Indian Navy inducts Locally-developed Torpedo Decoy System

Indian Navy has concluded a contract for the indigenously-developed Maareech Advanced Torpedo Decoy System (ATDS) capable of being fired from all frontline warships on June 26. With this the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) capability of the Indian Navy has received a major boost. The design and development of the Maareech anti-torpedo decoy system was undertaken indigenously by the Naval Science & Technological Laboratory (NSTL) and the Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), two defence laboratories under the Indian defence R&D agency Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), a state-owned company under the Ministry of Defence, will undertake the production of this decoy system. The prototype of the Maareech system was installed onboard a naval platform and had successfully completed all user evaluation trials and demonstrated the features as per the Naval Staff Qualification Requirements (NSQRs). “This induction not only stands testimony to the joint resolve of the Indian Navy and DRDO towards indigenous development of Defence technology, but has also given a major fillip to the Government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and the country’s resolve to become ‘Atmanirbhar’ in niche technology”, said an Indian MOD statement. Maareech Advanced Torpedo Defence System (ATDS) is a torpedo detection and countermeasure system that offers a complete solution to detect and locate an incoming torpedo and to apply countermeasures to protect naval platform against torpedo attack. The anti-torpedo system, which is equipped with sonars and towed and expendable decoys, is capable of detecting, confusing, diverting and decoying the incoming torpedoes. The decoy helps in exhausting the energy of the torpedo by running the later through long and ineffective course and prevents them from homing in to the targeted platform with its advanced counter-measure capabilities