ET Defence (@ETDefence) Tweeted:
The western #IndianOcean continues to remain at the periphery of India’s strategic calculations while remaining a blindspot for the #IndianNavy despite the region marked as an area of interest in its 2015 maritime security strategy.
By @darshanabaruah
View: African islands in the Indian Ocean- Looking beyond Delhi’s strategic blindness ( )
The western #IndianOcean continues to remain at the periphery of India’s strategic calculations while remaining a blindspot for the #IndianNavy despite the region marked as an area of interest in its 2015 maritime security strategy.
By @darshanabaruah
View: African islands in the Indian Ocean- Looking beyond Delhi’s strategic blindness ( )
Indian Navy’s Ship-based Air Defence Missile Contest Begins Today
By Shiv Aroor, Oct 17 2019, 9 : 30 am
An Indian Navy procurement contest to choose a short-range surface to air missile (SRSAM) system for its Kamorta-class anti submarine ships begins today. The procurement to meet an urgent requirement for the new in-service corvettes could pave the way for expanded orders for future ships, including the navy’s 6 new generation missile vessels (NGMV) and P17B stealth frigates. Livefist can confirm that several missile systems have been bid to met the requirement, including UK’s MBDA Sea Ceptor, an improved version of Israel’s IAI Barak, and offerings from Russia, Sweden’s Saab and South Korea.
The navy’s three indigenously built Kamorta-class corvettes, commissioned starting 2014, have remained without crucial air defence systems, relying on a pair of AK-630M close-in weapon systems. The navy is hoping the modest size of this fresh requirement will allow it to go through without budgetary and other hurdles that have bedeviled a parallel effort to procure SRSAM systems for the Indian Army.
The new bids for the navy’s SRSAM have mostly been submitted as partnerships with Indian firms or via existing joint ventures. For instance, MBDA’s Sea Ceptor bid comes in via its joint venture with Larsen & Toubro, while the Israeli bids will likely be in partnership with India’s Kalyani Group. The current requirement is understood to be for ten systems covering the Kamorta-class corvettes, with about 150 missiles.
The Indian Navy larger ships deploy the Indo-Israeli Barak-8 long range SAM (LRSAM) — the Kolkata-class and incoming Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, the INS Vikarmaditya and incoming INS Vikrant aircraft carriers and the incoming P17A/Nilgiri-class frigates. The older Barak-1 point defence missile system arms other frontline vessels, including some of the P15/Delhi-class destroyers and P17/Shivalik-class frigates. The Indian Navy’s Russian built Talwar-class frigates deploy the Shtil-1 (a naval version of the Buk SAM) missile for air defence duties.
Israel is understood to have bid an improved version of the Barak-1 for the new navy contest.
MBDA has focused its bid on the Sea Ceptor system which uses the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM), choosing to leave out the VL MICA that was pitched as a prospect alongside the Sea Ceptor in response to the Indian Navy’s preliminary request for information in 2017. MBDA will be stepping into the contest with mixed feelings. A high-profile push to jointly develop a new SRSAM with India’s DRDO named ‘Maitri’ that has twisted and turned for well over a decade was finally shelved a few years ago. India’s DRDO is understood to have had second thoughts, submitting to the Indian MoD that it would evolve its own system without an external partner. Drawing technologies from the VL MICA and Aster programs, the Maitri is theoretically still on the table, say MBDA officials at the company’s Bolton, U.K. facility, but the proposal is unlikely to be resuscitated.
MBDA concept art of the proposed MAITRI SRSAM
MBDA has underscored the ‘soft launch’ mechanism that propels the CAMM missile out of its cannister and well into the air before the rocket motor triggers — a quality that reduces system mass, eases installation and simply makes firing the missile an affair that doesn’t the deck baked or swathed in smoke. The soft launch is visible in this video of the Sea Ceptor’s firing trials from Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll:
In January 2018, a $2.2 billion Indian Army contest for SRSAM systems, much larger than the Indian Navy’s requirement, was scrapped in the final stages after India’s DRDO was able to persuade the Army that the improved indigenous Akash SAM system would meet its short-range requirements. The contest that collapsed was a three-way fight between Saab’s BAMSE, Israel’s SpyDer & Russia’s Tor-M2KM. The Akash system cannot be navalised for a variety of reasons, including the lack of a vertical/cannisterised launch option, and will therefore remain deployed with the Army and Indian Air Force.
In 2017, India’s DRDO also unveiled a new Quick Reaction SAM (QRSAM) to meet an Indian Army requirement for a missile with a reaction time of six seconds or less, an engagement range of 9-15 km at altitudes of not less than 6 km. The QRSAM is currently in development firing trials. It is unclear if the DRDO’s indigenous naval SRSAM (the one over which it has decided not to pursue the joint Maitri project with MBDA) will be a derivative of the QRSAM system or a clean-sheet weapon system.
https://www.livefistdefence.com/201...air-defence-missile-contest-begins-today.html
By Shiv Aroor, Oct 17 2019, 9 : 30 am
An Indian Navy procurement contest to choose a short-range surface to air missile (SRSAM) system for its Kamorta-class anti submarine ships begins today. The procurement to meet an urgent requirement for the new in-service corvettes could pave the way for expanded orders for future ships, including the navy’s 6 new generation missile vessels (NGMV) and P17B stealth frigates. Livefist can confirm that several missile systems have been bid to met the requirement, including UK’s MBDA Sea Ceptor, an improved version of Israel’s IAI Barak, and offerings from Russia, Sweden’s Saab and South Korea.
The navy’s three indigenously built Kamorta-class corvettes, commissioned starting 2014, have remained without crucial air defence systems, relying on a pair of AK-630M close-in weapon systems. The navy is hoping the modest size of this fresh requirement will allow it to go through without budgetary and other hurdles that have bedeviled a parallel effort to procure SRSAM systems for the Indian Army.
The new bids for the navy’s SRSAM have mostly been submitted as partnerships with Indian firms or via existing joint ventures. For instance, MBDA’s Sea Ceptor bid comes in via its joint venture with Larsen & Toubro, while the Israeli bids will likely be in partnership with India’s Kalyani Group. The current requirement is understood to be for ten systems covering the Kamorta-class corvettes, with about 150 missiles.
The Indian Navy larger ships deploy the Indo-Israeli Barak-8 long range SAM (LRSAM) — the Kolkata-class and incoming Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, the INS Vikarmaditya and incoming INS Vikrant aircraft carriers and the incoming P17A/Nilgiri-class frigates. The older Barak-1 point defence missile system arms other frontline vessels, including some of the P15/Delhi-class destroyers and P17/Shivalik-class frigates. The Indian Navy’s Russian built Talwar-class frigates deploy the Shtil-1 (a naval version of the Buk SAM) missile for air defence duties.
Israel is understood to have bid an improved version of the Barak-1 for the new navy contest.
MBDA has focused its bid on the Sea Ceptor system which uses the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM), choosing to leave out the VL MICA that was pitched as a prospect alongside the Sea Ceptor in response to the Indian Navy’s preliminary request for information in 2017. MBDA will be stepping into the contest with mixed feelings. A high-profile push to jointly develop a new SRSAM with India’s DRDO named ‘Maitri’ that has twisted and turned for well over a decade was finally shelved a few years ago. India’s DRDO is understood to have had second thoughts, submitting to the Indian MoD that it would evolve its own system without an external partner. Drawing technologies from the VL MICA and Aster programs, the Maitri is theoretically still on the table, say MBDA officials at the company’s Bolton, U.K. facility, but the proposal is unlikely to be resuscitated.
MBDA concept art of the proposed MAITRI SRSAM
MBDA has underscored the ‘soft launch’ mechanism that propels the CAMM missile out of its cannister and well into the air before the rocket motor triggers — a quality that reduces system mass, eases installation and simply makes firing the missile an affair that doesn’t the deck baked or swathed in smoke. The soft launch is visible in this video of the Sea Ceptor’s firing trials from Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Argyll:
In January 2018, a $2.2 billion Indian Army contest for SRSAM systems, much larger than the Indian Navy’s requirement, was scrapped in the final stages after India’s DRDO was able to persuade the Army that the improved indigenous Akash SAM system would meet its short-range requirements. The contest that collapsed was a three-way fight between Saab’s BAMSE, Israel’s SpyDer & Russia’s Tor-M2KM. The Akash system cannot be navalised for a variety of reasons, including the lack of a vertical/cannisterised launch option, and will therefore remain deployed with the Army and Indian Air Force.
In 2017, India’s DRDO also unveiled a new Quick Reaction SAM (QRSAM) to meet an Indian Army requirement for a missile with a reaction time of six seconds or less, an engagement range of 9-15 km at altitudes of not less than 6 km. The QRSAM is currently in development firing trials. It is unclear if the DRDO’s indigenous naval SRSAM (the one over which it has decided not to pursue the joint Maitri project with MBDA) will be a derivative of the QRSAM system or a clean-sheet weapon system.
https://www.livefistdefence.com/201...air-defence-missile-contest-begins-today.html
Strengthening ties: India-Saudi Arabia to hold the first-ever joint naval drill
According to the top MEA official, in the presence of the two leaders, the first Strategic Partnership Council will be announced which would include their foreign and commerce ministers. The council will meet every two years. ”
India is already a traditional player in the region and Saudi Arabia is seeking a presence in the Indian Ocean. (Representational image)
The first-ever joint naval exercise between India and Saudi Arabia will take place in December. Briefing the media ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit the Gulf nation on Oct 29, TS Tirumurti, Secretary (ER), Ministry of External Affairs said, “This is the first joint naval exercise between the two navies. Two leaders Prime Minister Modi and the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will have intensive discussions on security and economic issues.”
According to the top MEA official, in the presence of the two leaders, the first Strategic Partnership Council will be announced which would include their foreign and commerce ministers. The council will meet every two years. ”
The two countries have also decided to work together with other Indian Ocean Rim Countries for enhancing maritime security which is critical for the security and safe passage for international trade. India is already a traditional player in the region and Saudi Arabia is seeking a presence in the Indian Ocean.
Earlier this year both leaders had at the end of talks decided to hold the inaugural joint naval exercises at the earliest and had also agreed to further expand bilateral exercises in other domains. Inline with Make in India initiative and `Vision 2030’, the two countries are interested in cooperating and collaborating in joint production of spare parts for naval and land systems as well as supply chain development.
At the Fourth Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation held in Riyadh on January 2-3 this year it was decided that the there will be a “Comprehensive Security Dialogue” will be constituted where the National Security Advisors would set up a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism, for enhanced collaborative efforts and real-time intelligence sharing for mutual benefits.
These are in addition to the efforts including a range of security issues, including maritime security, law enforcement, anti-money laundering, drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal migration, and other transnational organized crimes.
Strengthening ties: India-Saudi Arabia to hold the first-ever joint naval drill
According to the top MEA official, in the presence of the two leaders, the first Strategic Partnership Council will be announced which would include their foreign and commerce ministers. The council will meet every two years. ”
The first-ever joint naval exercise between India and Saudi Arabia will take place in December. Briefing the media ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit the Gulf nation on Oct 29, TS Tirumurti, Secretary (ER), Ministry of External Affairs said, “This is the first joint naval exercise between the two navies. Two leaders Prime Minister Modi and the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will have intensive discussions on security and economic issues.”
According to the top MEA official, in the presence of the two leaders, the first Strategic Partnership Council will be announced which would include their foreign and commerce ministers. The council will meet every two years. ”
The two countries have also decided to work together with other Indian Ocean Rim Countries for enhancing maritime security which is critical for the security and safe passage for international trade. India is already a traditional player in the region and Saudi Arabia is seeking a presence in the Indian Ocean.
Earlier this year both leaders had at the end of talks decided to hold the inaugural joint naval exercises at the earliest and had also agreed to further expand bilateral exercises in other domains. Inline with Make in India initiative and `Vision 2030’, the two countries are interested in cooperating and collaborating in joint production of spare parts for naval and land systems as well as supply chain development.
At the Fourth Joint Committee on Defence Cooperation held in Riyadh on January 2-3 this year it was decided that the there will be a “Comprehensive Security Dialogue” will be constituted where the National Security Advisors would set up a Joint Working Group on Counter-Terrorism, for enhanced collaborative efforts and real-time intelligence sharing for mutual benefits.
These are in addition to the efforts including a range of security issues, including maritime security, law enforcement, anti-money laundering, drug trafficking, human trafficking, illegal migration, and other transnational organized crimes.
Strengthening ties: India-Saudi Arabia to hold the first-ever joint naval drill
Naval Officer-in-Charge (NOIC) Lakshadweep & Minicoy (L&M) and INS Dweeprakshak at Kavaratti are taking all precautions in co-ordination with Union Territory Lakshadweep (UTL) Admin to ensure safety of men and material during cyclonic storm Maha.
Three ships with Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief materials embarked are ready to move at short notice. Naval teams at Kavaratti, Androth and Minicoy have been directed to provide all possible assistance required to UTL administration.
Three ships with Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief materials embarked are ready to move at short notice. Naval teams at Kavaratti, Androth and Minicoy have been directed to provide all possible assistance required to UTL administration.
Russia in Negotiations to Manufacture Minesweepers in India
Our Bureau
07:30 AM, November 8, 2019
Project 12701 Alexandrit-E minesweper (image: aoosk.ru)
During Indian defense minister Rajnath Singh’s recent visit to Moscow, New Delhi was offered Russian minesweepers, which would be built in India, in case the deal fructifies.
The Indian navy is currently in urgent need of new generation minesweepers to replace 12 Pondicherry-class ships. On November 6, Russian side offered its Project 12701 Alexandrit-E ships under a transfer of technology (ToT) pact with India’s Goa Shipyard Limited.
The hull of the minesweeper is made of monolithic fiberglass formed by vacuum infusion. The 890-ton minesweeper is designed to provide mine protection of naval bases, coastal sea areas, to detect and destroy mines of all kinds, to provide mine protection for ships, exclusive economic zones, to carry out mine reconnaissance, and also to lay minefields.
It can be armed with weapons such as the automatic 30 mm AK-306 CIWS gun, 8 MANPADS and heavy machine gun armament.
“The boat can be equipped with French ECA Group’s Alister 9 autonomous underwater vehicles, K-STER C light weight expendable mine disposal vehicles and Inspector-MK2 unmanned surface vehicles to search and neutralize mines ahead of its course without entering the dangerous zone,” an informed source told Defenseworld.net.
“The light, fiberglass hull of these ships is the largest in the world. It offers protection against corrosion, larger endurance and longer service life. In addition, it provides equal proportion of structural strength distribution along the vessel hull,” the source added.
The Alexandrit-E has a nautical range of 1500nm, speed of 16knots and endurance of 10 days. The number of crew members required to run the ship is 44.
The ship is compatible with Russian DIEZ-12700E automated system for mine countermeasures operation control 1 x LIVADIA-ME mine-detection sonar.
Russian navy already operates Alexandrit-class minesweepers- “Alexander Obukhov” was commissioned in January of this year, while the “Ivan Antonov” was inducted in September. Factory trials of the Russian navy’s third minesweeper of this class, the Vladimir Emelyanov, is set to begin soon.
Russia in Negotiations to Manufacture Minesweepers in India
Our Bureau
07:30 AM, November 8, 2019
Project 12701 Alexandrit-E minesweper (image: aoosk.ru)
During Indian defense minister Rajnath Singh’s recent visit to Moscow, New Delhi was offered Russian minesweepers, which would be built in India, in case the deal fructifies.
The Indian navy is currently in urgent need of new generation minesweepers to replace 12 Pondicherry-class ships. On November 6, Russian side offered its Project 12701 Alexandrit-E ships under a transfer of technology (ToT) pact with India’s Goa Shipyard Limited.
The hull of the minesweeper is made of monolithic fiberglass formed by vacuum infusion. The 890-ton minesweeper is designed to provide mine protection of naval bases, coastal sea areas, to detect and destroy mines of all kinds, to provide mine protection for ships, exclusive economic zones, to carry out mine reconnaissance, and also to lay minefields.
It can be armed with weapons such as the automatic 30 mm AK-306 CIWS gun, 8 MANPADS and heavy machine gun armament.
“The boat can be equipped with French ECA Group’s Alister 9 autonomous underwater vehicles, K-STER C light weight expendable mine disposal vehicles and Inspector-MK2 unmanned surface vehicles to search and neutralize mines ahead of its course without entering the dangerous zone,” an informed source told Defenseworld.net.
“The light, fiberglass hull of these ships is the largest in the world. It offers protection against corrosion, larger endurance and longer service life. In addition, it provides equal proportion of structural strength distribution along the vessel hull,” the source added.
The Alexandrit-E has a nautical range of 1500nm, speed of 16knots and endurance of 10 days. The number of crew members required to run the ship is 44.
The ship is compatible with Russian DIEZ-12700E automated system for mine countermeasures operation control 1 x LIVADIA-ME mine-detection sonar.
Russian navy already operates Alexandrit-class minesweepers- “Alexander Obukhov” was commissioned in January of this year, while the “Ivan Antonov” was inducted in September. Factory trials of the Russian navy’s third minesweeper of this class, the Vladimir Emelyanov, is set to begin soon.
Russia in Negotiations to Manufacture Minesweepers in India
Indian Navy takes closer look at HMS Defender.
TNN | Updated: Nov 14, 2019, 4:19 IST
Photo : HMS Defender (D36)
Panaji, Goa : The arrival of the British warship HMS Defender has given the Indian Navy a chance to study the Royal Navy’s type 45 destroyer up close, especially the integrated electric propulsion system. A team of naval engineers from the Indian Navy visited the vessel and sat with British naval officers to study the propulsion system, crew berthing for women and combat systems.
According to senior officials from the two navies, at least 15 officers from the Indian Navy visited the HMS Defender that is currently moored at Mormugao Port Trust. The officers also interacted with officials from the foreign defence manufacturers who we re present on the vessel.
“HMS defender is propelled by an integrated electric propulsion system. I understand that the Indian Navy is also looking at the technology. So today we have marine engineers from the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy working collaboratively to understand how this system works,” commanding officer of HMS Defender Commander Richard Hewitt said.
The Indian Navy is seriously looking at electric propulsion for its future warships, especially future aircraft carriers. The Indian naval fleet largely depends on steam turbine, diesel or gas turbine propulsion with the engines physically connected to the drive systems. “In the HMS Defender, which has an integrated electric propulsion, the ship acts as a power station and is not installed at the same level and near the gear box and the propeller. This system saves space, is easier to upgrade and is flexible, which is why the Indian Navy is looking to adopt this into upcoming platforms,” said Tharun Koshy, an industry specialist with General Electric (GE) who was present for the interaction.
While the HMS Defender has taken a break from its deployment in the strait of Hormuz, the ship’s visit to Goa was a move to showcase the destroyer’s propulsion and power technology, ship design, and combat systems to Indian Naval officers and Indian defence industry specialists. Speaking to reporters, Hewitt said that UK has a world class industrial base that can compete globally in defence manufacturing.
“HMS Defender uses integrated electric propulsion, a propulsion technology which the Indian Navy is considering for its vessels. Discussions can then be had between India’s specialists and the UK’s teams who are actually using the technology,” another senior official said.
Indian Navy takes closer look at HMS Defender | Goa News - Times of India
@BMD this almost sounds like a sales pitch and it seems the Navy is interested. You got anything more on this ?
Did GE make the IEP of the Defender ? I thought it was Rolls-Royce. Well the IN has stated many times in the past they want their next destroyer to have IEP, this would be the right time to scout for technologies, partners and suppliers. The P-18 class(or whatever its called) seems to be on the drawing board. Sometime back I came across a research paper by an Indian organisation studying the ripple pattern in the sea as a large vessel moves, they were trying to find a way to minimise the ripples. I am thinking it was for the next destroyer, we'll see I guess. They seem to be very focused on signature management/reduction.
TNN | Updated: Nov 14, 2019, 4:19 IST
Photo : HMS Defender (D36)
Panaji, Goa : The arrival of the British warship HMS Defender has given the Indian Navy a chance to study the Royal Navy’s type 45 destroyer up close, especially the integrated electric propulsion system. A team of naval engineers from the Indian Navy visited the vessel and sat with British naval officers to study the propulsion system, crew berthing for women and combat systems.
According to senior officials from the two navies, at least 15 officers from the Indian Navy visited the HMS Defender that is currently moored at Mormugao Port Trust. The officers also interacted with officials from the foreign defence manufacturers who we re present on the vessel.
“HMS defender is propelled by an integrated electric propulsion system. I understand that the Indian Navy is also looking at the technology. So today we have marine engineers from the Indian Navy and the Royal Navy working collaboratively to understand how this system works,” commanding officer of HMS Defender Commander Richard Hewitt said.
The Indian Navy is seriously looking at electric propulsion for its future warships, especially future aircraft carriers. The Indian naval fleet largely depends on steam turbine, diesel or gas turbine propulsion with the engines physically connected to the drive systems. “In the HMS Defender, which has an integrated electric propulsion, the ship acts as a power station and is not installed at the same level and near the gear box and the propeller. This system saves space, is easier to upgrade and is flexible, which is why the Indian Navy is looking to adopt this into upcoming platforms,” said Tharun Koshy, an industry specialist with General Electric (GE) who was present for the interaction.
While the HMS Defender has taken a break from its deployment in the strait of Hormuz, the ship’s visit to Goa was a move to showcase the destroyer’s propulsion and power technology, ship design, and combat systems to Indian Naval officers and Indian defence industry specialists. Speaking to reporters, Hewitt said that UK has a world class industrial base that can compete globally in defence manufacturing.
“HMS Defender uses integrated electric propulsion, a propulsion technology which the Indian Navy is considering for its vessels. Discussions can then be had between India’s specialists and the UK’s teams who are actually using the technology,” another senior official said.
Indian Navy takes closer look at HMS Defender | Goa News - Times of India
@BMD this almost sounds like a sales pitch and it seems the Navy is interested. You got anything more on this ?
Did GE make the IEP of the Defender ? I thought it was Rolls-Royce. Well the IN has stated many times in the past they want their next destroyer to have IEP, this would be the right time to scout for technologies, partners and suppliers. The P-18 class(or whatever its called) seems to be on the drawing board. Sometime back I came across a research paper by an Indian organisation studying the ripple pattern in the sea as a large vessel moves, they were trying to find a way to minimise the ripples. I am thinking it was for the next destroyer, we'll see I guess. They seem to be very focused on signature management/reduction.
IAC-2 will definitely get IEP. Ongoing tender for LHD actually specifies IEP. RR got the most proven system so it is a sales pitch.
INS Viraat, Navy’s ‘grand old lady’, to go under the hammer
Updated: Nov 15, 2019 06:28 IST
By Pratik Salunke
Known as the ‘Grand Old Lady’, INS Viraat entered service with the Indian Navy in 1987 and was decommissioned in 2017 after spending spent nearly 2,250 days at sea, sailing 5,88,288 nautical miles.
INS Viraat was towed to Mumbai from Kochi in October.(HT File)
The decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Viraat, which was consigned to being scrapped in July this year, will be up for auction on December 17 before it is sent to be scrapped. Those interested in owning a piece of Indian naval history will have to pay a pre-bid earnest money deposit of ₹5.30 crore. Originally commissioned as the HMS Hermes of the British Royal Navy in 1959, INS Viraat holds the Guinness record for being the oldest serving warship in the world.
Known as the ‘Grand Old Lady’, INS Viraat entered service with the Indian Navy in 1987 and was decommissioned in 2017 after spending spent nearly 2,250 days at sea, sailing 5,88,288 nautical miles. On December 17, an e-auction will be held between 12pm and 4pm by state-owned e-commerce company, Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited (MSTC).
The carrier is currently available for inspection at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai between 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4.30pm till December 16 on working days and with prior intimation. Most of the equipment – including main machinery and its auxiliaries, propellers, weapons and sensors, communication, navigators, lifesaving equipment, motors and boats – has been removed or cannibalized.
Interested bidders can participate in the e-auction process by paying pre-bid earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹5.30 crore. “There is no fixed price quoted for the iconic ship but we expect good bidding,” said a source privy to the development.
The decision to sell INS Viraat for scrap was announced in July this year, in Parliament. “Viraat could not be handed over to any state government because of non-receipt of a self-sustaining financially complete proposal. Thus, in view of considerations of safety, security etc, a decision to scrap INS Viraat has been taken in due consultation with Indian Navy,” said minister of state for defence Shripad Naik in a written reply, in the Rajya Sabha.
Among the states that had expressed interest in preserving INS Viraat was Maharashtra. In November 2018, the state government said it would spend approximately ₹852 crore on a public-private partnership basis to convert the decommissioned carrier into a maritime museum that would be docked off the coast of Sindhudurg, around 600km from Mumbai. However, there were no bids for the expression of interest. Andhra Pradesh had also submitted a proposal of ₹300 crore to preserve INS Viraat as a heritage vessel.
INS Viraat was deployed for peace-keeping operations off Sri Lanka and during the Kargil War in the 1990s. Aircraft like Sea Harriers, White Tigers, Seaking 42B, Seaking 42C and Chetak helicopters have operated from the warship. Under the Indian Navy, aircraft have clocked more than 22,034 hours of flying from INS Viraat’s decks.
INS Viraat, Navy’s ‘grand old lady’, to go under the hammer
Updated: Nov 15, 2019 06:28 IST
By Pratik Salunke
Known as the ‘Grand Old Lady’, INS Viraat entered service with the Indian Navy in 1987 and was decommissioned in 2017 after spending spent nearly 2,250 days at sea, sailing 5,88,288 nautical miles.
INS Viraat was towed to Mumbai from Kochi in October.(HT File)
The decommissioned aircraft carrier INS Viraat, which was consigned to being scrapped in July this year, will be up for auction on December 17 before it is sent to be scrapped. Those interested in owning a piece of Indian naval history will have to pay a pre-bid earnest money deposit of ₹5.30 crore. Originally commissioned as the HMS Hermes of the British Royal Navy in 1959, INS Viraat holds the Guinness record for being the oldest serving warship in the world.
Known as the ‘Grand Old Lady’, INS Viraat entered service with the Indian Navy in 1987 and was decommissioned in 2017 after spending spent nearly 2,250 days at sea, sailing 5,88,288 nautical miles. On December 17, an e-auction will be held between 12pm and 4pm by state-owned e-commerce company, Metal Scrap Trade Corporation Limited (MSTC).
The carrier is currently available for inspection at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai between 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4.30pm till December 16 on working days and with prior intimation. Most of the equipment – including main machinery and its auxiliaries, propellers, weapons and sensors, communication, navigators, lifesaving equipment, motors and boats – has been removed or cannibalized.
Interested bidders can participate in the e-auction process by paying pre-bid earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹5.30 crore. “There is no fixed price quoted for the iconic ship but we expect good bidding,” said a source privy to the development.
The decision to sell INS Viraat for scrap was announced in July this year, in Parliament. “Viraat could not be handed over to any state government because of non-receipt of a self-sustaining financially complete proposal. Thus, in view of considerations of safety, security etc, a decision to scrap INS Viraat has been taken in due consultation with Indian Navy,” said minister of state for defence Shripad Naik in a written reply, in the Rajya Sabha.
Among the states that had expressed interest in preserving INS Viraat was Maharashtra. In November 2018, the state government said it would spend approximately ₹852 crore on a public-private partnership basis to convert the decommissioned carrier into a maritime museum that would be docked off the coast of Sindhudurg, around 600km from Mumbai. However, there were no bids for the expression of interest. Andhra Pradesh had also submitted a proposal of ₹300 crore to preserve INS Viraat as a heritage vessel.
INS Viraat was deployed for peace-keeping operations off Sri Lanka and during the Kargil War in the 1990s. Aircraft like Sea Harriers, White Tigers, Seaking 42B, Seaking 42C and Chetak helicopters have operated from the warship. Under the Indian Navy, aircraft have clocked more than 22,034 hours of flying from INS Viraat’s decks.
INS Viraat, Navy’s ‘grand old lady’, to go under the hammer
Excellent read. Take a bow SP.
Indian Navy Training for Electrical Propulsion in Future Warships
Stepped up focus on detecting quieter enemy submarines; first batch of engineer-warriors inducted on warships, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval (Training) Command, Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla discloses in an exclusive interview to Vishal Thapar of SP’s Naval Forces
Listing out training priorities for fighting contemporary hybrid wars and preparing for the future, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval (Training) Command, Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla reveals that the Indian Navy will be making a beginning with electric propulsion, which is regarded as a big technological leap. The jury is out on whether engineers will make better naval warriors, with the first batch of B.Tech qualified officers passing out of the Naval Academy in May 2019 now posted on warships. The Indian Navy wants its own Top Gun school as its aviation arm grows, and outsourcing of a part of training is on the horizon. The full text of the interview:
Vishal Thapar (SP’s): You have the unique distinction of having served as DG Naval Operations, Commander of the Western Fleet, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) and Chief of Personnel of the Indian Navy before taking over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern (Training) Command. If you were to put experience in perspective, what ought to be the biggest training priorities for the Indian Navy of the Future ?
Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla (VAAC): The training priority for the IN of the future, to my mind, will remain what we have always believed in. We must train as we will fight. We must train to put ordnance on target. We must train our personnel to give them the winning edge in battle – both professionally and mentally. Towards this, the practicalisation of training is a priority. This implies the requirement of as many actual equipment as practically feasible in our training establishments, or the use of simulators and emulators wherever actual equipment is not feasible. Increased connectivity, communication and rise of intelligent machines also requires us to train for tomorrow’s war and conflict. Hence, we are also focusing on training in niche technologies - including deep learning, machine learning, big data analytics, robotics, remotely piloted vehicles and vessels, electric propulsion, space based surveillance and Internet of things.
The first batch of officers who passed out with B.Tech degree finished their specialisation course in May 19 and were recently appointed onboard ships and submarines. A feedback in this respect will be sought to have a comparative analysis of the performance vis-à-vis erstwhile science graduate officers
SP’s: For some time now, all officers enlisted through the Naval Academy are engineers. How has this impacted on the performance of the Indian Navy?
VAAC: Ships, submarines and aircraft are fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and systems. The modernisation of Navy necessitated higher technical knowledge for the Executive Branch Officers who are the users of these systems. Consequently, the B.Tech curriculum at Indian Naval Academy was envisaged in the late 1990s and after extensive discussions commenced in 2009. The first batch of officers who passed out with B.Tech degree finished their specialisation course in May 19 and were recently appointed onboard ships and submarines. A feedback in this respect will be sought to have a comparative analysis of the performance vis-à-vis erstwhile science graduate officers. However, based on an initial assessment, there is no doubt that in the long run, B.Tech is going to be beneficial to Navy to keep officers abreast of latest technological developments and better understanding and utilization of ship-borne systems and equipment.
Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla inspecting the guard of honour at the Passing Out Parade for Autumn Term 2018 held at Indian Naval academy, Ezhimala
SP’s: Will the preponderance of technology and induction of modern assets force more specialisations in the Indian Navy?
VAAC: Currently, for officers, the existing branches of the Navy ie. Executive, Engineering, Electrical, Education, Law as also the sub-specialisations within each branch such as aviation, submarine, naval constructor, IT, hydrography, etc. are broad enough to encompass all the modern systems and technologies envisaged to be inducted into the Navy. However, for sailors, we have merged a few trades and created a few new ones, based on operational and technical requirements, and the need for vertical specialisation on specific equipment and systems.
SP’s: How is the Indian Navy training to fight short, intense wars of the future?
VAAC: As I had mentioned earlier we need to ensure that we must train as we will fight. Towards this there is a very close interaction with the operational commands and units for refining our syllabus and our procedures. We have also devised an online feedback system, under which each unit is required to send us a detailed feedback on the performance of each individual officer and sailor who undergoes training in our training units. We also have a very close interaction with the training commands of the Army and the Indian Air Force to ensure that joint aspects of warfare are always incorporated into our training curriculum. It also helps that the Southern Naval Command organises the annual war-game for the Navy and war-games are also held at the Naval War College.
Induction of training equipment and simulators are also contracted simultaneously with the new equipment. For instance, (there will be) electrical propulsion in some of our future platforms, and accordingly, facilities to train personnel in electrical propulsion have already been set up
SP’s: How is training making the Navy better prepared to face the threat of terror from the sea?
VAAC: Training on asymmetric warfare is a specialised art and covers a wide range of issues such as operations against suspected craft carrying terrorists at sea which require boarding and possible use of force in constrained spaces, explosive ordnance disposal, quick reaction teams ashore, knowledge of maritime law in cases where contraband, narcotics and human trafficking is involved and training on coastal surveillance systems. Training on all these different aspects is carried out by different training units of the SNC. Specialised training for the Sagar Prahari Bal is also conducted at Kochi. Asymmetric warfare is an area which requires close coordination with civil agencies such as Marine Police, BSF, Fisheries, Customs, etc. which is incorporated into our training. We also conduct training courses for para-military forces involved in coastal security.
SP’s: Can you give an illustration of how the lessons from exercises like Tropex and exercises with leading foreign navies into the operational sea training for the Indian Navy?
VAAC: The IN is continuously evolving to meet the emerging challenges to our maritime interest from malevolent non-state as well as state-sponsored elements. Exercises such as TROPEX test our preparedness for various contingencies, and lessons learnt are studied in detail towards evolving our operational philosophy. Additionally, maritime threats today manifest themselves across the globe and are not limited by national boundaries.Countering these threats requires navies to work together in close cooperation and bilateral exercises with leading foreign navies strengthens the synergy towards tackling common maritime threats. Dedicated Operational Sea Training by the Flag Officer Sea Training also enhances crew proficiency and focuses more on platform specific and fleet training.
The induction of quieter nuclear and conventional submarines in global navies, advancements in underwater weapons, communication and SONAR technology necessitates that ASW keeps pace with the evolving threats. Training in ASW has been in sync with the new developments and the IN has specifically increased its training efforts on passive underwater detection techniques
SP’s: What are the areas for improvement for building capabilities required for the Navy of the future?
VAAC: I will only talk about the training capabilities required for the future, which is my current charter. The most essential requirement today is to increase our training capacity, as the Navy is a growing service. I am confident that in the next few years we should have the additional infrastructure that is required. Another area where we need to focus is to enhance simulator based training and induct virtual reality in a big way to make training cost-effective. Another very important requirement is to ensure that we retain personnel trained in niche specialisations, so that their expertise can be passed on to the next generation. Outsourcing of certain type of training is another aspect receiving close attention. Finally, in order to be truly cost-effective we need to combine training efforts with our sister services, wherever feasible, and this too is well under way. For example, INS Hamla, our logistics training establishment, has already commenced training Army and IAF personnel since last year. Similarly, our personnel have also commenced certain training in Army and IAF establishments and this an area in which more can be done.
Cadets of Indian Naval Academy in a training camp at INA, Ezhimala
SP’s: What can we imbibe from the training regimen/ curriculum of leading friendly foreign navies like those of the US, UK and France.
VAAC: We are always open to inputs from friendly foreign navies as we believe that each Navy has its own expertise, good practices and knowledge which we can imbibe. This is even more important today because we train personnel from 46 different countries with an average annual throughput of almost a 1000 officers and sailors from our friends abroad. Consequently, during our bilateral and multilateral exercises, interactions, visits, staff talks, etc.training is a major point of discussion, which also acts as a feedback to improve our own curriculum. In addition, we also send a large number of our own officers to attend training courses abroad from where also feedback is obtained to improve our training. Indeed, revision of our training curriculum is a continuing endeavour and each course run by the Navy is thoroughly revised biennially with mid-course corrections being done earlier, wherever deemed necessary.
Training on strategic assets, irrespective of class and role has to be of a very high quality. Our training establishments are fully equipped to impart this training on all aspects to personnel manning our strategic platforms
SP’s: To what extent is the Indian Navy catering to expansion in training requirements on account of the induction of new platforms and systems?
VAAC: Training requirements for new platforms/systems is catered for by the Navy at the time of induction itself. In most cases, induction of training equipment and simulators are also contracted simultaneously with the new equipment. For instance, (there will be) electrical propulsion in some of our future platforms, and accordingly, facilities to train personnel in electrical propulsion have already been set up.
MIB training.
SP’s: What are the advances in weapon and missile training over the last few years?
VAAC: As mentioned earlier, the induction to any new weapon system is mirrored by the induction of training equipment in the concerned training schools and this is an ongoing effort. The endeavour is first to have the capability in our own training establishments, but if that is not cost-effective then we are open to conducting training with another Service or with the OEM.
All Indian Naval ships are designed and equipped to fight even in a nuclear fallout environment. The NBC training of the Indian Navy is conducted at the NBCD School. A dedicated NBC training simulator was recently commissioned there and provides realistic training to personnel in handling nuclear contingencies, such as a ship passing through a nuclear fallout area
SP’s: What are the advances in ASW warfare that the Indian Navy must cater to in its training curriculum?
VAAC: The induction of quieter nuclear and conventional submarines in global navies, advancements in underwater weapons, communication and SONAR technology necessitates that ASW keeps pace with the evolving threats. Training in ASW has been in sync with the new developments and the IN has specifically increased its training efforts on passive underwater detection techniques.
SP’s: Are training practices for strategic assets at par with the best in the world?
VAAC: The short answer is yes. Training on strategic assets, irrespective of class and role has to be of a very high quality. Our training establishments are fully equipped to impart this training on all aspects to personnel manning our strategic platforms.
As the Air Arm of the IN grows, there will be a requirement to set up our own aviation training establishment. As such, flying over land and flying over sea have significant differences
SP’s: What is the preparedness for facing nuclear fallout at sea?
VAAC: All Indian Naval ships are designed and equipped to fight even in a nuclear fallout environment. The NBC training of the Indian Navy is conducted at the NBCD School. A dedicated NBC training simulator was recently commissioned there and provides realistic training to personnel in handling nuclear contingencies, such as a ship passing through a nuclear fallout area. In sum, our personnel are well prepared to handle operations in a nuclear environment.
International Naval cadets from friendly foreign countries participate in camps conducted by Indian Naval Academy
SP’s: What are the training infrastructure arrangements being envisioned for the aircraft carriers of the future?
VAAC: Since the Indian Navy has been operating aircraft carriers for over six decades, our training processes are firmly in place. There are ship-specific training centres to look into all training requirements of our carriers, including the future Vikrant.
SP’s: What sort of training requirements for naval aviation for the future are being catered to? Can the Indian Navy look forward to a Top Gun school of its own?
VAAC: Currently training arrangements with the IAF for ab initio flying training and subsequent advanced training by IN units, is considered adequate to meet our requirements. However, as the Air Arm of the IN grows, there will be a requirement to set up our own aviation training establishment. As such, flying over land and flying over sea have significant differences.
Increased connectivity, communication and rise of intelligent machines also requires us to train for tomorrow’s war and conflict. Hence, we are also focusing on training in niche technologies - including deep learning, machine learning, big data analytics, robotics, remotely piloted vehicles and vessels, electric propulsion, space based surveillance and Internet of things
SP’s: What is the training vision for capability on the HADR front?
VAAC: Indian Navy has always been at the forefront of HADR operations undertaken not only in India, but overseas as well. SNC ships and aircraft have been deployed to Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Mozambique in the past few years for HADR operations. You may also recollect that the SNC was involved in a major HADR effort during last year’s Kerala floods, where our units rescued over 17,000 people. The IN has substantial capability to undertake these operations and efforts are being made to strengthen this capability further by streamlining Standard Operating Procedures. Capsules on HADR operations are also undertaken through training courses and during Operational Sea Training. This is also an area where combined exercises with the Army, IAF and NDRF are regularly conducted at national level.
SP’s: How are training establishments geared for supporting high-tech surveillance capability requirements?
VAAC: As part of the training being imparted at the various training establishments of the IN, the trainees are exposed to both theoretical knowledge as well as hands on experience on various surveillance equipment that they are expected to operate/maintain. Towards realising the need for practical ‘hands on’ training, a complete equipment/ simulator is catered for the respective training unit while concluding the contract for the surveillance equipment.
Another area where we need to focus is to enhance simulator based training and induct virtual reality in a big way to make training cost-effective. Another very important requirement is to ensure that we retain personnel trained in niche specialisations, so that their expertise can be passed on to the next generation. Outsourcing of certain type of training is another aspect receiving close attention
SP’s: Please illustrate a futuristic, high-tech warfare scenario which the Indian Navy is being trained to wage a war in.
VAAC: A future warfare is most likely to be hybrid in nature. This implies a military strategy which blends conventional warfare, irregular warfare and cyber warfare along with methods such as strategic communication, lawfare and psychological operations. While each warfare scenario would be unique, Armed Forces of the future will need to prepare for a range of operations across the spectrum of warfare ranging from low intensity combat to high intensity conventional warfare in a nuclear backdrop. The advancement of surveillance technology will imply that the battle space will be transparent, almost in real time, and will allow precision attacks. Cyber and space will also be important areas of warfare which we will need to prepare. Needless to say, we will also have to be prepared to conduct operations in the full glare of local and global media - a fact that is evident even today. Our training will, therefore, have to be modified accordingly.
Indian Navy Training for Electrical Propulsion in Future Warships - SP's Naval Forces
Indian Navy Training for Electrical Propulsion in Future Warships
Stepped up focus on detecting quieter enemy submarines; first batch of engineer-warriors inducted on warships, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval (Training) Command, Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla discloses in an exclusive interview to Vishal Thapar of SP’s Naval Forces
Listing out training priorities for fighting contemporary hybrid wars and preparing for the future, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval (Training) Command, Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla reveals that the Indian Navy will be making a beginning with electric propulsion, which is regarded as a big technological leap. The jury is out on whether engineers will make better naval warriors, with the first batch of B.Tech qualified officers passing out of the Naval Academy in May 2019 now posted on warships. The Indian Navy wants its own Top Gun school as its aviation arm grows, and outsourcing of a part of training is on the horizon. The full text of the interview:
Vishal Thapar (SP’s): You have the unique distinction of having served as DG Naval Operations, Commander of the Western Fleet, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) and Chief of Personnel of the Indian Navy before taking over as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern (Training) Command. If you were to put experience in perspective, what ought to be the biggest training priorities for the Indian Navy of the Future ?
Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla (VAAC): The training priority for the IN of the future, to my mind, will remain what we have always believed in. We must train as we will fight. We must train to put ordnance on target. We must train our personnel to give them the winning edge in battle – both professionally and mentally. Towards this, the practicalisation of training is a priority. This implies the requirement of as many actual equipment as practically feasible in our training establishments, or the use of simulators and emulators wherever actual equipment is not feasible. Increased connectivity, communication and rise of intelligent machines also requires us to train for tomorrow’s war and conflict. Hence, we are also focusing on training in niche technologies - including deep learning, machine learning, big data analytics, robotics, remotely piloted vehicles and vessels, electric propulsion, space based surveillance and Internet of things.
The first batch of officers who passed out with B.Tech degree finished their specialisation course in May 19 and were recently appointed onboard ships and submarines. A feedback in this respect will be sought to have a comparative analysis of the performance vis-à-vis erstwhile science graduate officers
SP’s: For some time now, all officers enlisted through the Naval Academy are engineers. How has this impacted on the performance of the Indian Navy?
VAAC: Ships, submarines and aircraft are fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and systems. The modernisation of Navy necessitated higher technical knowledge for the Executive Branch Officers who are the users of these systems. Consequently, the B.Tech curriculum at Indian Naval Academy was envisaged in the late 1990s and after extensive discussions commenced in 2009. The first batch of officers who passed out with B.Tech degree finished their specialisation course in May 19 and were recently appointed onboard ships and submarines. A feedback in this respect will be sought to have a comparative analysis of the performance vis-à-vis erstwhile science graduate officers. However, based on an initial assessment, there is no doubt that in the long run, B.Tech is going to be beneficial to Navy to keep officers abreast of latest technological developments and better understanding and utilization of ship-borne systems and equipment.
Vice Admiral Anil Kumar Chawla inspecting the guard of honour at the Passing Out Parade for Autumn Term 2018 held at Indian Naval academy, Ezhimala
SP’s: Will the preponderance of technology and induction of modern assets force more specialisations in the Indian Navy?
VAAC: Currently, for officers, the existing branches of the Navy ie. Executive, Engineering, Electrical, Education, Law as also the sub-specialisations within each branch such as aviation, submarine, naval constructor, IT, hydrography, etc. are broad enough to encompass all the modern systems and technologies envisaged to be inducted into the Navy. However, for sailors, we have merged a few trades and created a few new ones, based on operational and technical requirements, and the need for vertical specialisation on specific equipment and systems.
SP’s: How is the Indian Navy training to fight short, intense wars of the future?
VAAC: As I had mentioned earlier we need to ensure that we must train as we will fight. Towards this there is a very close interaction with the operational commands and units for refining our syllabus and our procedures. We have also devised an online feedback system, under which each unit is required to send us a detailed feedback on the performance of each individual officer and sailor who undergoes training in our training units. We also have a very close interaction with the training commands of the Army and the Indian Air Force to ensure that joint aspects of warfare are always incorporated into our training curriculum. It also helps that the Southern Naval Command organises the annual war-game for the Navy and war-games are also held at the Naval War College.
Induction of training equipment and simulators are also contracted simultaneously with the new equipment. For instance, (there will be) electrical propulsion in some of our future platforms, and accordingly, facilities to train personnel in electrical propulsion have already been set up
SP’s: How is training making the Navy better prepared to face the threat of terror from the sea?
VAAC: Training on asymmetric warfare is a specialised art and covers a wide range of issues such as operations against suspected craft carrying terrorists at sea which require boarding and possible use of force in constrained spaces, explosive ordnance disposal, quick reaction teams ashore, knowledge of maritime law in cases where contraband, narcotics and human trafficking is involved and training on coastal surveillance systems. Training on all these different aspects is carried out by different training units of the SNC. Specialised training for the Sagar Prahari Bal is also conducted at Kochi. Asymmetric warfare is an area which requires close coordination with civil agencies such as Marine Police, BSF, Fisheries, Customs, etc. which is incorporated into our training. We also conduct training courses for para-military forces involved in coastal security.
SP’s: Can you give an illustration of how the lessons from exercises like Tropex and exercises with leading foreign navies into the operational sea training for the Indian Navy?
VAAC: The IN is continuously evolving to meet the emerging challenges to our maritime interest from malevolent non-state as well as state-sponsored elements. Exercises such as TROPEX test our preparedness for various contingencies, and lessons learnt are studied in detail towards evolving our operational philosophy. Additionally, maritime threats today manifest themselves across the globe and are not limited by national boundaries.Countering these threats requires navies to work together in close cooperation and bilateral exercises with leading foreign navies strengthens the synergy towards tackling common maritime threats. Dedicated Operational Sea Training by the Flag Officer Sea Training also enhances crew proficiency and focuses more on platform specific and fleet training.
The induction of quieter nuclear and conventional submarines in global navies, advancements in underwater weapons, communication and SONAR technology necessitates that ASW keeps pace with the evolving threats. Training in ASW has been in sync with the new developments and the IN has specifically increased its training efforts on passive underwater detection techniques
SP’s: What are the areas for improvement for building capabilities required for the Navy of the future?
VAAC: I will only talk about the training capabilities required for the future, which is my current charter. The most essential requirement today is to increase our training capacity, as the Navy is a growing service. I am confident that in the next few years we should have the additional infrastructure that is required. Another area where we need to focus is to enhance simulator based training and induct virtual reality in a big way to make training cost-effective. Another very important requirement is to ensure that we retain personnel trained in niche specialisations, so that their expertise can be passed on to the next generation. Outsourcing of certain type of training is another aspect receiving close attention. Finally, in order to be truly cost-effective we need to combine training efforts with our sister services, wherever feasible, and this too is well under way. For example, INS Hamla, our logistics training establishment, has already commenced training Army and IAF personnel since last year. Similarly, our personnel have also commenced certain training in Army and IAF establishments and this an area in which more can be done.
Cadets of Indian Naval Academy in a training camp at INA, Ezhimala
SP’s: What can we imbibe from the training regimen/ curriculum of leading friendly foreign navies like those of the US, UK and France.
VAAC: We are always open to inputs from friendly foreign navies as we believe that each Navy has its own expertise, good practices and knowledge which we can imbibe. This is even more important today because we train personnel from 46 different countries with an average annual throughput of almost a 1000 officers and sailors from our friends abroad. Consequently, during our bilateral and multilateral exercises, interactions, visits, staff talks, etc.training is a major point of discussion, which also acts as a feedback to improve our own curriculum. In addition, we also send a large number of our own officers to attend training courses abroad from where also feedback is obtained to improve our training. Indeed, revision of our training curriculum is a continuing endeavour and each course run by the Navy is thoroughly revised biennially with mid-course corrections being done earlier, wherever deemed necessary.
Training on strategic assets, irrespective of class and role has to be of a very high quality. Our training establishments are fully equipped to impart this training on all aspects to personnel manning our strategic platforms
SP’s: To what extent is the Indian Navy catering to expansion in training requirements on account of the induction of new platforms and systems?
VAAC: Training requirements for new platforms/systems is catered for by the Navy at the time of induction itself. In most cases, induction of training equipment and simulators are also contracted simultaneously with the new equipment. For instance, (there will be) electrical propulsion in some of our future platforms, and accordingly, facilities to train personnel in electrical propulsion have already been set up.
MIB training.
SP’s: What are the advances in weapon and missile training over the last few years?
VAAC: As mentioned earlier, the induction to any new weapon system is mirrored by the induction of training equipment in the concerned training schools and this is an ongoing effort. The endeavour is first to have the capability in our own training establishments, but if that is not cost-effective then we are open to conducting training with another Service or with the OEM.
All Indian Naval ships are designed and equipped to fight even in a nuclear fallout environment. The NBC training of the Indian Navy is conducted at the NBCD School. A dedicated NBC training simulator was recently commissioned there and provides realistic training to personnel in handling nuclear contingencies, such as a ship passing through a nuclear fallout area
SP’s: What are the advances in ASW warfare that the Indian Navy must cater to in its training curriculum?
VAAC: The induction of quieter nuclear and conventional submarines in global navies, advancements in underwater weapons, communication and SONAR technology necessitates that ASW keeps pace with the evolving threats. Training in ASW has been in sync with the new developments and the IN has specifically increased its training efforts on passive underwater detection techniques.
SP’s: Are training practices for strategic assets at par with the best in the world?
VAAC: The short answer is yes. Training on strategic assets, irrespective of class and role has to be of a very high quality. Our training establishments are fully equipped to impart this training on all aspects to personnel manning our strategic platforms.
As the Air Arm of the IN grows, there will be a requirement to set up our own aviation training establishment. As such, flying over land and flying over sea have significant differences
SP’s: What is the preparedness for facing nuclear fallout at sea?
VAAC: All Indian Naval ships are designed and equipped to fight even in a nuclear fallout environment. The NBC training of the Indian Navy is conducted at the NBCD School. A dedicated NBC training simulator was recently commissioned there and provides realistic training to personnel in handling nuclear contingencies, such as a ship passing through a nuclear fallout area. In sum, our personnel are well prepared to handle operations in a nuclear environment.
International Naval cadets from friendly foreign countries participate in camps conducted by Indian Naval Academy
SP’s: What are the training infrastructure arrangements being envisioned for the aircraft carriers of the future?
VAAC: Since the Indian Navy has been operating aircraft carriers for over six decades, our training processes are firmly in place. There are ship-specific training centres to look into all training requirements of our carriers, including the future Vikrant.
SP’s: What sort of training requirements for naval aviation for the future are being catered to? Can the Indian Navy look forward to a Top Gun school of its own?
VAAC: Currently training arrangements with the IAF for ab initio flying training and subsequent advanced training by IN units, is considered adequate to meet our requirements. However, as the Air Arm of the IN grows, there will be a requirement to set up our own aviation training establishment. As such, flying over land and flying over sea have significant differences.
Increased connectivity, communication and rise of intelligent machines also requires us to train for tomorrow’s war and conflict. Hence, we are also focusing on training in niche technologies - including deep learning, machine learning, big data analytics, robotics, remotely piloted vehicles and vessels, electric propulsion, space based surveillance and Internet of things
SP’s: What is the training vision for capability on the HADR front?
VAAC: Indian Navy has always been at the forefront of HADR operations undertaken not only in India, but overseas as well. SNC ships and aircraft have been deployed to Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Mozambique in the past few years for HADR operations. You may also recollect that the SNC was involved in a major HADR effort during last year’s Kerala floods, where our units rescued over 17,000 people. The IN has substantial capability to undertake these operations and efforts are being made to strengthen this capability further by streamlining Standard Operating Procedures. Capsules on HADR operations are also undertaken through training courses and during Operational Sea Training. This is also an area where combined exercises with the Army, IAF and NDRF are regularly conducted at national level.
SP’s: How are training establishments geared for supporting high-tech surveillance capability requirements?
VAAC: As part of the training being imparted at the various training establishments of the IN, the trainees are exposed to both theoretical knowledge as well as hands on experience on various surveillance equipment that they are expected to operate/maintain. Towards realising the need for practical ‘hands on’ training, a complete equipment/ simulator is catered for the respective training unit while concluding the contract for the surveillance equipment.
Another area where we need to focus is to enhance simulator based training and induct virtual reality in a big way to make training cost-effective. Another very important requirement is to ensure that we retain personnel trained in niche specialisations, so that their expertise can be passed on to the next generation. Outsourcing of certain type of training is another aspect receiving close attention
SP’s: Please illustrate a futuristic, high-tech warfare scenario which the Indian Navy is being trained to wage a war in.
VAAC: A future warfare is most likely to be hybrid in nature. This implies a military strategy which blends conventional warfare, irregular warfare and cyber warfare along with methods such as strategic communication, lawfare and psychological operations. While each warfare scenario would be unique, Armed Forces of the future will need to prepare for a range of operations across the spectrum of warfare ranging from low intensity combat to high intensity conventional warfare in a nuclear backdrop. The advancement of surveillance technology will imply that the battle space will be transparent, almost in real time, and will allow precision attacks. Cyber and space will also be important areas of warfare which we will need to prepare. Needless to say, we will also have to be prepared to conduct operations in the full glare of local and global media - a fact that is evident even today. Our training will, therefore, have to be modified accordingly.
Indian Navy Training for Electrical Propulsion in Future Warships - SP's Naval Forces