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The Navy’s mega-submarine deal under Project-75I, estimated at over ₹43,000 crore, has crossed a major milestone in the process with the field evaluation trials (FET) — to check the compliance of the bids received — now complete.
Project-75I
It is a follow-up to Project 75 and improves upon the design and technology of its predecessor.
This project envisages indigenous construction of submarines equipped with the state-of-the-art Air Independent Propulsion system
Project 75 (I), approved in 2007, is part of the Indian Navy’s 30 year Plan for indigenous submarine construction.
It will be the first under the strategic partnership model which was promulgated in 2017 to boost indigenous defence manufacturing.
Indian Navy has completed the performance evaluation trials of the Spanish firm Navantia's offering for the navy's P-75I six new generation diesel-electric attack submarines.
Earlier in March, the Navy completed trials of the offering from the second contender of the project, Germany's ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS).
Both TKMS and Navantia have partnered with Indian shipbuilders, Mazagaon Shipyard Limited (MDL) and Larsen and Toubro (L&T), where all six submarines will be built in India with transfer of technology (ToT)
The features of the project are:
Stealth Features: As with the 75 submarines, they are equipped with advanced acoustic absorption techniques, low radiated noise levels, long-range guided torpedoes, tube-launched anti-ship missiles, sonars, and sensor suites.
With the AIP technology, submarines use fuel cells that will enable them to stay submerged for up to two weeks.
Indigenisation: The first submarine must have a minimum of 45% indigenisation, with the indigenous content going up to 60% in the sixth.
Air Independent Propulsion (AIP)
The AIP is an improvement in the technology through which the underwater endurance of the submarines can be enhanced so that they can remain underwater for longer durations and their security will not be compromised.
Components: This system works with two key components, i.e., a fuel and an oxidant, to generate electricity by either a heat engine or an electrochemical cell
Working principle:
The diesel-used electric submarines are vulnerable to detection while snorkelling.
This issue was overcome by applying nuclear power to produce a ‘true submarine’ but this solution is expensive to implement.
The need for a cheaper way to obtain long underwater endurance led to the use of fuel cells.
They can be recharged by the diesel engine and would act as an auxiliary source of energy during the underwater drives of submarines.
It will help in longer submergence.
MSME Development: The project would not only aid in boosting the core submarine building industry but also enhance the manufacturing sector, especially for MSMEs, for the manufacturing of associated spares/systems/equipment related to submarines.
Size: The submarines under Project 75 (I) may be larger than those under Project 75.
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