The Indian Coastal Waters on the Western Coast are unique in nature and has an extended continental Shelf. So there is a need to have a Squadron each of small anti submarine Corvettes for the coastal patrolling of areas in both Western Naval Command and the Southern Naval Command.
The ideal number should be 12 corvettes in each squadron. Though it seems that the Navy has decided to go for a total of 16 Corvettes, that is 8 ships per squadron.
Also to ensure early availability, the Navy’s Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASWSWC) project of 16 hulls will be split evenly between two shipbuilders, Cochin Shipyard Limited and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers.
Each shipyard will build its own variant of a 700t waterjet-powered ASW corvette working to common IN-issued specifications. The ASWSWC is intended for coastal ASW missions, minelaying and maritime security operations within 200nm of the coastline.
GRSE’s design has an overall length of 77m, beam of 10.5m and displaces about 750t. It has elements of the X-shaped hull form used in the Kamorta-class corvette. CSL’s design is slightly shorter at 74m, and it has a beam of 10.5m and somewhat different topside arrangement with slab sides.
Otherwise, performance figures and overall propulsion system configuration is similar to GRSE’s. Both have three diesel-driven waterjet units, a top speed of 25kt and range of 1,800nm at 14kt. They will be the biggest waterjet-powered vessels in the IN.
Combat systems include one ASW rocket launcher, two sets of torpedo tubes, small-calibre cannon, mine-laying rails, hull-mounted sonar and towed low-frequency variable-depth sonar. Given its ASW focus, signature management (particularly acoustic silencing) is expected to be a key feature.
CSL had revealed the broad specifications of its variant earlier this year, now the details of GRSE’s ship has emerged as it seeks vendors to perform basic design work and specialised engineering studies on the proposed design. Given their association with GRSE’s existing projects, Kockums/Saab, Naval Group and Fincantieri are likely contenders.
While the IN would have preferred a common design, GRSE with its large in-house design team is ‘reluctant’ to do so and is pushing ahead with its own variant. Earlier expectations from GRSE’s management for a contract signing by October did not materialise, but pre-production work is progressing.
Contractually, each shipbuilder is required to build and deliver eight hulls within 84 months. Delivery of the first hull is to be ‘within 42 months’ of contract signing, and subsequent hulls at six-monthly intervals.
