Anti-submarine craft deliveries from Oct 2022

PIB. — Defence Ministry and CSL-GRSE officials at contract signing ceremony in New Delhi on 30 April 2019.

The Defence Ministry has signed contracts for 16 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) ships which will carry out coastal surveillance along the 7,516.6-km coastline as well as the 12 major ports, 184 minor ports and 1,197 island territories.

Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) of Kochi and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) of Kolkata will each build eight ships under the contracts, said the Ministry in a release on 30 April 2019.

Ship deliveries are scheduled to commence from October 2022, with two ships per year delivery subsequently, by each shipyard.

Induction of these specialised ships with lower draught, would significantly enhance coastal shallow water Anti-Submarine Warfare capability of the Indian Navy with improved performance of weapons, censors, hall mounted and towed Sonars.

Equipped with state-of-art indigenous Integrated Platform Management Systems, Propulsion, auxiliary, and PGD Machinery, these ships are designed with capabilities of subsurface surveillance of coastal waters and lying of mines and making them a potent platform.

The 16-ship contracts add another milestone to the ‘Make in India’ initiative. fiinews.com