SP's Naval Forces Issue 4 - 2017

August-September 2017

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Page 4 INS Arihant – Strategic Arm of Nuclear Triad

The only Naval magazine for Navies across Asia-Pacific

 cover story

The most significant take away from the success of the Programme was the grooming and development of indigenous private sector companies who have focussed on continuous improvements to successfully bring down the cycle time on subsequent projects while progressively improving quality by reducing the non-conformities. Rear Admiral Sushil Ramsay (Retd)

photograph: Indian Navy

Page 5 Nirmala Sitharaman: India’s New Defence Minister

Ranjit Kumar

Page 6 Hunt for Multi-Role Carrier-Borne Fighters Rear Admiral Sushil Ramsay (Retd)

Page 9 Exercise Malabar 2017 with a Difference

INS Vikramaditya operates a combination of MiG-29K fighters, Kamov 31 & 28, Seaking, ALH and Chetak

The timing, structure and composition of participating forces in Exercise Malabar 2017 acquired strategic significance in the context of ongoing stand-off between China and India at the Doklam Plateau. Rear Admiral Sushil Ramsay (Retd)

Plus F/A-18 Super Hornet: Multi-role Advanced Fighter for Navy and Air Force 8

Future Aircraft Carriers “It is an important day for our nation. It is a golden day in Indian Navy’s history. For me, it is a matter of pride and happiness that INS Vikramaditya is joining the Navy. It is a historic step.” —Prime Minister Narendra Modi while dedicating INS Vikramaditya to the Nation, June 14, 2014.

Pratyush Kumar

Expedition for Circumnavigation of the Globe

n  Lt General Naresh Chand (Retd)

10

Rear Admiral Sushil Ramsay (Retd)

News in Brief

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n aircraft carrier is a floating airfield and has all the components which are required to store, maintain, fuel, arm, take off and land a fighter aircraft. Other aerial platforms like Airborne Early Warning Aircraft E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, helicopters, UAVs and rotary unmanned aerial vehicles can

also operate from a suitably designed aircraft carrier. An aircraft carrier enables a naval force to project its power globally. Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, former First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff of the Royal Navy, has said that, “to put it simply, countries that aspire to strategic international influence have aircraft carriers”. Fixed wing aircraft flew in 1903 and the first flight from the deck of a US naval cruiser took place in 1910. This was

followed by the development of seaplanes and seaplane tender support ships. The first designed aircraft carrier was by UK which began work on HMS Hermes in 1918 and which was commissioned in 1924. Japan began work on Hōshō first purpose-built aircraft carrier in 1918 and commissioned it in December 1922. However they are costly to build, operate and maintain thus only a handful of countries have aircraft carriers or some version of

Applied for 4/2017

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 cover story

E D I T O R I A L

We start the editorial by welcoming our new Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman who took charge on September 7. Sitharaman is the first full-time woman Defence Minister of India. Her first act as Defence Minister was approving a grant of over `13 crore which will be released for 8,685 ex-servicemen, widows and dependants out of the Armed Forces Flag Day Fund. She also approved financial assistance out of Raksha Mantri Ex-Servicemen Fund. Starting on a humanitarian note speaks immensely of her approach to the welfare of the Defence Forces. She has taken a hands on approach by immediately visiting various events and stations of the defence forces including trials at Pokharan Firing Range to get a sense of all the components of the Ministry of Defence (MoD). With her finance background, we are certain that she will expedite and streamline the financial management and acquisition process at the MoD. We all at SP’s Naval Forces

it.An aircraft has to be heavily defended being a vulnerable strategic asset with part of the naval air fleet on board. Thus it is escorted and defended by destroyers, light cruisers and other powerful fast battle ships and has its own air defence which makes it strike the enemy in the most unlikely of places.

Aircraft carriers in the Second World War Navies of US, UK and Japan had the maximum aircraft carriers during the Second World War. Each carrier of that period had over thousand sailors and upwards of 30 aircraft. The US Navy fielded 36 carriers, the Royal Navy 24, the French Navy had one obsolete carrier and the Imperial Japanese Navy about 23. The US navy used most of their carrier against the very powerful Japanese Navy in the Pacific that was arguably the most capable carrier force at the beginning of the war. The Allies lost 9 aircraft carriers during the war.

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Size of an aircraft carrier The fighter aircraft, interceptors and support aircraft are the main armament of a carrier. To put across simply, bigger the ship, bigger will be the hangar and flight deck which accommodates the air wing. Actual there is no direct relationship between the size of the carrier and the number of aircraft it can carry. The Chinese Navy’s aircraft carrier Liaoning displaces about sixtyfive thousand tons and carries twenty-six fixed-wing aircraft and twenty-four helicopters. USS George Washington, displaces a little more than one hundred thousand tons but can operate some eighty-five to ninety aircraft. US carriers have steam catapults which can launch heavier aircraft as compared to the ski jump. Heavier aircraft implies more fuel capacity and weapons thus improving their lethality and range. Larger carriers also allow the flexibility of a variety of mix of the aircraft, depending on the mission. On the other hand INS Vikramaditya has a displacement of 45,400 tons when loaded and can carry a maximum of 36 all type of aircrafts. However it is capable of carrying out the role for which it has been acquired. Thus size of an aircraft carrier should be tailor made for the role as a larger carrier escalates the cost astronomically.

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wish her best of luck in all her future endeavours. An appropriate write up on her is included in this issue. Aircraft carrier is an important component of force projection and thus India decided to design and make its own aircraft carriers with Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Project 71. INS Vikrant is the first ship of the Vikrant class of aircraft carriers being built by Cochin Shipyard. Indo-US Joint Working Group on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation has been formed to assist India in the design and construction of modern aircraft carriers. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while dedicating INS Vikramaditya to the nation on June 14, 2014, said that, “For me, it is a matter of pride and happiness that INS Vikramaditya is joining the Navy. It is a historic step.” Imagine the pride and happiness which will be generated when the first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant will be dedicated to the nation. China has already done it.

Launching Systems Deck is a mobile airfield, length of which will depend upon the distance required for the aircraft to take off. A longer deck means a bigger aircraft carrier which has its own problems. Thus there is always an endeavour to reduce the length of the deck. This can be done by Catapult Assisted Take- Off (CATO) or changing the direction of the thrust of the aircraft as in Vertical and/or Short Take-Off (V/STO). Details with pro and cons are given below: zz Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR). A steam-powered catapult provides the aircraft safe flying speed after which it uses its own power to fly. US employs this system. It is reported that China is trying to develop this system. This system is very costly as it requires complex machinery. zz Short take-off but arrested recovery (STOBAR). This depends on increasing the net lift on the aircraft. In this system the upward thrust is provided by a ski-jump located at the forward end of the flight deck. This is often combined with thrust vectoring by the aircraft. zz Short take-off vertical-landing (STOVL). STOVL on fixed wing aircraft is achieved by the use of thrust vectoring, which may also be combined with a ski-jump. Sea Harrier short take-off and vertical landing/vertical take-off and landing jet fighter, is an an example which India has employed for many decades. The Sea Harriers operated from INS Viraat for the last time on March 6, 2016. Use of STOVL enables aircraft to carry a larger payload as compared to VTOL but still requiring a short runway. Sea Harriers is technically a VTOL aircraft but are operated as STOVL aircraft for carrying additional fuel and armament. F-35B Lightning II has VTOL capability in test flights but is operationally STOVL. zz Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL): Aircraft are specifically designed for the purpose of using very high degrees of thrust vectoring. There are many examples of these including Sea Harrier, F-35B and Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey (tilt -rotor). Almost all carriers have arrested-recovery systems (AR, e.g. CATOBAR or STOBAR)

Additional aircraft carriers will need carrier borne aircraft thus as part of the forward planning India has floated Request for Information (RFI) for 57 multi-role carrier borne fighters (MRCBF) with a provision to enhance the future order for a larger quantity to meet future requirements of MRCBF. Details of the RFI and the possible options with lucid analysis has been included in this issue. India was looking for a naval aspect of the and Strategic Nuclear Triad and chose nuclearpowered ballistic missile submarines, commonly known as Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN). The objective from the beginning was focused on development of indigenous capability for a potent Nuclear Triad and thus Advanced Technology Vehicle Programme was born. The first SSBN in the series is INS Arihant details of which are included in this issue. The 21st edition of Exercise Malabar 2017 between the navies of India, United States and

to recover the aircraft. VTOL capable aircraft or helicopters can land without any assistance as they do not have to decelerate while landing.

Propulsion Systems Nuclear. Nuclear marine propulsion can be provided to surface ships and submarines where the role envisaged is to provide almost unlimited and uninterrupted global reach without pause for refueling. It is a highly technical field with few nations having nuclear propulsion technology and is also costly. To explain in simple terms the nuclear plant provides heat for converting water into stream which powers the steam turbines and the turbo generators. This power is then used for propulsion through gear boxes. The plant is divided into two parts , one for the port and the other for the starboard side to cater for failure of one side. Sea water is pumped, desalinated and provided to generate steam. The heat is transferred through water to steam generators which have a temperature of about 250 to 300°C. As water vaporizes at 100°C at normal pres-

Technology and cost comes in the way of late starters like India and China who want to design and construct their own aircraft carriers. Aircraft carrier aviation really does not depend that much on the carrier but the complex system of aviation operations which finally project power. US Navy has really a high standard in this field thus worth emulating.

Japan was held during July and tacitly left in its wake a message, who the domineering maritime powers of the Indian Ocean are!! Navika Sagar Parikrama is the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew in INSV Tarini and was flagged of by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on September 10, 2017. The Navy has thus taken the lead in projection of ‘Nari Shakti’ which is one of the key thrusts of the Government. We at SP’s Naval Forces wish them successful sailing. As usual we sign off with the News Digest and wish you readers a very happy Dusshera and Diwali.

Jayant BaranwaL Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

sure, the system is pressurized to increase the boiling temperature of the water. This water is normally called feed water. US, Russian and British navies generally use steam turbine propulsion while France and China use turbines to generate electricity. The number of reactors vary depending upon the role like most of the US aircraft carriers have two reactors but USS Enterprise has eight. Charles de Gaulle of the French Navy also has two pressure water reactors. Nimitz class of US aircraft carriers like USS George H.W. Bush has two General Electric pressurised water reactors driving four turbines of 260,000hp (194MW) and four shafts. As a result of the use of nuclear power, these ships are capable of operating for over 20 years without refueling and the anticipated service life of over 50 years. They have a displacement of 101,600–106,300 tonnes. Conventional. Turbines are normally used for propulsion and can be steam or gas. Aircraft carrier São Paulo of Brazil Navy carrier is powered by four Parsons steam turbines producing 126,000shp. Six Indret boilers provide steam for the main propulsion turbines. On-board power is generated by two turbo alternators and six 2,000kW diesel generators. It has a displacement of 32,000tonnes at full load. Cavour Aircraft carrier of the Italian Navy is a combination of gas turbine and gas (COGAG) propulsion. The four LM2500 gas turbines, developing 22,000kW each, are manufactured by FiatAvio of Turin under a licence agreement from General Electric (US). Aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi of the Italian Navy is powered by four FIAT-G. E LM 2500 gas turbines providing 82,000 hp and 6 × Diesel generators (9.360 KW) with a displacement is 13,850tonnes (loaded). INS Vikramditya has 8 turbo-pressurised boilers, 4 shafts, 4 geared steam turbines generating 180,000 horsepower (134,226 kW). It has a displacement of 45,400 tonnes( loaded).

Future Aircraft Carriers The US Navy currently has the world’s largest fleet of nuclear powered aircraft carriers, comprised of the Nimitz class and the upcoming Gerald R. Ford class super carriers. Apart from the size of their aircraft carrier fleet, US also leads in aircraft carrier technology, thus the current/ future role, design

C o v e r St o r y  and technology sets the trend for nations to emulate for constructing their own aircraft carriers. Many naval analysts in the US are carrying out a review of the employability of aircraft carriers in view of the threat of longer-range, precision-guided anti-ship missiles and next-generation of hypersonic attack weapons. In addition to the missile threat, the heavy cost factor, threat, role and mid air refueling providing extended ranges to fighter aircraft, are also factors which leverage a look at the aircraft carrier’s design and survivability. It is likely that the future carriers will be equipped with greater high – tech sensors, improved ship defences, greater speed and maneuverability to avoid enemy fire and the deck designed to take on more number of UAVs. The size could be smaller for better maneuverability with on board UAVs, extended range precision weapons and anti missile defences. Such carriers will be able to deliver carrier-based unmanned capability to the fleet. Keeping these factors in view, the Ford Class Carriers have the flexibility of design to adapt to the future extremely high-threat environments. They should also a higher sortie generation rate and automation to reduce the manpower. These threats could be from the Chinese and Russian Navies. Chinese-built DF-21D missile is specially designed as a carrier-killer which can destroy targets at more than 1440 km thus preventing aircraft carriers to operate close to the coast. The unmanned MQ-25 Stingray is planned as a Super Hornet-sized Carrier-Based Aerial-Refueling System which will increase the strike range of carrier based fighter aircraft. It will be also be to provide limited ISR and relay communication and have a smaller radar signature as compared existing manned refueling aircraft. Inputs have been requested from Boeing, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman and RFP is likely to be issued in 2017. Aircraft carriers are always operate in carrier groups and are well with defended armed cruisers and destroyers. Technologies of these ships including sensors and weapons will also have to keep with the future threat.

systems with an aerial sensor and dualmode SM-6 missile, to track and destroy approaching threats from over -the-horizon. Laser Weapons. Laser weapon systems (LaWs) are highly accurate and low cost. Damage to the target will depend upon the power of the laser and the time it spends on the target. The US Navy has already deployed 30-kilowatt LaWs onboard the USS Ponce which has been used in the Persian Gulf. The more powerful the laser, the less time it needs to spend destroying the target thus the US Navy is planning 150kilowatt LaWs.

Propulsion Systems Queen Elizabeth (QE) class of Royal navy’s aircraft carriers have the latest in conventional technology. QE class aircraft carriers have a planned displacement of approximately 65,000 tonnes, which may go up to70,000 tonnes in the future. The QE-class aircraft carriers have an integrated RollsRoyce electric propulsion system. Rolls-

Royce pioneered the use of aero-derivative gas turbines in marine propulsion, primarily for naval vessels. The MT30 Gas turbines that will power the QE class aircraft carriers are the most powerful in-service gas turbines in the world. Designed for the 21century navies, the MT30 integrates the very latest in gas turbine technology and is derived from the highly successful Trent engine programme. The propulsion system has two Marine Trent MT30 36 MW (48,000 hp) gas turbine generator units and four Wärtsilä diesel generator sets (two 9 MW or 12,000 hp and two 11 MW or 15,000 hp sets). The Trents and diesels are the largest ever supplied to the Royal Navy and jointly they feed the low-voltage electrical systems as well as four GE Power Conversion’s 20 MW Advanced Induction Motor electric propulsion motors which drive the twin fixed-pitch propellers. USS Ford needs lots of electrical power to support future systems like EMAL, EM

Rail Gun, advanced arresting gear, dual band radar and laser weapons thus it has four 26-megawatt generators, bringing a total of 104 megawatts to the ship. USS Ford can manage all this as its propulsion system is nuclear based. All future aircraft carriers who are going to equipped with modern systems, will need lots of electrical power which has to be catered for at the design stage.

China’s aircraft carriers China’s first aircraft carrier Liaoning was originally built as a “heavy aircraft-carrying cruiser” for the Soviet Navy. It was laid down as the Riga and renamed the Varyag in 1990. A Chinese travel agency purchased the unfinished hull in 1998 and three years later the ship was towed from the Ukraine to China, where it underwent extensive modernization of its hull, radar, and electronics systems. It was commissioned into the PLAN Continued on page 10...

Launching System Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS). is under development by General Atomics for the US Navy’s latest aircraft carriers, contract for which was given in 1999. The EMALS system is a multi-megawatt electric power system involving generators, energy storage, power conversion, a 100,000 hp electric motor, and an advanced technology closed loop control system with built in performance monitoring. It is planned to replace the current steam catapult being used on all US aircraft carriers. The Gerald R. Ford is designated to be the first carrier to use EMALS. The advantages of EMAL are reduction of manning workload, thermal signature, topside weight and installed volume. It will also increase the launch capability and will also be able to launch UAVs.

Weapon Systems Electro Magnetic(EM) Railgun. The EM Railgun uses high-power EM energy instead of explosive chemical propellants to fire a projectile farther and faster than any current gun. When fully weaponized, a Railgun will deliver hypervelocity projectiles on targets, at ranges far exceeding any of the current naval guns. It will be able to effectively intercept air threats, particularly anti-ship cruise missiles. Naval Integrated Fire Control – Counter Air system (NIF-CA). US Navy is developing ship-based defensive weapons, electronic warfare systems, lasers and technologies able to identify and destroy approaching anti-ship cruise missile from ranges beyond the horizon. Example of this is currently deployed NIFC-CA which combines ship-based radar and fire control

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submarines

INS Arihant –

Strategic Arm of Nuclear Triad The most significant take away from the success of the Programme was the grooming and development of indigenous private sector companies who have focussed on continuous improvements to successfully bring down the cycle time on subsequent projects while progressively improving quality by reducing the non-conformities. n  Rear Admiral Sushil Ramsay (Retd)

Arihant Class (SSBN)

he ‘Visionaries’ who foresaw India emerging as a reckonable global power had identified few futuristic capabilities to be home-grown and called them as Technology Demonstrators of the Nation. A most effective, yet silent deterrent capability chosen then was nuclearpowered ballistic missile submarines, commonly known as Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN). The objective was very clear to create indigenous capability for a potent Nuclear Triad. Considering that there will be mammoth challenges, enormous difficulties of all kinds and roadblocks of inconceivable nature and magnitude, the programmes had to be a closely guarded Top Secret variety. Sometimes in the early 1980s the bold decision saw the programme being christened under an innocuous and unsuspecting name ATV (Advanced Technology Vehicle). The founding fathers (there were several agencies involved right from its inception) launched the programme with perfect cohesion, devotion and dedication that it remained undeterred, despite several setbacks and reversals of unimaginable dimensions. The most domineering of the setbacks being the dissolution of the Former Soviet Union, the main bulwark on which the edifice of future technologies was to be built. Such a huge body-blow too was braved most competently by India, and several imponderables relating to security, international relations, geo-strategic paradigm, implications on technology transfers, etc. were managed with élan.

Dimensions:

Length – 112 m (367 ft), Beam – 15 m (49 ft), Draft – 10 m (33 ft)

Displacement (tonnes):

6,000

Propulsion:

PWR using 40 per cent enriched uranium fuel (80 MWe); one turbine (1,11,000 hp/83 MW); one shaft; one 7-bladed, high-skew propeller (estimated)

Range:

Unlimited except by food supplies

Speed:

12-15 knots surface, 24 knots dived

Test Depth:

300 m (980 ft) (estimated)

Complement:

95

Sensors and Processing Systems:

BEL USHUS Integrated Sonar; Indigenous Sonar and tactical weapons control system with active, passive, ranging, surveillance and intercept sonars and underwater communication system.

Armament:

6 x 533mm torpedoes, 12 x K-15 Sagarika SLBM (Range 750 km, 8 MIRV each) or 4 x K-4 Shaurya SLBM (range up to 3,500 km)

T

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The Reality Passing through the stormy weathers, several phases of trials and tribulations India indeed has arrived at the professed milestone by becoming the world’s sixth country to successfully operationalise a SSBN. The pipe-dream of the Nation Builders is now transformed into reality. This is just the beginning of the strategic programme which has three more of the follow-on SSBNs with far greater advanced technology upgrades, specifications, capabilities, etc. Operationalisation of Arihant marks the growing eminence of the indigenous capabilities, infrastructure, industrial support and above all the self-reliance. Arihant, which translates to annihilator of enemies, was launched by the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on July 26, 2009. Arihant is propelled by an 83 MW pressurised light-water reactor at its core. In 2013, the nuclear reactor of Arihant went ‘critical’. Since then a series of daunting trials commenced, the first being extensive Harbour Acceptance Trials (HATs). On successful completion of HATs from December 2014 onwards began the crucial Sea Acceptance Trials (SATs) which included extensive machinery, equipment and systems trials and integration out at sea, both on surface and submerged. The

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Launched:

July 26, 2009

Status:

Operational (unconfirmed)

Programme:

The second submarine of the class, reportedly to be named INS Aridhaman has been launched. Two more submarines of this class are expected to follow.

Source: Wikipedia

most intensive series of SATs was the test firing of K-series of missiles. The K-series of missiles have been named after former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. The K-15 submarine-launched ballistic missile has a range of 750-km and the K-4 has a range of up to 3,500-km. Based on the available reports Arihant is now fully ready and has been deployed for deterrent patrols with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles in its silos. On Monday, October 17, 2016 all leading national dailies announced that INS Arihant was formally commissioned by Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff in August 2016. At the same time same sources added that to maintain secrecy, it is not being referred to as INS Arihant.

Capabilities of Arihant Arihant, a 6000 ton nuclear powered SSBN is capable of carrying nuclear tipped ballistic missiles and is designed to prowl the deep and far-flung oceans, with unrestricted submerged endurance carrying nuclear weapons and provide India with an assured second strike capability — the capability to strike back after being hit by nuclear weapons first. Arihant is equipped with better stealth features and is larger compared to SSNs, which are nuclear-powered attack submarines. SSBNs are also said to be the “best guarantor” of a second strike capability in a nuclear exchange. Arihant is equipped with short range missiles with a range of 700 km and also has ballistic missiles with a range of 3,500 km. Completion of the nuclear triad is extremely critical for India given the country’s “No First Strike” policy. Second strike capability is particularly important for India as it had committed to a ‘No-FirstUse’ policy as part of its nuclear doctrine. India has reportedly conducted a secret test of the nuclear-capable under-

sea ballistic missile, code named K-4. As per a report published in The New Indian Express the submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) was test-fired from INS Arihant at an undisclosed location in the Bay of Bengal. The report quoted a source as saying that the missile was test-fired on March 31, 2017 some 45 nautical miles from the Vishakhapatnam coast in Andhra Pradesh. The missile test was dubbed as ‘highly successful’. The K-4 missile, developed indigenously, was test-fired with a dummy payload in full operational configuration. The report said the missile was launched from a 20-meter depth and successfully broke through the water surface. Among the notable features of the K-4 SLBM, its range is 3,500 km. The missile measures 12 metre in length and 1.3 metre in width. It weighs 17 tonnes and can carry a nuclear payload of 2,000 kilograms. Its engine is solid fuelled.

Defence Experts’ Views The deployment of INS Arihant would complete India’s nuclear triad, allowing it to deliver atomic weapons from land, sea and air. Only the United States and Russia are considered full-fledged nuclear triad powers now, with China and India’s capabilities still largely untested. China began combat patrols of an armed nuclear-powered submarine last year, the Washington Times reported in December 2016, citing the US Strategic Command and Defence Intelligence Agency. While China hasn’t made a formal announcement, and US officials haven’t confirmed that nuclear-tipped JL-2 missiles were on board the submarines conducting patrols, they have no evidence that the vessels weren’t armed. Even so, neither India nor China has quite reached the technical prowess to give

them a credible nuclear deterrent. Their submarines are loud and easily detected, making them an unlikely second-strike asset, the Lowy Institute for International Policy said in a September 2016 report. India needs to show the world it can capably and effectively operate the nuclear-armed submarine, said Jon Grevatt, Asia-Pacific defence-industry analyst for IHS Jane’s. The “important milestone” is part of a bigger strategy to ensure its security, he said. “The Arihant is a stepping stone for India,” he said. “I don’t think it will alter the balance of power in the region unless India has a fleet of four or five such submarines.”

The Indigenous Capability INS Arihant was built totally to the indigenous design under the Advanced Technology Vessel Project (ATVP) at the Ship Building Centre in Visakhapatnam. The Top Secret Project was steered directly under the supervision of the Prime Minister’s Office and involving agencies and establishments such as the Defence Research and Development Organisation, the Department of Atomic Energy, the Submarine Design Group of the Indian Navy, Directorate of Naval Design. The programme was wholly supported through design consultancy, transfer of technology, consultancy on construction and infrastructure creation and development by the Former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. While the time over-run and the cost over-run adversely impacted the prestigious project, it received unstinted and continuous support by successive Governments in India, many regime changes in the Former Soviet Union and the Russian Federation never impeded the time tested Inter Governmental Agreements. This turned out to be providential for ATVP. The most significant take away from the success of the Programme was the grooming and development of indigenous private sector companies who have focussed on continuous improvements to successfully bring down the cycle time on subsequent projects while progressively improving quality by reducing the non-conformities. Many engineering giants with great sense of national pride have participated in the Programme. Role played and contributions made by Larsen & Toubro, befittingly deserve special mention here. The Firm, besides making huge investments in creation of infrastructure and specific facilities, technologies, niche capabilities, etc. has remained an integral part of the Programme right from its inception and continues to be so even for the follow-on programme, as well. L&T has clearly emerged as a national asset as for the indigenous submarine construction capability is concerned. With positive support from ATVP, L&T has been able to indigenously develop the complete Torpedo Weapon Complex, making country self-reliant in this crucial technology.  SP

change of guard photograph: @DefenceMinIndia

Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff and Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, with Defence Minsiter Nirmala Sitharaman

Nirmala Sitharaman

India’s New Defence Minister n  Ranjit Kumar

W

ith only 20 months left for the new defence minister to justify her appointment, Nirmala Sitharaman faces an uphill task to meet the expectations of the defence community. On assuming charge on 7th September from Mr Arun Jaitley, as the first full-time woman defence minister of the country, she spelt out her priorities as military preparedness, sorting out long pending issues, Make-inIndia and welfare of families of soldiers. Significantly she said that she will be addressing all pending issues in consultation with the Prime Minister and the cabinet. She has been given this job at a time when her ruling party will shortly go in election mode for the next parliamentary elections hence her window to perform will be very narrow. The Integrated Ministry of Defence Headquarters, which she will be spearheading till the 2019 general elections, has multifarious jobs to complete. From armed forces modernization to the reform in Higher Defence Management and from structural reorganization of the three services especially the Army to strengthening border security, Nirmala Sitharaman will be facing challenging days ahead. With her image as a tough negotiator and efficient administrator in the Industry and Commerce ministry, the Defence circle is buzz with expectations. The first full-time Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar under the Modi government was more focused on his home state Goa, where he ultimately landed, and the second part-time defence minister Arun

Jaitley had the onerous task of looking after another heavyweight finance ministry. Hence, the decision making process in the MOD moved at snail’s pace, though major policy decisions were finalized during the last three years, like the Strategic Partnership model for big ticket defence projects implementation under ‘Make In India’ programme of the Modi Government. However, because of this, major acquisition decisions were kept pending and the combat capability of the armed forces suffered heavily. Though the war clouds on eastern front have dissipated a week before her assumption of charge, she cannot afford to rest. As the threat perception from both the fronts remain high, she will have to indulge in super-fast decision making in the days ahead to equip the armed forces to enable them to simultaneously thwart any coordinated evil designs on both the borders. If the then UPA government had gone ahead with the MMRCA tender for the Air Force, which recommended the French Rafale in February 2012, the IAF would definitely have started inducting them by now. The NDA government also dithered on the decision left pending by the UPA. Sidestepping the then Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, the Prime Minister personally intervened and requested the French President to order 36 Rafale to the manufacturer Dassault, which the IAF will start receiving from middle of 2019. But the IAF is not satisfied with only 36 Rafales as its squadron strength has gone down steeply to 32, whereas the sanctioned requirement is for 45 squadrons. Similarly the Indian Navy, with gigantic responsibilities to safeguard India’s mari-

time interests in the huge Indian Ocean, is left with only 13 diesel submarines. The Indian navy has sought six additional submarines, which the government has decided to be India made under the Strategic Partnership model. The new Defence Minister will have to act fast to award the contract for the ‘Made In India’ Submarines. Filling the yawning gaps in the fighter aircrafts and submarines requirements are only the tip of the iceberg. The armed forces suffer from deficiencies in many critical areas, for which the Defence Acquisition Council has been gradually releasing clearances, but these projects are yet to see any action on ground, without which the three Services do not feel confident. To get going all the projects on the ground, under the Strategic Partnership model, within a span of 20 months will be a difficult task to execute for the new defence minister. By the time these decisions reach their finality, the government may feel reluctant to give final go ahead in view of election related controversies. The SP model is vulnerable to judicial intervention as there are many aspects of the model which will give sufficient ground to the parties not winning the tenders to derail the projects from execution. The Overseas Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) have also expressed doubts and concerns relating to the 49 percent limit on the foreign equity participation. Nirmala Sitharaman’s acumen will be tested on the platform of the SP model on which the future of major Make In India projects like the fighters and submarines hinges. The armed forces want these platforms immediately. For them it does not

matter, where from those systems will be delivered to them. The new Defence minister will have to ensure that the armed forces does not face Kargil like situation once again, when the services headquarters had to run from pillar to post to acquire critical spare parts. Probably in this backdrop she asserted that the Indian Armed Forces received all attention in terms of giving them every necessary endowment and equipment to perform their duty. Nirmala Sitharaman realises the significance of indigenous defence capability “so that we benefit and also send these to the international market. We will ensure that Make-in-India is given full play for defence production.” Achieving self sufficiency in defence equipments has been a goal of all the previous governments, but lack of political will, sufficient financial backing and administrative efficiency has derailed all the indigenisation plans. The proposed Strategic Partnership and ‘Make in India’ plans of the NDA government have been welcomed by the industry but have asked for major policy changes. Nirmala Sitharaman will have to use her expertise and wisdom gained from the Industry and commerce ministry to make the SP and ‘Make in India’ policy more rational and attractive for the Overseas Equipment Manufacturers. The modernisation of Indian armed forces has been made to wait for the ‘Make in India’ and Strategic Partnership policy for long and it is high time that the new Defence Minister acts fast to give effect to her priority of military preparedness.  SP The writer is a Strategic Analyst

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 N ava l Av i ati o n

Hunt for Multi-Role Carrier-Borne Fighters

Design and development of LCA-Navy has run into severe rough weathers, compelling Indian Navy to back track from the project, as indefinite delay in its fructification runs contrary to the progress of IAC programme photographs: US Navy, Dassault Aviation

(Left) Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet; (right) Rafale M fighter.

n  Rear Admiral Sushil Ramsay (Retd)

www.spsnavalforces.com

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ight from the concept design itself determining the suitability and viability of Air Wing for an aircraft carrier has posed major challenge to the Designers. When INS Vikrant, which heralded the full-fledged birth of naval aviation in Indian, there were no such challenge, except choosing maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft to operate from Vikrant. After an elaborate search and evaluation process, Alizes from France were selected. This completed the Air Wing of Vikrant with Seahawks as the main fighter jet and Alizes as ASW aircraft. This combination continued to excel in their operational role. Vikrant’s escapades on the eastern seaboard during 1971 operations earned kudos for Air Wing of Vikrant. Due to ageing, especially the material state of Vikrant’s aircraft launch system continued to deteriorate. Thus, the hunt began for a replacement of Seahawk fighter jet. This lead to complete reconfiguration of the flight deck of Vikrant, as jump jet Sea Harrier was the only versatile option available. Sea Harriers continued their operational role with élan for several decades and proved a worthy platform to be inducted on board INS Viraat, later. Sea Harriers served the Viraat till the very end of her operational life. In between, Indian Navy decided to acquire third aircraft carrier off the shelf but this time from Russia. The dimensions

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of challenges were huge due to acquisition of a unique platform, as former Admiral Gorshkov was not designed to operate as aircraft carrier. Total refurbishment and modernisation of Gorshkov ensued with completely different deck design, hangars, lifts, launch arrester gear installations, island structure, etc. for MiG-29K to operate from INS Vikramaditya. Construction of Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC-1), Vikrant is progressing well, despite the time and cost-overruns. Government of India decided the Air Wing of Vikrant to comprise MiG-29K and light combat aircraft (LCA-Navy). While the acquisition process of MiG-29K for Vikrant is underway, design and development of LCA-Navy has run into severe rough weathers, compelling Indian Navy to back track from the project, as indefinite delay in its fructification runs contrary to the progress of IAC programme. Consequently, the Indian Navy has launched a global hunt for maritime fighter jets during January 2017 to operate from future IAC programme. With the approval of the Government, the Indian Navy has floated Request for Information (RFI) for 57 multi-role carrier borne fighters (MRCBF) with a provision to enhance the future order for a larger quantity to meet future requirements of MRCBF. Indian Navy is currently left with a sole aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya which is designed to operate only MiG-29K, hence the hunt for new generation MRCBF. The responses to the RFI were to be submitted by May 2017, however, the present status of the case is not available in public domain.

The RFI has elicited response from all leading global MRCBF manufacturers to answer queries on technical parameters, budgetary estimates, likely level of indigenisation, transfer of technology and schedule of deliveries after a contract is inked. French, Swedish, Russian and American firms have been served the RFI for the project to equip India’s future carriers: Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC)-I or Vikrant being built at Kochi and IAC-2, which is at a conceptual design stage for 60,000 tonnes displacement aircraft carrier with conventional propulsion. There are speculations to induct electro-magnetic aircraft launch system (EMALS) for IAC-2.

Rafale M French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation will compete for the MRCBF programme with the Rafale M fighter. Currently these fighter jets are operating from French Navy’s nuclearpowered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. India signed a $8.7 billion deal with France last year for 36 Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Dassault is hoping the IAF order could give it a head start. The firm believes it makes better sense to equip the IAF and the Indian Navy with the same platform as it would translate into better logistics, maintenance and industrial support.

Gripen Maritime Swedish aircraft maker Saab has reportedly thrown its hat into to the ring with its Gripen Maritime fighter. Saab has claimed their maritime fighter has “95 per cent commonality” with the Gripen E. The Swedish firm is closely

tracking an IAF programme to build singleengine fighters in India. Saab has further claimed that the maritime fighter features all the capabilities of the Gripen E and will come with a highly competitive operational cost per flight hour. Low maintenance requirements and high availability for operations make it an ideal solution for the Indian Navy.

F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet US defence giant Boeing’s F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet is also expected to be a strong contender for the Indian Navy project. The F/A E-18Es operate from American super aircraft carriers such as USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan, with the US Navy accounting for a fleet of more than 600 Super Hornets. Reportedly the American firm is also in discussions with the IAF to set up a production line in the country to build twinengine fighter planes. The US has offered its EMALS technology and advanced arresting gear for new generation IAC-2. India and the US have formed a joint working group on aircraft carrier technology cooperation.

MiG-29K Russia will be eyeing the project with the MiG-29K fighter jet, already in service with the Indian Navy. The deck-based fighter operates from INS Vikramaditya, a second-hand carrier bought from Russia. The Indian Navy commissioned its first squadron of MiG-29K fighters at Goa in May 2013, ahead of the induction of INS Vikramaditya. It also plans to deploy the fighters on the IAC-1 having placed separate orders for 45 MiG-29K fighters.  SP

M a r k e ti n g f e at u r e 

Product Lifecycle Management for Shipbuilding Tomorrow’s high tech fleets will depend on shipyards – long after the christening is over. Siemens PLM software makes that dream possible – today n  Joseph Keefe

A

ccording to global powerhouse Siemens, a major transformation is underway in the marine sector. As operators strive to develop more energy—efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly vessels that also lower operating costs, they will increasingly depend on shipyards to make that happen. That’s right: shipyards. Long after the vessel slides into the water and the christening party is but a distant memory, the clean and efficient workboat of tomorrow will leverage a wealth of data that the builder will manage. Before any of that happens, shipbuilders will also need to design and build ships faster and better than ever before. The two concepts are not mutually exclusive. The yards hoping to be around to serve tomorrow’s clients will, says Siemens, require a sea change in the way they operate. In the future, says Siemens, it will no longer be good enough to just build a good vessel. Operators will expect that the yard be an integral part of their vessel’s life cycle – from cradle to birth. It isn’t just about the ship – it is also about the shipyard itself. In a nutshell, the Siemens Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) for Shipbuilding solution enables a holistic approach to optimizing shipbuilding. PLM for Shipbuilding improves total enterprise collaboration, synchronization and productivity, as well as lifecycle ship service and support, by optimizing shipbuilding processes. The way forward isn’t just a concept; Siemens version is here today.

In the Beginning: Shipyard Optimization Optimizing shipyard performance means more than implementing a fancy software program. Long after U.S. yards lost the vertical integration advantage of having steel production as a part of their core business, they’ve had to look for other areas where they can improve their game. Veteran shipbuilder Fred Harris, long an admirer of the Korean shipbuilding model, once told this writer that ‘lay down space’ – or in other words, ample real estate to work – was also a key component within that Korean model. But, what if a yard has neither? That’s where Siemens PLM comes in. The modern shipyard benefits greatly from technology enhancements. Older legacy yards can gain similar – if not greater gains. In one shipyard in Germany that had been building ships for more than 200 years, a Siemens digital simulation and optimization analysis was able to reduce cycle time by 10 percent and labor by 20 percent by achieving a more efficient flow of material through the shipyard.

The concept sounds good, but we asked Siemens Director of Global Marine-Industry Marketing Tim Nichols if the solution would scale down to the typical U.S., second and/ or third tier yard. “Siemens’ PLM Software is designed to facilitate collaboration between design teams and operations regardless of their size with the capabilities to integrate a variety of non-native CAD inputs into a single integrate ship structure from work boats to luxury yachts and cruise liners to 100,000+ aircraft carriers,” replied Nichols, adding, “One shipyard CEO indicated that he expects his ‘smart shipyard’ to achieve a 15 percent cost reduction, which is significant vis-à-vis ships built before the transformation cost billions of dollars.” The next step involves what Siemens describes as a holistic approach to optimizing shipbuilding. This includes connecting all aspects of the shipbuilding cycle, each existing in stove piped format. Nichols explains further, “Siemens’ PLM Software can manage a comprehensive data-base, which includes the 3D models of the structure, systems and compartments, but also the ship system level requirements and relevant design decisions, configuration and change management status … which is crucial over a protracted construction period … as well as process and build procedures. This single source of total insight is available anytime and anywhere and can be accessed in a tablet or other mobile device anywhere in the shipyard.”

Supply Chain Management Because you can’t build a vessel in a vacuum, shipyards rely on a global supply chain of partners and suppliers to help design, develop, manufacture and test new ship concepts. Using the ISO-approved JT data format, which supports multi-CAD design content and flexible round-trip supplier data exchange, PLM for Shipbuilding allows shipbuilders to exchange data reliably and flexibly with suppliers and partners, some of whom may use a different authoring tool. As an example, Siemens software provides an open architecture, which eliminates the need for all suppliers to convert to a single CAD system thereby eliminating unnecessary expense and special training for all of the suppliers. The software also synchronizes supply chain operations by ensuring the right parts are available at the right time. Nichols pegs the cost savings for a shipbuilder who employs a tightly controlled, digitized supply chain at 15 percent of a vessel’s total value.

Building the Ship Tomorrow’s boatbuilding will evolve into something closer to assembly line manu-

facturing as opposed to the ‘industrial revolution’ scenes (sometimes) common in some domestic yards today. For example, Bollinger – as reported in the February 2017 edition of MarineNews – has, with the help of SSI, dipped its toes into robotic welding, something which promises more of an assembly line process for future series-build programs. Ahead of that, Siemens has called for the “digital simulation and optimization of shipbuilding operations and processes.” In this way, Siemens’ PLM Software can be used by planners and production management to model the flow of material throughout the shipyard and pre-fabrication shops and subsequently to and through final construction to optimize work processes, reduce material lead time, and reduce the time to construct a ship. The digitalization of ship development provides designers, engineers, suppliers, and production planners the ability to work in parallel with a complete and current representation in 3D models of every system, component and compartment on a ship. Nichols adds, “Now, teams throughout a shipyard can work in parallel with confidence that they are working with latest information that is aligned ship requirements and all regulatory requirements.” No longer do shipyard teams in different parts of the yard need to work in ‘stovepiped silos.’ And, because avoiding and minimizing ‘change orders’ in the yard is critical to an on time and on budget delivery, the software suite has built-in workflows that rigorously manage configuration changes by hull number and location. “In at least one program, there were 24,000 changes managed by Siemens PLM Software over one 12-month period for 6,500 engineers, 112 workflows and 31 Integrated Product Teams,” said Nichols. No less important, and as regulations impact the types of equipment required on board, this adds weight to hulls which can ill-afford the loss of space and/or deadweight capacity. The pre-configured shipbuilding catalyst includes best practice guides such as weight and systems requirements management. According to Nichols, Weight management is one of the system level requirements that can be managed in Siemens’ PLM Software by component, compartment and/or location.

After the Launch: Ship Service and Support In the past, shipyards weren’t necessarily focused on managing sustainability requirements for their customers. Nor were they necessarily worried about achieving continuous improvement in fleet availability, reliability and overhaul cycle reduction. But that’s exactly what the shipowner of

the future will demand. To this end, PLM for Shipbuilding enables shipyards to easily develop and publish all handover documentation included in the vessel specifications and contract. Helped by PLM Software, fleet owners and repair yards can better manage all maintenance and regulatory reporting requirements, service planning, execution, service processes, and metrics monitoring and reporting in a single environment. And, this will go far beyond the work of the typical ‘guarantee engineer.’ Nichols adds, “Complete and accurate information to sustain a ship or an entire fleet can reduce repair, maintenance and overhaul cycle times, boost fleet availability and lower total ownership cost.” Increasingly, both commercial and government fleets decision makers are now placing equal importance on initial cost and sustainment cost. Configuration management from Siemens allows shipyards to seamlessly track the configuration of a class of ships or an individual hull number from concept development through production and across the ship’s entire operating lifecycle. In essence, this helps to provide greater efficiencies and savings much earlier in a series-build cycle. And, says, Nichols, “This is particularly important when the construction phase can last 4-5 years, the Bill of Material for a ship can exceed more than 1,000,000 parts and changes are continuous throughout the building of a ship.” For large fleet operators, the software can aid the maintenance planning teams to prepare for overhauls and modernizations and track the performance of ships and systems in services.

Looking for the Next Job Even a busy yard knows that someday, that seemingly fat backlog will evaporate. Siemens aims to give shipyards a leg up on more accurate bid tenders for government and commercial work alike. Nichols explains, “Siemens’ PLM Software provides a disciplined foundation to respond to both commercial and government bid tenders including compliance with specific system requirements and regulatory specifications. Moreover, with Siemens’ PLM Software retaining the details from successful classes of ships, many systems on future classes of ships need not be re-engineered.” Having that archived data in a logically organized digitized format might just be the ticket to your next series-build assignment. Before, during and long after the next building boom, the shipyard of tomorrow will be involved in how ships are operated; standalone hulls or large fleets alike. Siemens is working to create that reality today.  SP

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 industry

F/A-18 Super Hornet:

Multi-role Advanced Fighter for Navy and Air Force photograph: US Navy

right sensors and the right weapon capabilities for the IAF’s missions.

F/A-18 Super Hornet Most Advanced Fighter – Today, and into the Future

n  Pratyush Kumar

www.spsnavalforces.com

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ith advanced technologies and multi-role capabilities, the Super Hornet is perfectly suited to meet the needs of the Indian Navy and Indian Air Force (IAF) now and in the future. Take a look at the decks of the US Navy’s aircraft carriers and the Royal Australian Air Force’s fleet and you’ll see advanced, combat-proven strike capability. The Super Hornet is the multi-role solution for the Navy and international air force customers. The Royal Australian Air Force operates 24 Super Hornets and 12 Growlers. Seven air forces around the world use the Hornets. The F/A-18 Super Hornet brings the latest generation of technologies to the warfighter. It has the right level of stealth, the

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Introduced in 2007, the F/A-18 Super Hornet Block II is the world’s preeminent carrier capable aircraft. The F/A-18 Super Hornet was designed from day one for carrier operations and is the world’s preeminent carrier capable aircraft. It is a combat proven, supersonic, all weather multi-role fighter jet with a defined US Navy flight plan to outpace threats into the 2040s. Every Super Hornet to the US Navy has been delivered on cost and on schedule. With designed-in stealth, an AESA radar and many other advanced technologies that is ideal for mission requirements of the naval aviator, the F/A-18 Super Hornet is the most advanced aircraft of its kind in operation today and will provides operational benefits to the Indian Navy’s existing and future force structure. The Super Hornets are fully compatible with the Indian Navy’s aircraft carriers. Extensive simulation has shown that the Super Hornet is capable of conducting STOBAR operations with a meaningful weapons and fuel load. The Super Hornet’s benefits of being a twin-engine aircraft help provide the warfighter a margin of safety that does not exist in a single-engine platform.

Easy to maintain, cheaper to operate The F/A-18 Super Hornet not only has a low acquisition cost, but it costs less per

flight hour to operate than any other tactical aircraft in US forces inventory. As a twin engine fighter, the Super Hornet costs less to operate than single engine fighters. Part of its affordability is because the Super Hornet is designed to need far less maintenance, which translates into the high mission availability it is known for.

Future Growth Potential The Super Hornet will be on the Navy’s carrier decks well into the 2040s – being threefourths of the Navy’s strike fighter capacity into the 2030’s and no less than half the carriers striking force into the 2040’s. The next generation of Super Hornet aircraft comes into the US Navy and potentially international customers to fulfill its role as the next-gen airplane in a complementary way with the F-35. Those two airplanes are going to work together on the carrier decks for the US Navy, well into the 2040s. The Super Hornet is continuously evolving to outpace future threats. Boeing and the US Navy have laid out and maintained a robust spiral development approach to the Super Hornet that provides updates to the aircraft’s subsystems and software every two years to outpace threats for decades to come. The future insertion of conformal fuel tanks will reduce weight and drag while expanding range of the Super Hornet. As part of this development path, the enhanced GE 414 engine offers an opportunity for collaboration with Indian firms to use in the LCA and future AMCA.

F/A-18 Super Hornet – Make in India Boeing has had a presence in India for more than seven decades and is committed to expanding that partnership by producing Super Hornets in India, further developing India’s aerospace ecosystem. Boeing is prepared to bring its global scale and supply chain, its best-in-industry precision manufacturing processes, as well as the company’s unrivaled experience designing and optimizing aerospace production facilities to bear in both expanding India’s aerospace ecosystem and helping realise the ‘Make in India’ vision. The approach addresses the infrastructure, personnel training, and operational tools and techniques required to produce a next-gen fighter aircraft right here in India. Boeing will partner with Indian industry to develop the right capabilities as efficiently and cost effectively as possible to integrate these suppliers into the global supply chain. Boeing and its current industry partners are having robust discussions with suppliers in India about building Super Hornets. Currently over 60,000 people from 800 suppliers across 44 states are part of the supply chain supporting the Super Hornet. This includes suppliers who manufacture parts for the Super Hornet in India.  SP The writer is President of Boeing India and Vice President of Boeing International, and he also serves as Managing Director of Boeing Defence India.

e x e r ci s e 

Exercise Malabar 2017 with a Difference

The timing, structure and composition of participating forces in Exercise Malabar 2017 acquired strategic significance in the context of ongoing stand-off between China and India at the Doklam Plateau photographs: US Navy

(Left) Senior officers and participating ships Commanding Officers aboard INS Jalashwa during the opening ceremony in Chennai; (right) The Kora class corvette INS Kora (P 61) steams behind the guided-missile cruiser USS Princeton (CG 59) and the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) during Malabar 2017.

n  Rear Admiral Sushil Ramsay (Retd)

T

he Tri-lateral annual maritime Exercise Malabar 2017 between the navies of India, United States and Japan which commenced on July 10, 2017 in the oceanic expanse of the Bay of Bengal and beyond were terminated a week later, on July 17, 2017, but not before most tacitly leaving in its wake a message, who the domineering maritime powers of the Indian Ocean are!! The 21st edition of Exercise Malabar 2017 had its primary aim to enhance interoperability amongst the three navies as well as develop common understanding and procedures for maritime security operations. Its scope included wide-ranging professional interactions during the Harbour Phase at Chennai from July 10 to 13, 2017 and a diverse range of operational activities at sea during the Sea Phase from July 14 to 17, 2017. The thrust of the exercises at sea this year was on aircraft carrier operations, air defence, anti-submarine warfare (ASW), surface warfare, visit board search and seizure (VBSS), search and rescue, joint manoeuvres and tactical procedures. In addition, officials from the three countries were flown onboard the ships at sea on July 15, 2017. The task force of Indian Navy comprised the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya with its embarked air wing, guided missile destroyer INS Ranvir, indigenous stealth guided missile multi-role frigates Indian Navy Ships Shivalik and Sahyadri, indigenous ASW corvette INS Kamorta, missile corvettes Indian Navy Ships Kora and Kirpan, one Sindhughosh class diesel-electric conventional submarine, fleet tanker INS Jyoti and longrange maritime patrol, surveillance, reconnaissance and ASW Aircraft P8I. The US Navy task force was represented

by the ships from the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group and other units from the US 7th Fleet, comprising Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser Princeton, Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyers Kidd, Howard and Shoup along with integral helicopters, a Los Angeles class nuclear attack submarine and one long-range maritime patrol and ASW aircraft P8A. The exercise was structured to include a separate interaction between Indian Navy and US Navy Special Forces and Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams at the Indian Navy’s Marine Commando training base, INS Karna at Visakhapatnam. The Japanese Maritime Self-Defence Forces (JMSDF) was represented by JS Izumo, a helicopter carrier with SH 60K helicopters and JS Sazanami, a guided missile destroyer with SH 60K integral helicopter. With the participation of 16 ships, two submarines and more than 95 aircraft, towards strengthening mutual confidence and inter-operability as well as sharing of best practices between the Indian, Japanese and US Navies, Malabar 2017 raised the Bar to much higher levels of cooperation. The exercise was a demonstration of the joint commitment of all three nations to address common maritime challenges across the spectrum of operations and will go a long way in enhancing maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region, for the benefit of the global maritime community. Commodore C. Uday Bhaskar (Retired), Distinguished Fellow, Society for Policy Studies New Delhi recalls, “Since 1994, the Malabar exercise has been institutionalised in a progressively robust manner and both nations see a certain value addition in sustaining this engagement. In 2007, the scope of Malabar was enhanced and the highpoint was a five-nation multilateral naval exercise that brought on board three other

nations — Japan, Australia and Singapore”. He adds, “The geopolitical subtext of the Malabar exercise is complex and multilayered. At one level, it denotes the growing level of interoperability between the navies of the US and India, and this is distinctive for India has steadfastly refrained from joining any formal military alliance. The deeper geopolitical salience of the exercise is about joint stewardship of the maritime domain – the traditional global commons. It is instructive to note that the concept of a ‘global common’ has now been extended to include the cyber and space domains and in many ways the Malabar exercise is a symbol of the depth of such collective endeavour”. He further adds, “The current stand-off in the Doklam plateau is one strand of the troubled India-China relationship. But for now, it is evident that Delhi is not seeking to play the Malabar card and stoke China’s imagined anxieties about a democratic naval/maritime coalition that will bring alive the Malacca dilemma first outlined by then Chinese President Hu Jintao in 2003”. Commenting on the strategic significance, Abhijit Singh, Head, Maritime Policy Initiative at Observer Research Foundation explains, “While the Malabar exercise takes place every year – and is, in that sense, a regular naval engagement – the 2017 iteration is significant for three reasons. First, the exercise between India-Japan-US comes against the backdrop of a tense face-off with China in Doklam at the tri-junction of India, Bhutan and China. There is a sense that New Delhi’s refusal to join the Belt and Road Initiative in May this year upset Beijing, resulting in a Chinese incursion on the eastern border. The Malabar is being seen as an opportunity for India to strike a hard-posture in a place where it perceives a strategic advantage visa-vis China — maritime-South Asia.”

“Secondly, the trilateral naval drill is being held at a time when the PLA Navy has been increasing its presence in the Indian Ocean – Chinese warships have been regularly visiting Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, even as China’s antipiracy deployments in the Gulf of Aden have grown in scope and strength. Media reports of the presence of a Chinese submarine and an intelligence ship in India’s near-seas days before the start of Malabar are being seen as a sign of China’s growing confidence in operating in India’s sensitive littorals, “Thirdly, there is a strengthening China-Pakistan maritime axis in South Asia, with a perceptible rise in Chinese warship and submarine deployments off the Makran coast, with the ostensible purpose of securing the China Pakistan Economic Corridor,” he adds. To allay adverse implications of the rhetoric that was built about Malabar 2017, Rear Admiral William Byrne, Commander of the US Carrier Strike Group has clarified, “The exercise is designed to advance military to military coordination and capacity to plan and execute tactical operations in multinational environment. The message, to China, he insists is the same as to the rest of the world and that is to follow international norms.” Identical message was also reiterated by Vice Admiral HCS Bisht, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command. The timing, structure and composition of participating forces in Exercise Malabar 2017 acquired strategic significance in the context of ongoing stand-off between China and India at the Doklam Plateau. While Exercise Malabar 2017 had no specific message for China, its consequential ripples had a narrative for a stand-off, if it took place out at Sea in the future!!  SP

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adventure

Expedition for Circumnavigation of the Globe Navika Sagar Parikrama is the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew. They will begun their voyage from Goa, and expect to return to Goa in March 2018, after completing the circumnavigation. photographS: Indian Navy

n  Rear Admiral Sushil Ramsay (Retd)

N

avika Sagar Parikrama is a project conceived for the women officers of the Indian Navy to circumnavigate the globe on board Indian-built sail boat, Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini. This is the first ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew. INSV Tarini is the sister vessel of INSV Mhadei. The project was designed to promote the spirit of adventurism in the Indian Navy through oceanic sailing expeditions. The decision to assign this expedition to an all women officers of the Indian Navy was considered essential to promote ocean sailing activities in the Navy while depicting the thrust of Government of India for ‘Nari Shakti’. The circumnavigation expedition is not new to the Indian Navy, as the first Indian solo circumnavigation was undertaken by Captain Dilip Donde, Shaurya Chakra (Retd) from August 19, 2009, to May 19, 2010, onboard the Indian built vessel, INSV Mhadei. Thereafter the first Indian non-stop solo circumnavigation was undertaken by Commander Abhilash Tomy, Kirti Chakra from November 10, 2012, to March 13, 2013. The crew of INSV Tarini comprises Lieutenant Commander Vartika Joshi, Lieutenant Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lieutenant Commander P. Swathi, Lieutenant Aishwarya Boddapati, Lieutenant Vijaya Devi and Lieutenant Payal Gupta. The allwomen crew have trained extensively for the ongoing expedition. They have sailed approximately 20,000 nm onboard INSV Mhadei and Tarini as part of training, which included two expeditions to Mauritius during 2016 and 2017, and a voyage from Goa to Cape Town in December 2016. INSV Tarini, is a 55-foot sailing vessel which was built by Aquarius Shipyard Private Ltd, Goa. Tarini was inducted into the Indian Navy on February 18, 2017. The vessel has sailed approximately 8,000 nm till she set sail. Navika Sagar Parikrama would be covered in five legs with stop-overs at four ports for replenishment of ration and

zz Port Stanley (Falklands) to Cape Town

(South Africa): January 10, 2018-February 8, 2018 zz Cape Town (South Africa) to Goa: February 21, 2018-April 4, 2018

The Bon Voyage

(Top) The crew of INSV Tarini with Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar and Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba; (above) INSV Tarini sailing in Arabian Sea.

essential repairs as necessary. The estimated dates for the voyage are as follows: zz Goa to Fremantle (Australia): September 10, 2017-October 12, 2017 zz Fremantle (Australia) to Lyttelton (New

Zealand): October 25, 2017-November 16, 2017 zz Lyttelton (New Zealand) to Port Stanley (Falklands): November 23, 2017-December 28, 2017

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman flagged-off INSV Tarini at Goa from INS Mandovi Boat Pool on September 10, 2017. The flag-off ceremony was attended by Manohar Parrikar, Chief Minister of Goa, Admiral Sunil Lanba, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral A.R. Karve Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, Vice Admiral R. Hari Kumar, Controller, Personnel Services, Integrated Headquarters, Ministry of Defence (Navy) besides other senior naval retired and serving officials and civilian dignitaries. During the ceremony at Goa, the Defence Minister said, “This is a historic day for the country, which will be marked in the navigation history of the world, and globally our women are going to stand out for something which most navies of the world would not have even thought of.” She further added, “For this initiative I appreciate the Indian Navy and the mentors for inspiring, motivating and training these brave and courageous women.” She expressed her absolute pleasure for being present at the momentous occasion and felt honoured to be amongst the crew and wished them a successful voyage. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba expressed satisfaction at continuation of the legacy of Indian Navy’s Ocean Sailing Expeditions which commenced in 1988 with expedition ‘Samudra’. This was followed by first solo circumnavigation by Captain Dilip Donde (Retd) and non-stop circumnavigation of the globe by Commander Abhilash Tomy resulting in India joining a select group of nine nations which have achieved such feats. He said that the present circumnavigation by an all women crew is an extension of the above efforts and reflection of the Government’s efforts at Women Empowerment – ‘Nari Shakti’.  SP

www.spsnavalforces.com

Future Aircraft... Continued from page 3 in September 2012 as a training ship and after two months PLAN conducted its first carrier-based takeoff and landings. Liaoning displaces roughly 60,000 tonnes and its air wing consists of 24 Shenyang J-15 multirole fighters. It is reported that China plans to finally have four aircraft carriers as it was disclosed that China had acquired four sets of aircraft carrier landing systems from Russia. True to its plan, launching ceremony of China’s second aircraft carrier was held at the Dalian Shipyard of the China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation on April 26, 2017. The second aircraft carrier is being indigenously designed and built by China. China started working on it in November, 2013. At present, the main hull of this aircraft carrier

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has been completed and the main system devices including power supply have been installed in place.

India’s Indigenous Aircraft Carrier Project 71 India decided to design and make its own aircraft carriers thus was born Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) Project71. INS Vikrant is the first ship of the Vikrant class of aircraft carriers being built by Cochin Shipyard. Its launching system is STOBAR with a ski-jump and displaces about 40,000 tonnes. It is designed to take on MiG-29K and Indian Tejas fighter aircraft. In addition it can carry 10 Kamov Ka-31 or Westland Sea King helicopters for anti submarine

warfare. It is powered by four GE LM2500+ gas turbines on two shafts, generating over 80 megawatts (110,000 hp) of power. It was launched in 2013 and expected to be commissioned in 2018. Apart from INS Vikrant there are plans to build the second carrier Vishal with a displacement of 65,000 tonnes and CATOBAR launching system with EMAL from US Finally India plans to have three air craft carriers.

Indo US Joint Working Group on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation This group has been formed to assist India in the design and construction of modern aircraft carriers. Indian Navy’s Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition rep-

resents India and US is represented by Programme Executive Officer, Aircraft Carriers US Navy. The Group meets periodically in India and US for discussions on providing modern aircraft technology to India. The meetings are also attended by other members as required. Providing of EMAL under the FMS is very much on the cards. Technology and cost comes in the way of late starters like India and China who want to design and construct their own aircraft carriers. Aircraft carrier aviation really does not depend that much on the carrier but the complex system of aviation operations which finally project power. US Navy has really a high standard in this field thus worth emulating.  SP

News

News in Brief Eastern Fleet ships on Deployment to East and South-East Asia In pursuant of the India’s ‘Act East Policy’, INS Satpura and Kadmatt departed Visakhapatnam on September 8 to visit 12 ports in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Brunei and Russia over a period of three months. During this deployment, the ships participated in the International Fleet Review hosted by the Association of South East Asian Countries (ASEAN) at Thailand. They also visited Singapore, Vietnam, Philippines, Cambodia and Brunei to commemorate the 25th anniversary of India-ASEAN dialogue. The ships also participated in the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief exercise at Malaysia. At Russia, the ships participated in the annual India-Russia bilateral exercise INDRA. This year, for the first time, Ex-INDRA witnessed the joint participation of Army, Navy and Air Force of both countries, thus, a major milestone in the bilateral relations between the two countries.

2017, 86 days ahead of schedule which was attended by H.E. Chitranganee Wagiswara, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka Navy in India, Rear Admiral S.S. Ranasinghe, Chief of Staff of Sri Lanka Navy, Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd), RAdm Shekhar Mital, CMD GSL, and senior officials of Sri Lankan Navy, Indian Navy, Coast Guard and GSL. With this, GSL has succeeded in reducing build period of 2,500 tonnes OPV to nearly 3 years from 5 years taken till about 3 years back. In the past 20 months, GSL has delivered five OPVs to the Indian Coast Guard and one to the Sri Lankan Navy, and 13 smaller boats to Mauritius, making it India’s biggest exporter of ships.

Launch of L&T Yard 55000 (Floating Dock – FDN 2) The first indigenously built Floating Dock (FDN-2) for the Indian Navy was launched on June 20 by Anjali Deshpande, wife of Vice Admiral D.M. Deshpande, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition at an impressive ceremony at Larsen & Toubro Ltd (L&T) Shipyard at Kattupalli near Chennai. Speaking on the occasion, Vice Admiral DM Deshpande, commended L&T for their efforts in the design and construction of FDN-2. Floating Dock is an indigenously designed and built platform with state of the art machinery and control systems capable of docking warships of up to 8000 Tons displacement.

GSL has delivered largest OPV to Sri Lankan Navy ahead of schedule Goa Shipyard Ltd., (GSL) has delivered 1st Sri Lankan Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) to Lanka Navy in a ceremony held on July 22,

>> SHOW CALENDAR 3–5 October PACIFIC 2017: International Maritime Exposition International Convention Centre ­Sydney, Australia www.pacific2017.com.au 1–2 November Surface Warships Summit Washington, D.C., USA https://surfacewarshipssummit.iqpc.com 31 October–2 November Unmanned Maritime Systems Washington, DC, USA https://unmannedmaritimesystems.iqpc. com

First LRSAM delivered to India

First Two NOPVs Shachi and Shruti Launched by RDEL at Pipavav, Gujarat

Mou signed between Department of Defence Production and MDL Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), has signed a MoU for the financial year 201718 with the Department of Defence Production. The annual MoU was signed between Secretary (Defence Production) Shri AK Gupta and Chairman and Managing Director, MDL Cmde Rakesh Anand. The MoU outlines the targets and various performance parameters for the company. The revenue from operations has been targeted at `4500 crore. Significant milestones to be achieved under Project 75 (Scorpene Submarines) and shipbuilding projects of 15B (destroyers) and 17A (frigates) also form part of the MoU.

Lanba, Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and CNS and other senior officials of the Indian Navy. The Admiral also called on the Raksha Mantri and met Chief of the Air Staff, NSA and Defence Secretary. He also visited various naval establishments, including INS Kalinga, INS Karna and INS Satavahana at Visakhapatnam.

Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL) has launched on July 25, the first two Naval Offshore Patrol Vessels (NOPVs) at their shipyard in Pipavav, Gujarat. The ships are part of a five-ship project being constructed for the Indian Navy. The two NOPVs, Shachi and Shruti were launched by Smt. Preeti Luthra, wife of Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, the FOC-in-C Western Naval Command at the RDEL Shipyard Pipavav, Gujarat. Speaking on the occasion, Vice Admiral Girish Luthra, mentioned that the launch is a significant and milestone event as these two NOPVs are the first warships to be launched by a private sector shipyard in India.

Commissioning of Second Ship of Landing Craft Utility (LCU) MK-IV

Dr Jagdish Mukhi, Lieutenant Governor, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, commissioned IN LCU L52 on August 21at Port Blair. IN LCU L52 is the second LCU Mk-IV class to be inducted into the Indian Navy. The ship has been indigenously designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata. LCU Mk-IV ship is an amphibious ship with the primary role to transport and deploy Main Battle Tanks, Armoured Vehicles, troops and equipment from ship to shore. The remaining six ships of the same class are in advanced stages of construction at M/S GRSE, Kolkata and are scheduled to be inducted in the next two years.

Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed Chief of Bangladesh Navy visits India Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed, Chief of Naval Staff of the Bangladesh Navy was on an official visit to India from August 28-30, 2017. The visit is aimed at consolidating bilateral naval relations between India and Bangladesh and to explore new avenues for naval cooperation. Admiral Ahmed held bilateral discussions with Admiral Sunil

At a ceremony held on Sunday, August 27 in Hyderabad, India, the first Long Range SAM manufactured in India for the Indian Navy, was delivered to India’s Minister of Defence. The missile is part of the LRSAM air & missile defense system of India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), to be installed in India’s operational missile ships whose construction has been completed recently.

Delivery of first Scorpene submarine by MDL

History was written at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) on September 21, 2017, with the delivery of the first Scorpene submarine, Kalvari, to the Indian Navy. This historic event reaffirms the giant strides taken by MDL in the ongoing ‘Make In India’ programme, which is being actively implemented by the Department of Defence Production (MoD). The contract for the construction and Transfer-of-Technology for six Scorpene submarines in series, with M/s DCNS of France as ‘Collaborator’ and MDL as ‘Builder’, was signed in October 2005. The state-of-art technology utilised in the Scorpene has ensured superior stealth features such as advanced acoustic silencing techniques, low radiated noise levels, hydro-dynamically optimised shape and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision guided weapons. The attack can be launched with both torpedoes and tube launched anti-ship missiles, whilst underwater or on surface. Scorpene submarines can undertake multifarious types of missions i.e Anti-Surface warfare, Anti-Submarine warfare, Intelligence gathering, Mine Laying, Area Surveillance etc. The Submarine is designed to operate in all theatres, with means provided to ensure interoperability with other components of a Naval Task Force. It is a potent platform, marking a generational shift in submarine operations. The second of the Scorpenes under construction at MDL, Khanderi, was launched in January 2017, and is currently undergoing the rigorous phase of sea trials. The third Scorpene, Karanj, is being readied for launch later this year. The balance submarines are in various stages of outfitting.  SP

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