New Delhi: In a major boost for India’s defence infrastructure, the Indian Navy’s mega-submarine agreement under Project-75I, which is estimated at more than Rs 43, 000 crore, has reached a huge milestone with the completion of Field Evaluation Trials (FET). Among the two contenders in the fray include Germany’s TKMS (Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems) and Navantia of Spain.
As per ‘Hindustan Times’, even as Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has entered into an agreement with India’s state-run Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) to build six submarines with an air-independent propulsion (AIP) system, Navantia has has joined hands Larsen & Toubro.
A team of the Indian Navy visited the TKMS shipyard in March this year for FET. On the other hand, the assessment of the Navantia’s offer was taken up for consideration in June. The report will now be compiled by the Indian Navy officials and send to the Defence Ministry. The bids which clear the FET will then be declared. The report said that the process is expected to take around two months. Once the bids are done, the ministry will start negotiations with the qualified bidders.
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Navantia To Demonstrate Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System
The Navantia will showcase the Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) system that are fitted in a submarine operating on the surface. The submerged part would also be demonstrated after some time.
It may be noted that the design offered by TKMS is based on its Class 214 submarine as also Class 212CD. Navantia has also offered a vessel which is based on S80, which is among it’s new class of submarines. It was first launched in 2021. The vessel was later commissioned into Spanish Navy in November 2023 as S-81 ‘Isaac Peral’.
The Indian Navy had also issued a Request For Proposal (RFP), which had the details regarding specifications. It said that the first submarine must have 45 percent of the indigenous content and must increase to 60 percent for the sixth submarine. However, the important element to qualify for P-75I is the AIP system, which helps in increasing the strength of a submarine.
(With Agency Inputs)