The Deputy Director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, Vladimir Drozhzhov, said on the sidelines of the ongoing Aero India 2023 show that the development of this proposed submarine based on Amur 1650 will include a localization level of up to 80%.

This proposal comes when India is looking to sign an agreement to develop diesel-electric submarines under the P-75I this year. The country issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) to five foreign contenders, including Russia, in 2021.

According to the RFP, the six planned diesel-electric attack submarines are expected to include advanced capabilities such as Air-independent propulsion (AIP), Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Special operations forces (SOF), Anti-ship warfare (AShW), Anti-submarine warfare (ASW), Anti-surface warfare (ASuW), Land-attack capabilities, and other features.

However, the programme hangs in the balance after most foreign manufacturers that received the RFP, including Russia, decided against competing for the project. While proposing the co-development of the all-new sub, Drozhzhov acknowledged that Russia had backed out of Project 75I’s tender.

“Along with this, we offer our Indian partners a variant of cooperation on this topic, including the joint designing and production of a national non-nuclear submarine under the 75 (I) program based on an intergovernmental agreement,” the Russian official said.

“Taking into account our experience of working with the Indian side on other naval projects, localization of production during the implementation of the program for the construction of Project-75 (I) submarines based on the Russian platform Amur-1650 can be increased to 70-80%.”

Foreign contenders that received the RFP from India withdrew from the tender for two reasons – qualitative requirements with a particular emphasis on Lithium cell Air-Independent Propulsion and a strict liability clause that puts the obligation on the foreign partner for the submarines’ performance despite them being built in Indian shipyards.

Currently, Project 75I has only a single vendor, i.e., a South Korean company that is the only bidder offering a proven fuel cell air-independent propulsion (AIP) system.

Some reports earlier suggested that the project may even be shelved. However, the Navy Chief expressed the service’s commitment to the program before Navy day in December last year.

Several delays have already marred the project. Russia’s proposal, thus, comes at an opportune moment.

Russian Amur-1650 Submarine

Rosoboronexport describes the Amur 1650 as a diesel-electric submarine that belongs to a new generation of Russian non-nuclear submarines. According to the exporter, the vessel has been designed specially to destroy hostile navy surface combatants, transports, and submarines and lead reconnaissance parties.

Regardless of the weather, the Amur 1650 submarine can complete vital global missions. This is significant as India is looking to significantly augment its naval fleet to combat PLA Navy’s expanding presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

The submarine is equipped with a powerful sonar system with low noise, high levels of automation, and the capacity to fire both torpedoes and the Club-S missile system. As per a report published in TASS in 2019, the submarine that is proposed to be jointly developed by India and Russia would also be equipped with BrahMos cruise missiles.

The submarine can carry anti-ship cruise missiles, adaptable deep-water torpedoes, and mines. It can attack enemy territory-wide terrestrial targets. The data required to launch missiles and torpedoes is created and fed into the submarine’s automated command information system.

The Amur 1650 submarine can have a fuel cell air-independent propulsion system installed, extending its underwater travel time by up to 20 days. The AIP is a core requirement of the diesel-attack submarine to be built under Project 75I and has led to most contenders withdrawing from the tender.

Further, an attack periscope with optical and video linkages (night vision included) and an optronic non-penetrating mast are incorporated into the periscope module of the submarine. The pole is also equipped with antennas for catching signals from satellite navigation systems and radars.

The GLONASS and GPS receivers in the navigation system allow for the precise determination of the submarine’s current location and the motion parameters required for safe navigation and the use of weapons.

A trailing antenna is part of the automated radio communication system and is used to receive secure command signals and data communications at depths of up to 100 meters.

Project 75I will take place under the strategic partnership model, and the capabilities will be developed in conjunction with domestic private players. India has stressed that it needs a higher level of indigenization, including in production.

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Utility Helicopter (Marine)

The tender for 111 NUH was earlier being processed through the Strategic Partnership (SP) route of the procedure which last week was included by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in the third positive indigenisation list.

In November 2018, Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for procurement of 111 NUH under the SP model, the first deal to be processed under the ambitious model meant to promote domestic private sector participating in defence manufacturing. Subsequently, the Request for Expression of Interest (REoI) to Original Equipment Manufacturers and Strategic Partners were issued in February 2019.

However, the process has since been held up as HAL jumped into the fray proposing wheeled landing gear variant of ALH with adaptations, officials said. A key requirement of the NUH was folding rotors for the helicopter to be able to fit into the ship hanger.

In October 2021, the Navy and HAL carried out a joint study to exploit ALH to maximum potential for naval operations by optimising it to 5.7 tonnes, reducing the empty weight by choice of light weight avionics and mission sensors, higher payload capability up to 600 kg for deck operations, reduced stowage dimensions to meet requirement with foldable two segment blades and modified upper control system and ASIST (Aircraft Ship Integrated Secure and Traverse) traversing interface for ship deck.

Based on the suggestions in the joint study report, the Navy has issued its broad requirements to HAL in January for acquisition of 60 utility helicopters for maritime operations as per Buy-Indian IDDM (Indigenously Designed, Developed and Manufactured) route of Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020. HAL would submit the detailed project report very soon.

The NUH will replace the ageing Chetak fleet in service in urgent need of replacement. In addition to the Chetak, the Navy operates Russian Kamov 28/31s which have been upgraded, shore based ALH Dhruvs and ageing Sea Kings and six Sikorsky UH-3Hs.

The frigates and destroyers have relatively smaller parking spaces and foldable rotors of UH Marine would allow them to be kept easily, sources said. The Navy has more than 150 warships in its fleet and wants them to be equipped with at least one helicopter each and is looking at procuring them through the Make in India route first.

In recent times, the Indian Navy has induced around 16 of these ALH Dhruv Mark 3 choppers along with an equal number of machines for the Indian Coast Guard too. For the Indian Navy also, the HAL has been offering a maritime version of the Dhruv but not much could be done due to the lack of capabilities that have been required by the maritime force for operations.

The Indian Navy warships are deployed all along the Indian Ocean Region and warships are provided with helicopters for reconnaissance and surveillance along with other operations required by the fleet to be carried out.

MH-60 Romeo Helicopters

In the first major helicopter induction in decades, the Navy is set to induct the first batch of three MH-60R Multi-Role Helicopters, 24 of which were contracted from the US, in a Foreign Military Sales deal, this June to meet the urgent requirements of multirole attack and anti-submarine warfare choppers. These are a replacement of the Sea King 42/42A helicopters which have been phased out in the 1990s.

However, a contract to procure six Ka-31 early warning helicopters which was in advanced stages as well as the case for six more P-8I long range maritime patrol aircraft have been deferred by the MoD during the review of all direct import deals.

Navy Commissions Second P-8I Squadron

The Navy commissioned its second P-8I aircraft squadron – Indian Naval Air Squadron 316 – on 29 March at INS Hansa, Goa. INAS 316 has been christened ‘Condors’ after one of the largest flying land birds with a massive wingspan.

INAS 316 has been christened ‘Condors’ after one of the largest flying land birds with a massive wingspan.

INAS 316 will operate the Boeing P-8I aircraft, a multi-role Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance Anti-Submarine Warfare (LRMR ASW) aircraft, that can be equipped with a range of air-to-ship missiles and torpedoes. The aircraft is a potent platform for maritime surveillance and strike, electronic warfare missions, search and rescue, providing targeting data to weapon platforms, providing time-critical surveillance information for Indian Army and IAF, and is also the platform of choice for detecting and neutralising enemy ships and submarines in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The squadron has been specifically commissioned to be the home for the four new P-8I aircraft procured under the Option Clause contract and to ‘Deter, Detect and Destroy’ any threat in the IOR. These aircraft have been operating from Hansa since December 30, 2021, and the squadron is integrated with full-spectrum surface and subsurface naval operations.

The Indian Navy’s first P8I squadron is INSAS 312, the ‘Albatross’. It was in 2016 that the aircraft was inducted into this squadron. It is based at INS Rajali at Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu. However, the first P8I was received by the Indian Navy in 2013 and it took part in the search for the missing Malaysian airliner Flight MH 370 in 2014 in the Indian Ocean region.

India inked a $1 billion deal with the US in 2016 for the four Boeing P-8Is that are part of the second squadron. The contract was a follow-on order to eight P-8I planes bought by India in an earlier deal worth $2.1 billion.

Armed with Harpoon missiles, the P8I can carry out missions across the vast area of the Indian Ocean and help the Indian Navy maintain an effective check on the seas under its influence. The aircraft can also be used for surveillance over the land and has been in operation in Ladakh during the stand-off with China and also on the Indo-Pak border.

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