India , France ink deal to manufacture Scorpene subs

Giving a major push to submarine building capability, India and France today signed a Rs 15,400 crore(3.5 billion US dollar) deal to manufacture six advanced stealth characterstics Scorpene submarines at the Mazagoan Docks in Mumbai.

Scorpene, billed as the world's most silent underwater killer machine, would be manufactured under full-technology transfer by the state-owned Mazagoan Docks and delivered between 2012 and 2017. The agreement was signed by French Ambassador Dominique Girard and S Banerjee, Additional Secretary Ministry of Defence.

As part of the deal, the submarines will be armed with EADS SM39 Exocet sub-harpoon anti-ship missiles. The other powerful weapons payload on the subs include Black Shark and other advanced torpedoes.

With the capability to strike targets underwater, on surface and on land, the Scorpene has a radical new design with reduced sound emissions which enables the submarines to strike at long-distances without detection. The Scorpene is based on designs of the French nuclear submarines.

The agreement gives India the option of incorporating the Advanced Air Propulsion technology for even lesser sound emissions, on the delivery of the third of the six submarines, Naval Chief Admiral Arun Prakash told newsmen after signing the deal in South Block.

Stating that India had got a "fair deal", Defence ministry officials said for the first time offset as well as integrity clause had been built into the agreement.

For the first time, an integrity pact seeking to ensure avoidance of all forms of corruption and free, fair and transparent dealings in negotiations leading to the agreement and during its duration was also signed. The agreement was signed by Thomas Mathew, Joint Secretary (Aquisitions) and Pierre Legros, Chairman of French makers, Armaris.

Briefing newsmen on the deal, Prakash said the agreement would ensure that Indian submarine-building lines, which were lying idle for the past 11 years would be revived. He said the Navy was going ahead with plans to equip itself with 24 submarines in 30 years.

He said even after the induction of the French submarines, the Navy would still be in shortfall. "We propose to press the government for more subs."

Defence Ministry officials said after the delivery of the first two submarines, Mazagoan Docks would be at full liberty to change the shape of the vessels to provide, if need arose, for installation of more lethal weapons, including missiles.

Prakash said India had kept open the option of building more submarines after the expiry of the present contract but added a new agreement would have to be entered into with the French company.

Another contract signed between Armaris and Mazagoan Docks provides for the presence of a team of French technical advisers during the construction of the first two submarines.

In about twenty years, we're going to be saying "Tom Clancy and Dale Brown were right all along."

We need to cripple the military forces and economies of potential enemies. To do otherwise is suicidal.

Don't worry, it's France. Remember their super-advanced top secret nuclear powered aircraft carrier? This is billed as "secret hi-tech stealth" as well, so I suspect we will see the blueprints circulating all over the internet soon. Besides, it's due to be complete when? 2012? Add ten years to that, billions in cost over-runs. Then there will be much fanfare and applase when it finally leaves port.

Then the propeller will fall off 15 mins after it leaves the dock, and you will never hear anything more about it again, except for cost overruns, trouble finding those propellers, and troublee suing the company who made them because they went out of business.

The SSK Scorpene:

Doesn't look that advanced to me. But it does require our attention, and I have no doubt my fellow bubbleheads know plenty about these boats.

Remember, diesel/electric subs are quieter while submerged than nuclear subs. And if that hull is a plastic that absorbs rather than reflects sound waves (sonar) it could be a challenge for our Navy to track. Not impossible, but they're going to have to be very careful not to get ambushed by these.
Also, these are perhaps 1/20th the cost of one of our subs. If they can be cheaply built in quantity, we could find ourselves in the same boat the Germans did in WWII.
The story was, it took five Shermans to knock out one German Tiger tank- but we always had that fifth Sherman.

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