Probably, for the first time, a navy official has confirmed the existence of an indigenously designed SSK program called Project 76.
Project-76 Indigenous Diesel-electric Submarine (SSK) Program
- Thread starter Ashwin
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Probably, for the first time, a navy official has confirmed the existence of an indigenously designed SSK program called Project 76.
So 12 more in plan means how long timeline do you think? lead time of 3-5 years?
@Rajput Lion @Ashwin @Fatalis sir?
@Rajput Lion @Ashwin @Fatalis sir?
Remaining is 3-6 not 12.
6+3 P75 + 6 P75I + 3-6 SSN + 3-6 P76 = 24
It will take lot of time. Probably, all in service by end of next decade.
Not 12 most likely 6-9 as we are already getting 3 more P75.
IMO the first boat will be in water by the time last P-75I enters sea trials so my guess is around 2034ish.
12 Subs, Pumpjet for stealth & preliminary design done?
Yeah this is still with the WDB still per MDL, suggesting not fully mature by that time (it prob has , just to tie up some loose ends maybe). Hopefully a flurry of proposals in next 1-2 years time.
I've mentioned it a few years ago. P-76 will start as soon as P-75I is signed.
However it's already been delayed by 2 years. P-76 was supposed to have started this year, at best the next year, with the completion of P-75I in 2023. That's probably why IN is sitting with the PDP blueprint.
If IN pushes for the P-76 before P-75I is finalized to some extent, like at least contract negotiations, then the govt will take this chance to cancel it in favor of P-76. That will put the brakes on P-76 too 'cause the ToT is supposed to come with some new production techniques.
Was the AIP being retrofitted on scorpenes/additional scorpenes a plan from the start ? esp an indigenous aip yet to be tested? I thought they wanted a foreign aip fitted sub first for benchmarking , both for the forces and DRDO.
I an mot sure but possibly the Naval commander conference that was ongoing, 3 days event.
DRDO takes up preliminary study on development of indigenous conventional submarine
After the year-long study, DRDO would make the case for a project sanction.
As the procurement of new submarines under P-75I goes on, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has taken up a preliminary study on the design and development of an indigenous conventional submarine under Project-76.“DRDO got a go ahead from defence ministry to carry out a preliminary study to determine the project contours. It is expected to take upto a year after which a formal case will be put up to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for project sanction,” a defence source in the know said. This will be a continuation of the Advanced Technology Vessel (ATV) project, to build a conventional submarine, under which the Arihant series of nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) are being built and another project for building nuclear-powered submarines (SSN) is currently underway, the source stated.
Under P-76, there will be substantial indigenous content, including weapons, missiles, combat management system, sonars, communications, Electronic Warfare suite, mast and periscope, sources said.
The Navy has a 30-year submarine building programme and after the P-75I, it intends to design and build conventional submarines indigenously, senior officials had stated on several occasions.
Air Independent Propulsion
An Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) module designed and developed by DRDO is now awaiting fitment on the Scorpene class submarines. The first Scorpene-class submarine Kalvari is expected to go for refit in 2025 when the fitment process would begin and is expected to take 2-3 years, 2027 or 2028, sources said. This is being done in collaboration with Naval Group, the original manufacturer of Scorpenes.An AIP module acts as a force multiplier as it enables conventional submarines to remain submerged for longer duration thereby increasing their endurance and reducing chances of detection.
The AIP is currently being continuously run on shore, and as there is no submarine, a simulated hull has been created to have near-sea conditions and also run the same cycles, the source stated. An AIP module is inside a submarine so there is no corrosion issue and the only aspect to be checked in a submarine is the reliability of the AIP module.
The DRDO-developed AIP module is phosphoric acid based which is widely available, officials noted. An AIP module has a stack of fuel cells generating hydrogen. The power output of each fuel cell in the DRDO AIP is 13.5 kW. It is being so asked up to 15.5 kW and will eventually be scaled up to 20 kW which will meet future submarine requirements like the P-76, sources said.
The final configuration of the AIP is a stack of 24 fuel cells and the overall output will be higher than the requirement, to build in redundancy and optimise performance, another source explained.
why would they derive it from a sub scale SSBN if its to be conventional diesel electric ?
Probably under the same project as it is just a study. Less bureaucratic.
only the manufacturer (MDL) gets the ToT, which is limited to the construction side. Even testing and certification have to be done under NG's supervision.
the additional scorpene order is similar, Indigenous content (baring AIP system) will go up due to IDDM systems, not just license manufacturing.
