GSL Mine Counter-Measure Vessels

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GSL-class mine countermeasure vessels are series of twelve multi-purpose mine countermeasure vessels for the Indian Navy proposed to be jointly built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) with a foreign partner to transfer technology of equipment for anti-mine operations. [1]

Contents

Background

1st attempt

In May 2004, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MOD) approved a Mine Counter-Measures Vessel (MCMV) programme. The plan was to initially procure 8 MCMVs to replace the 12 existing Soviet-origin Pondicherry-class minesweeper that had been in service for the last 25 to 30 years. The ships were proposed to be built by the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL). [2] [3]

The ship were to feature :– [2] [3]

  1. High-resolution sonar for mine detection
  2. Remote-controlled mine disposal systems to neutralise the mines
  3. Lightweight reinforced composite hull to reduce their acoustic and magnetic signatures and better resist underwater explosions
  4. Lifespan: 30 years
  5. Maximum speed: 30 knots
  6. Endurance: 10 days

As per the plans, a Request for Tender (RFT) was sent to Italy's Intermarine, South Korea's Kangnam Corp. and Spain's IZAR (now Nacantia) for construction and/or technology assistance for the MCMVs. Subsequently, a Request for Proposal (RFP) for mine detection and netralising equipment was sent to France's Thales and ECA, Germany's Atlas Elektronik and Spain's FABA. [2] [3]

In 2008, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) invited bids for 8 MCMVs from France's DCN International (now Naval Group), Italy's Fincantieri, Spain's IZAR, South Korea's Kangnam Corp. and Northrop Grumman of the US. [1] [2]

Kangnam emerged as the winning bidder and concluded price negotiation with MoD in October 2011. As per the deal, the first two MCMVs would be directly delivered by the foreign shipyard at the cost of ₹ 2,700 crore (equivalent to ₹56 billionorUS$640 million in 2023) by 2016 for user acceptance trials. The rest of six ships would be built by GSL at the cost of ₹6,000 crore (equivalent to ₹120 billionorUS$1.4 billion in 2023) and delivered by 2018. However, in November 2011, Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi held the firm guilty of employing defence agents to seal the deal. Subsequently, the entire procurement process was scrapped. [1] [3]

2nd attempt

In February 2015, due to the urgent rerequirement of the ships, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) nominated GSL for the construction of 12 MCMVs at a cost of ₹32,640 crore (equivalent to ₹440 billionorUS$5.0 billion in 2023). In September 2015, GSL floated a global expression of interest (EOI) from companies willing to transfer technology to build the vessels. [4] On 11 January 2016, Kangnam Corporation responded and was the sole respondent to the EOI, leading to a single vendor situation. By then, the Pondicherry-class minesweeper were set to be devommissioned by 2018. As of April 2017, the deal was expected to be signed by the end of the year. However, the deal did not go through as reported in January 2018. Kangnam did not since "differences persisted over the transfer of technology and cost". The South Korean firm demanded $1 billion as technology transfer fee and "refused to provide intellectual property rights and production support guarantees" which the Defence Ministry did not accept. The negotiations had started in 2016. As per the orginal timeline, the construction of the first vessel was expected to begin in April 2018 with deliveries to be completed between April 2021 and April 2026. However, this was pushed back as the contract was cancelled again. [1] [2] [3] [5]

3rd attempt

On 21 March 2018, another EOI was floated for the same reason to South Korea's Kangnam Corporation, Italy's Intermarine, Spain's Navantia, Germany's ThyssenKrupp, and Russian Shipyards. Responses was received from a Russian shipyard and Intermarine. Meanwhile, the Navy also updated the qualitative requirements so that the MCMVs fit into the modern technologies after the delays of its induction The Russian offer was a variant of its Alexandrit-class minesweeper s which had integrated drones for anti-mine operations. [1] [3]

In August 2021, due to the delays in the procurement, a request for information was released to lease four in-service/decommissioned mine countermeasure vessels. The first vessel is to be inducted within 10 months of contract signing with the others following within 4 months each. [6]

Until the MCMVs are delivered, Samarthak-class Multi Purpose Vessel would partially fulfil the Navy's requirement. [7]

Current status

In August 2023, released a fresh Request for Information (RFI) for 12 vessels to integrate the capabilites of anti-submarine warfare and mine countermeasures vessel s which can operate Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and underwater drones. The vessels would also feature advanced hull-mounted and towed array sonars for submarine and mine detenction. The order would be split between the lowest (L1) and second-lowest bidding (L2) shipyards in 8:4 ratio and would be delivered between 2030 and 2037. The L3 bidder would need to match the cost of the L1 bidder to get the contract. [1] [8] [9]

Specifications

Source: [8]

Mine-hunting gear

As stated in the Request for Information released in 2023, each ships would be equipped to launch, recover and operate two Compact Autonomous Surface Craft All Domain Effects (CASCADE) Autonomous Surface Vehicle (ASV), four Heavy Weight Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (HWAUV) along with a ship launched Multi Utility Long Endurance (MULE) multicopter or Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial System (NSUAS) and at least 20 Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV). [8]

The CASCADE ASVs would be tasked to carry HWUAVs and ROVs from the MCMV, identify, classify and neutralise the mines with towed acoustic and influence sweep equipment. While ASVs will coordinate with HWUAV to identify potential mines using side-scan and synthetic aperture sonars, identification, classification and neutralisation of mines is to be tasked to ROVs. [8]

The unmanned rotorcraft (MULE or NSUAS) would provide situational awareness for the entire operation providing relay between ASV (equipped with integrated composite masts) and MCMV. [8]

The dimensions as mentioned in the RFI are [8]

The development of CASCADE has been initiated and will have anti-submarine warfare role as well. [8]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Thakur, Vijainder K. (29 January 2025). "Indian Navy: Without A Minesweeper For 6+ Years, Russia's New MCM Drone Is Just What IN Needs! OPED". EURASIAN TIMES. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mine Countermeasure Vehicles in the Navy". www.spsnavalforces.com. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Mine Counter-Measures Vessel (MCMV)". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  4. ↑ "India Seeks Global Transfer of Technology To Build MCMV". Defense News. Retrieved 2 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "Defence ministry to float tender for 12 minesweepers". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
  6. ↑ Manaranche, Martin (30 August 2021). "India Issues RFI for Four Used Mine Countermeasure Vessels". Naval News. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  7. ↑ Staff, Naval News (21 March 2023). "Indian Navy lays the keel of two multi-purpose vessels". Naval News. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Menon, Adithya Krishna (9 August 2023). "India Launches Hunt for New MCM Vessels". Naval News. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  9. ↑ "Indian Navy launches fresh hunt to buy 12 minesweepers from Indian shipyards". Hindustan Times . 5 August 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
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