Navy will soon get 100 heavyweight torpedoes
| 23-Feb-2019 |
In a major boost to the Navy Submarine, the Ministry of Defence approved the acquisition of more than 100 heavyweight torpedoes which will be equipped on the force’s six Scorpion-class submarines that were built at Mazagon Dockyards in Mumbai.
The French origin scorpion submarines were built at Mazagon Dockyards in Mumbai that were rechristened as ‘Kalvari’ class. The first boat of INS Kalvari was already commissioned in Indian Navy and another 5 boats of Kalvari class are expected to be commissioned in Navy in the next 4 to 5 years.
According to the sources “The proposal for acquiring heavyweight torpedoes for the submarines for the Indian Navy was cleared at a high-level meeting of the Defence Ministry and a tender is expected to be floated soon by the government in this regard”. According to details, the immediate requirement of the Navy for torpedoes will be met by acquisition from foreign vendors and the long-term requirements will be fulfilled through made in India route. It is expected that the global manufacturers from France, Sweden, Russia, and Germany will respond to the tender requirements.
The nuclear fleet of Arihant class boats also requires torpedoes. INS Arihant is the first indigenously-built nuclear submarine of the Indian Navy and it has successfully carried out a deterrence patrol in the Indian Ocean region. INS Khanderi will be the next boat in line.