Indian Navy to buy underwater systems for its submarines
The Indian Navy on Wednesday floated a global request for information to buy 12 anti-torpedo defense systems and associated equipment for its submarines. “The ATDS is an important program, and it will acquired on a fast-track basis,“ a senior Indian Navy official said. Global defense companies from Germany, Russia and the U.S. are likely to respond to this request for information, or RFI, and the service wants to induct them within the next two years, he added. The foreign defense companies have also been asked to furnish details of transfer of production and transfer of technology of ATDS. Currently, no Indian defense company manufactures submarine-launched ATDS. The global defense companies have been asked to furnish details of the basic design of the submarine ATDS, their experience in design, manufacturing and fitment on board submarines. None of the Indian Navy’s submarines are equipped with ATDS; only its warships have the system. “The submarine ATDS is intended to be installed and exploited on board all classes of submarines of the Indian Navy and provide reliable defense against modern and future anti-submarine torpedoes through timely countermeasures at sufficient range from the submarine so as to guarantee safety and survivability of own platform,” the RFI states. ATDS uses decoys to distract an oncoming torpedo by generating a false signature, acoustic jammers and kinetic destructors. Early this month, the Indian Navy also issued a global RFI to procure an estimated150 heavyweight torpedoes for its Scorpene-class submarines. The RFI has been issued to Rosoboronexport of Russia, Saab of Sweden, Naval Group of France, ThyssenKrupp of Germany and Mitsubishi of Japan. The foreign defense companies have also been asked to provide details of production and transfer of technology of heavyweight torpedoes. The move on procurement of heavyweight torpedoes comes after formal cancellation of 100 Black Shark heavyweight torpedoes from Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei. The Italian company was formally informed of the cancellation of the contract by the Indian Ministry of Defense earlier this month.
