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The Navy is once again scouting for torpedoes for its Scorpene-class submarines in a ₹2,000-crore deal, after the Defence Ministry cancelled a deal in 2015 in the wake of the AgustaWestland scam.
The Navy is believed to have sought proposals from leading torpedo makers in France, Germany, Russia, Sweden and Japan for a total 150 torpedoes. These are to be mounted on the six Scorpene submarines built by Mazagon Dock Ltd via transfer of technology with French Naval Group (formerly DCNS) under the Project75 (P75) programme, sources told BusinessLine .
The companies have been asked to respond by October 9 with details of how the torpedoes are going to be integrated with the French-designed submarines and the concurrent cost associated with it, said the sources.
The company selected for P75 will also be allowed to supply torpedoes for the Navy’s ₹60,000-crore P75(I) programme, under which the government plans to build more contemporary and upgraded submarines, as the Scorpene programme is already decades old, as are the submarines.
“The challenge is going to be that of categorisation. The tender process itself will take three years and then the torpedoes will have to be integrated with the submarines, which will take another two-three years, if not more. Unless there is a government-to-government deal, things are expected to drag on,” said a representative of a leading Indian defence firm, requesting anonymity.
The Centre is believed to have approached Germany’s Keil, a unit of thyssenkrupp, which produces SeaHake torpedoes in collaboration with EADS; France’s Naval Group, which makes the F-21 heavyweight torpedoes, and Swedish defence giant SAAB.
All six Scorpene submarines are expected to be commissioned by 2020. The first of the Navy’s submarines — NS Kalvari — is expected to be commissioned by September-end. The second — INS Khanderi — was launched in January and is presently undergoing sea trials. It is expected to be delivered by next year.
However, these submarines will be commissioned without torpedoes. During their sea trials, the Navy had used 20-year old torpedoes from its inventory.
Under the previous deal, the Navy was to acquire 98 Black Shark heavyweight torpedoes from WASS, a subsidiary of Italian firm Leonardo. WASS had won the deal over Germany’s Atlas Elektronik, but it was ultimately scrapped.
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