TSAMTO, December 30. Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd. (GRSE) announced the keel laying ceremony of a new anti-submarine ship for shallow water fairway (ASW-SWC) intended for the Indian Navy, which took place on December 21 at the enterprise in Calcutta.
The laid-down vessel is the fifth of 8 ASW-SWC ships ordered.
As reported by TSAMTO, the Indian Defense Ministry signed an agreement with GRSE on April 29, 2019 for the construction of 8 ASW-SWC ships. Its cost was 63.11 billion. rupees (about $901.5 million). at the time of conclusion of the contract). A day later, the Indian Defense Ministry signed a similar contract for the construction of 8 ships with Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL). As planned, the first ship will be handed over to the Indian Navy in 2022, and full deliveries will be completed in 2026.
ASW-SWC ships will be used for anti-submarine warfare in coastal waters (together with aircraft), reconnaissance, mine laying. They can also be used for search and rescue operations and in low-intensity conflicts.
As planned, 16 ASW-SWC ships will replace the Abhai-class corvettes (Project 1241 PE / Spider-2) adopted by the Indian Navy during 1989-1991.
GRSE is implementing the project jointly with Larsen & Toubro (L&T). Cutting of steel for the construction of the lead ship of the series began on December 31, 2020, laying of the keel - in August 2021.
Cochin Shipyard Limited started cutting steel for the construction of the lead ship of the series on December 1, 2020.
As a result of the project, the Indian Navy will receive 70-meter ships with a width of 10.2 m, a draft of 2.7 m, and a displacement of 750 tons. The estimated speed is 25 knots, the cruising range is 1800 nautical miles at a speed of 14 knots, the crew is 57 people. It is expected that the armament will include torpedoes, missiles and two 12.7 mm machine guns.
In total, GRSE has delivered 70 warships to the Indian Navy and another 15 are at various stages of construction. The company also builds ships for the Republic of Guyana and Bangladesh.
