4 Kamorta, 8 NGC, 6 NGMV and 16 ASW-SWC. That's 34 ships.
Oh, I got the math wrong then.
So, the no. of Kamorta class stay the same at 4.
16 ASW-SWCs are coming in to replace 1 Abhay class corvette & 7 Veer class corvettes in left service. That's a gain of 8 ships.
6 NGMVs to replace the remaining 3 or 4 Kora class corvettes. That's a gain of 2 or 3 ships.
8 NGCs to replace 2 Khukri class corvettes. The gain is 6 ships.
Total no of corvettes will be 34. The corvette fleet strength will increase by 16 or 17.
Plenty of space in the mid-ship area too. We can go for inclined launchers if under deck space isn't available. We need to develop the LR-LACM fast. The Navy needs domestic alternatives to the Club/Harpoon/Exocet class of missiles.
With 10 Talwar frigates, 10 Shivalik/Nilgiri psuedo-destroyers and 3 Brahmaputra class, we will have 23 frigates out of the sanctioned 24. So we are topped up there.
Should've retired the Brahmaputa class & ordered 3 more Nilgiri. Or they could use the Brahmaputa for training purposes. Or maybe gift those ships to Vietnam.
At the destroyer end, we have 10 out of the required 15, so a new order of 5 NGDs will be placed soon, although there seems to be interest in ordering 8, so the addditional 3 can replace the Delhi class at the fag end of its career.
We have 11 destroyers right now. By the time the NGD starts to enter service Rajput class would have to be retired. Delhi class would reach retirement age by the time all NGDs are in service. That's 8 new ships coming in to replace 6 ships going out. Net gain is 2 ships. Destroyer fleet would be at 13, against a sanctioned strength of 15. Maybe that's why they are saying 8-10 NGDs. 10 NGDs would get the IN to the sanctioned size.
It's not a stretch to say we need a 30% expansion of large surface combatants in due time, at least by the time an interest in NGF begins. Then we can have 2 shipyards building 10 each.
Never understood the sanctioned fleet size business. As I understand, this sanctioned size is the reason Navy gives out piecemeal orders. We should be making sure all our shipyards are pumping out ships as fast as they can. Instead, we often end up idling our shipbuilding capacity.
Right now, MDL, GRSE & CSL are the only shipyards making major surface combatants. HSL makes large auxiliary/support ships, but not combatants. GSL would gain that capacity through the 2 Talwar class they are tasked to build. Similarly, HSL and L&T shipyard should also be given orders of large surface ships. The Navy should do similar handholding with them. We cannot become too dependent on a few shipyards.
Definitely no. They are waiting for RFP, Probably next FY. Navy got DAC clearance last year.
Wait, I thought the NGF design would be based on the NGD design. You know, like the P17A design is based on the P15A/B. So, if the NGD design isn't ready yet how can they start building NGFs?
Repeat order of frigate is 3 years away. Yet to get even the AoN.
We are going to see repeat orders of the P17A? Or will it be P17B? Wonder who will build it. MDL is going to be occupied with the NGD/NGF program so maybe GRSE will get most of the work.
I think NGD program is even more matured and things are progressing.
MDL is planning to build a Rs 3000 crore floating dock at Nhava Sheva. They have already placed an order of Rs 496 crore this quarter. This might be a different floating dock to be stationed at MDL not at Nhava Sheva. MDL at one point wanted to acquire both the ABG shipyard & the Pipavav shipyard. But they backed out once the found out the amount of capex needed to make those shipyards capable of building destroyers.
These developments are linked to the NGD & NGF programs. MDL want to expand their shipbuilding capacity. But expanding in Mumbai is not always feasible given the land prices. Floating docks seem like a good interim solution for now.
