Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. Military Space News .




FLOATING STEEL
India's Scorpene subs facing more delays
by Staff Writers
Mumbai (UPI) Apr 19, 2013


disclaimer: image is for illustration purposes only

India's Scorpene submarine project likely will face an 18-month delivery delay after the pullout of consultants from Spanish shipbuilding partner Navantia.

A report by India's Times News Network said Mazagon Dock Ltd., the government shipbuilder in Mumbai where the vessels are being made, informed the navy that the project would be delayed by another 18 months to the end of 2016.

Last year Defense Minister A.K. Antony announced in Parliament that the project would be delayed three years until 2015.

The Scorpene is a diesel-electric attack submarine with additional air-independent propulsion jointly developed by the French shipbuilder DCN -- now DCNS -- and Spain's Navantia.

The submarines were ordered in 2005 under a technology transfer agreement.

The 219-foot-long vessel has a speed of more than 20 knots with a displacement of 1,700 tons. With a crew of 31, it can remain at sea for about 45 days and can dive to depths of more than 1,000 feet.

India's Ministry of Defense approved the six-vessel submarine purchase strategy in 1997 and the go ahead for construction of the subs in September 2005 at a cost of nearly $3.45 billion.

The cost had risen to $4.3 billion by February 2010, a recent Press Trust of India report said.

But this week TNN reported the exit of Navantia after a technical assistance agreement expired at the end of last month. Ten Spanish consultants left India, meaning more delays could ensue, unnamed sources said.

Management personnel from Mazagon are expected to meet with the government to demand additional funds for technical assistance, TNN said.

Delays will put operational pressure on India's submarine fleet of 10 aging Russian Kilo class and four German HDW submarines. India also leases a Russian nuclear submarine, Chakra.

Three of the subs are expected to be retired in the next several years.

TNN said the hulls for all six Scorpene submarines, made of steel supplied by French division of ArcelorMittal, are ready in Mumbai and Mazagon is tooling up of shipbuilding equipment and systems.

But the Spanish consultants were heavily involved in the hull work, meaning their departure likely will affect production.

The original Scorpene contract came under intense scrutiny by the government's public accounts committee, which said the deal gave "undue favor to the vendor," resulting in a financial loss to the government.

A report this week by the Press Trust of India quoted France's ambassador to India saying the first submarine would be delivered by 2014.

Delivery of the first sub will be a "strategic tie-up" for both countries, French Ambassador Francois Richier said during a trip to the western port of Goa.

Richier was visiting the French destroyer Montcalm on training exercises with the Indian navy.

"The submarines are important for the Indian navy considering the long coast it has to guard," he said.

.


Related Links
Naval Warfare in the 21st Century






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle








FLOATING STEEL
QinetiQ supports the successful entry into service of the Astute-class submarines
Farnborough, UK (SPX) Apr 09, 2013
QinetiQ Stealth Information and Range Services, a leading provider of naval trials programmes to reduce time to platform service in a safe and secure working environment, is supporting the UK Royal Navy in bringing Astute-class submarines into service. A total of seven boats will be constructed by BAE Systems Submarine Solutions. The first of class, HMS Astute, was launched in 2007. It is ... read more


FLOATING STEEL
Pentagon requests more funding for Israel's 'Iron Dome'

Lockheed Martin PAC-3 Missile Intercepts and Destroys Tactical Ballistic Missile in New Test

Japan's missile defence plan: some facts

Poland guarantees funds for missile shield

FLOATING STEEL
Lockheed Martin's Nemesis Missile Scores 3-For-3 in Flight Tests

Guam heightens alert level after N. Korea threats

US warns N. Korea ahead of expected missile launch

Raytheon demonstrates new Joint Standoff Weapon Extended Range integrated fuel system

FLOATING STEEL
US drone destroys Taliban base in Pakistan, five killed

Pentagon calls off new medal for drone, cyber warriors

Red Cross chief criticises drone use outside battlefields

Saudis 'turn to South Africa for UAVs'

FLOATING STEEL
General Dynamics' WIN-T Increment 2, Soldiers' "On-the-Move" Network, Advances as 10th Mountain Division Trains for Deployment

Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract to Modernize U.S. Joint Theater Air Operations System

Boeing Delivers FAB-T Test Units to US Air Force

Fourth Lockheed Martin MUOS Satellite Entering System Test as Communication Module and Multi-Beam Antenna Installed

FLOATING STEEL
Navy Develops High Impact, High Integrity Polymer for Air, Sea, and Domestic Applications

Australia opens Gaza Ridge vehicle facility

Smaller Pixels, Smaller Thermal Cameras for Warfighters

Raytheon awarded DTRA border security contract

FLOATING STEEL
Europen allies seek FMS deals

Germany's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann lands Qatar contract

Court delays transfer of S.Africa army choppers to Zimbabwe

SIPRI: Latin America military spending up

FLOATING STEEL
Chinese soldiers camp inside India border: Indian sources

US warship in Southeast Asia gives punch to US Asian 'pivot'

Outside View: Lyndon W. Obama

UN chief in unprecedented visit to Pentagon

FLOATING STEEL
New device could cut costs on household products, pharmaceuticals

Nanotechnology imaging breakthrough

Surface diffusion plays a key role in defining the shapes of catalytic nanoparticles

Imaging methodology reveals nano details not seen before




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement