Future Indian minehunter class

GSL/Kangam Mine Counter-Measure Vessels are series of eight naval ship jointly built by Goa Shipyard Limited and South Korea’s Kangnam Corporation for the Indian Navy.

Background

In May 2004, the Indian Ministry of Defence (MOD) approved a Mine Counter-Measures Vessel (MCMV) programme. The plan was to procure up to 24 MCMVs to replace the 12 existing Soviet-made Pondicherry/Karwar-class ocean minesweepers that had been in service for the last 25 to 30 years. An order was placed with Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) for eight Mine Counter-Measures Vessels (MCMVs).

The hulls were to be made from "lightweight reinforced composites rather than steel to lower their acoustic and magnetic signatures and to better resist underwater explosions."^[1] Hence a request for proposal (RFP) for construction and/or technology assistance was asked by Goa Shipyard Limited from builders Intermarine of Italy, Kangnam Corp and IZAR of Spain. Kangnam and Intermarine were shortlisted for meeting technical requirements. Thereafter Kangnam bided a lower price and contracted the deal worth $670 million with Indian Ministry of Defence in 2011.

The first two MCMVs will be delivered by 2016, followed by user trials and acceptance, while the remaining six will be built by Goa Shipyard Limited [GSL] under a Technology Transfer agreement by 2018.

Mine-hunting gear

As of 2011 RFPs for mine-hunting gear had been sent to Thales of the Netherlands, Atlas Elektronik of Germany, Fábrica de Artillería Bazán FABA of Spain and ECA SA of France. Indian public sector firm Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) was expected to supply the fire control radar for the vessel. BEL entered a joint venture with OTO Melara of Italy to supply 30 mm guns.

Specifications

Displacement: 885 tons
Length: 63 m
Beam: 10.2 m
Draft: 2.7 m
Propulsion: 2 × diesels, 2 shafts, 3,728 kW (5,000 hp)
Maximum speed: 16 knots
Range: 4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 10 knots; 3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 12 knots
Complement: 10 officers, 67 enlisted
Sensors and processing systems: BEL Sonar and BEL Radar
Electronic warfare: BEL minesweeper equipment
Armament: 4 × 30 mm (2×2) guns
4 × 30 mm (2×2) AA
4 × 25 mm (2×2) AA

References

↑ globalsecurity.org. "Mine Counter-Measures Vessel (MCMV)"

External links

"Indian Navy to Get South Korean Minesweepers in its Fleet". Defencenow.com. 2011-04-18. Retrieved 2012-05-16.

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