Indian firms as the designated SPs
for helicopter manufacture, as well as shortlisting foreign OEMs. It is
understood that at least two Indian SPs will be chosen.
This will involve identifying Indian firms
that meet the criteria issued by the defence ministry in June in the SP policy.
Separate criteria, mainly relating to the capabilities of the helicopter on
offer, will govern the selection of OEMs. Thereafter, SPs will tie up
partnerships with OEMs of their choice and submit technical and commercial
bids.
To zero in on prospective vendors, the navy
sent out Requests for Information (RFIs) in August. According to industry
sources, there are likely to be just two candidate OEMs for the sub-5 tonne
class NUH – Bell Helicopters and Airbus Helicopters.
In another clearance of prime operational
importance to the navy, the DAC has cleared the procurement of nine “advanced
towed array sonar” (ATAS) for warships to be able to detect enemy submarines.
The procurement, which is estimated to be
worth Rs 2,000 crore, involves building the ATAS in Bharat Electronic Ltd
(BEL), under ToT from German firm, Atlas Elektronik.
In November
2014, Atlas Elektronik won a contract to supply six ready-built ATAS for three
Delhi-class destroyers and three Talwar-class frigates. The navy wants
standardized sonar across all its warships.
The nine ATAS systems are intended for the
navy’s three Kolkata-class destroyers; three Shivalik-class frigates, and three
Teg-class Russian-origin frigates. The navy will fit ATAS externally onto the
rear of these warships, which have been built with an empty compartment at the
rear.
ATAS is
considered an indispensable anti-submarine capability for warships operating in
Indian waters, where a particularly sharp temperature gradient bends sonar
waves through refraction, with the returning signal often getting lost.
ATAS overcomes the temperature gradient,
since it is towed by a cable that extends deep below the surface, into the
cooler layers where submarines lurk. With the sensors themselves in the colder
water layers, there is no “temperature differential”. Even the faintest return
signal from a submarine is detected.
Isn't it strange that whenevr IN orders ATAS , P28 Corvettes seems to be left out whose primary job is sub hunting...In fact they should make P28 more potent by inducting ASW heptr nd active systems like Seaspyder/Torbuster along with ATAS..They have ended up creating a half baked product
ReplyDeleteAjay sir, how much time do you think these aircraft will take to finally reach here?
ReplyDeleteAlso any news on the f 18s