Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd. has bagged a Rs 1,990-crore contract from the Ministry of Defence. Making the announcement, the company said the contract involves construction of Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) Plugs for the DRDO-AIP system and its integration into Indian submarines.
Sanjeev Singhal, chairman and managing director (CMD) of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, provided insights into the project. He said the AIP Plug, which has been indigenously developed by the Defense Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will be retrofitted into existing submarines. "This plug has been indigenously developed by DRDO and will be fitted into our existing Scorpene-class submarines," Singhal explained. The AIP Plug will enhance the endurance of conventional submarines.
Singhal outlined the technical complexity of the retrofit process, stating, "The plug is 10 metres long and involves a complicated operation. The submarine is cut into two separate halves, and the AIP Plug is inserted in between. This increases the submarine's overall length by an additional 10 metres."
On the order pipeline with regard to Scorpene-class submarines, Singhal said, "We are at an advanced stage of discussions for a follow-on order for three more submarines. We anticipate this order being placed before March 31. All nine submarines under this project will be sequentially fitted with the AIP Plug," he said.
In addition, Singhal mentioned the 17 Bravo project, a follow-up to the 17 Alpha project, which is also under construction at Mazagon Dock.
On budget expectations for the sector, Singhal said, "Indian navy has been into the indigenisation initiative for long, and all these platforms are constructed within India, giving greater comfort and confidence to Indian shipyards."
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