Government gives GRSE contract to build 8 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts

Ministry of Defence awarded Defence PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) a Rs.6311 crore worth contract to build 8 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASWSWCs) for Indian Navy.

Key Facts

• The Indian Navy issued the RFP (Request for Proposal) to DPSU (Defence Public Sector Undertaking) Shipyards and Indian Private Shipyards in April 2014, with GRSE eventually winning the bid for design, construction and supply of eight ASWSWCs.
• The design and construction of these ships at GRSE is yet another milestone in ‘Make in India’ Initiative.
• Project Timeline: The first ship is to be delivered within 42 months (3.5 years) from signing date of contract and remaining ships delivery is scheduled as two ships per year. The completion time awarded to project is 84 months (7 years) from 29 April 2019.

GRSE

• It is India’s pioneer warship builder since its inception as a DPSU in 1960. It has delivered highest number of warships till date.
• Major projects being handled by it includes three Stealth Frigates for Indian Navy under P17A Project, ASW Corvettes for Indian Navy, The Landing Craft Utility (LCUs) for Indian Navy, four Survey Vessels (Large) for Indian Navy, Fast Petrol Vessels (FPVs) for Indian Coast Guard, etc.
• With shipyard having many firsts to its credit in terms of Innovation and Design, it has also built 100 warships which ranges from Advanced Frigates to Anti-Submarine Warfare Corvettes to Fleet Tankers, Fast Attack Crafts, etc.
• This new project will further solidify GRSE’s position as a unique shipyard with all round capability to design and build ASWSWC warships with state-of-the-art technology.

Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASW-SWC)

• It is anti-submarine warfare vessel in 700 ton displacement range and will replace Abhay-class corvette (a corvette is a small warship) currently serving in Indian Navy.
• It is designed for deep750 tons displacement, 25 knots speed and 57 complement and capable of full-scale sub surface surveillance of coastal waters, Search Attack Unit (SAU) and Coordinated ASW (Anti-submarine warfare) operations with Aircraft.
• It can also be deployed for Search and Rescue operations by day and night in coastal areas.
• Apart from having capability to interdict/ destroy sub surface targets in coastal waters, their secondary role would be of being capable of prosecuting intruding aircraft, and lay mines in sea bed.
• The vessels are equipped with advanced state-of-the-art integrated platform management systems (IPMS) including Propulsion Machinery (machineries that provides the power to drive the propeller of the ship), Auxiliary Machinery, Power Generation (includes pumps, compressors, and blowers for circulating fuel and fresh water) and Distribution Machinery and Damage Control Machinery, etc.
• It will be built according to Classification Society (an NGO that establish and maintain technical standards for construction as well as operation of ships and offshore structures) Rules and Naval Ship Regulations and will conform to latest Marine Pollution Standards of International Maritime Organization (IMO) and Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2019