An F-35C test aircraft piloted by Lt. Christopher Tabert launches from a from a degraded test catapult. The test used an intentionally degraded catapult to check the aircraft's response to steam ingestion. The F-35C is the Navy variant of the Joint Strike Fighter and recently concluded the first round of catapult testing. Future testing will include launches at varying weights, stores and with increased mission system functionality. The F-35C is undergoing test and evaluation at NAS Patuxent River before delivery to the fleet. (Photo by Layne Laughter courtesy of Lockheed Martin/Released)
The P-8A Poseidon successfully launches the first MK 54 "exercise" torpedo Oct. 13 to verify safe separation of MK 54 from the P-8A. (U.S. Navy photo)
The first production F-35B Lightning II short takeoff/vertical landing multirole fighter for the US Marine Corps was flown for the first time on 25 October 2011 at the Lockheed Martin facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti put the aircraft (Navy bureau number 168057) through a series of functional checks during the nearly one hour sortie. This aircraft will be delivered to the F-35 Integrated Training Center at Eglin AFB, Florida, by the end of 2011.
The MoD press release on the launch of the second anti-submarine corvette, INS Kadmatt, which is being build under Project 28, is pasted below in full.
GRSE LAUNCHES SECOND ANTI SUBMARINE WARFARE CORVETTE FOR INDIAN NAVY
The Indian Navy’s modernization quest under ‘Project-28’, to stealthily hunt and destroy lurking enemy submarines, got further bolstered with the launch of the second indigenous ‘Anti Submarine Warfare’ (ASW) corvette ‘Kadmatt’ - named after an island in the Lakshwadeep archipelago of India - built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), at Kolkata, today.
Conforming to the centuries-old maritime tradition of ship launches by a lady, Smt Mamatha M, launched ‘Kadmatt’ from the GRSE main yard in the presence of her husband, Raksha Rajya Mantri, Dr. M.M. Pallam Raju, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition (CWP&A) of the Indian Navy, Vice Admiral N.N. Kumar, GRSE Chairman and Managing Director (CMD), Rear Admiral K.C. Sekhar and other GRSE workers and office bearers.
GRSE is slated to launch four ASW corvettes for the Indian Navy each costing nearly Rs. 1,700 crores apiece. Kamorta, the first in the series was also earlier launched by Smt Mamatha on April 19, last year. Kamorta after fitments is expected to be delivered to the Indian Navy in June 2012 and Kadmatt in March 2013. The keel of the third ASW corvette meanwhile was laid in August 2010. The remaining two ASW corvettes scheduled to float out next from GRSE yards are Kiltan and Kavaratti.
Dr. Pallam Raju in his address expressed delight that 50 percent of the total work on the frontline warship Kadmatt was completed prior to the launch as against 40 percent for the first ASW ship Kamorta launched in April, last year. “This is a record of sorts in the warship-building scenario,” he said. The on-schedule ‘build programme’ would ensure timely contractual deliveries adding to the might of the country in its projection as a blue water navy of our region, he also said.
Stating that Indian Navy and Coast Guard have huge requirement of ships to be met without any time and cost overruns, Dr. Raju emphasized that timely delivery of ‘quality ships’ was the need of the hour. “Modern shipbuilding technology and tools must be adopted to achieve this objective,” he stated.
Urging GRSE to put into practice effective mechanisms to meet challenges posed by the Indian private sector, Dr. Raju said shipyards (defence) have to concentrate on implementation of time-tested quality practices, effective corporate strategy, establishment of reliable and stabilized vendors and most importantly, training and up-gradation of its human resources to the lowest level.
GRSE, a category-I Mini Ratna DPSU (Defence Public Sector Undertaking) since September 2006, has for the first-time achieved a turnover of over Rs. 1,000 crores, in the last fiscal. With a healthy order book position currently pegged at over Rs.10,000 crores, GRSE has also embarked on a major modernization drive of its infrastructural facilities at a cost of over Rs. 530 crores to bolster its shipbuilding capabilities.
Following visits to various modernization sites earlier on Monday (October 24, 2011), Dr. Raju in his address at the ship launch lauded the efforts and stated, “GRSE modernization when completed next year will almost double the shipbuilding capacity of the yard enabling construction of large and more sophisticated warships using modern modular construction technology in a much shorter time frame.”
The modernization of the main yard includes construction of a 180 x 29 mts dry dock with portable shelter, an additional 180 x 23 mts inclined berth with portable shelter, module hall for assembly of pre-outfitted blocks upto 230 Tons, laying of a 250 Tons Goliath crane and a paint cell. Upon completion, the constructions will double the existing building docks and treble the dry docks besides creating of a new slipway.
The ASW corvettes -- deemed Kamorta Class Ships – with more than 80 percent indigenous content, capable of fighting under NBC (nuclear, biological and chemical) environment are designated as super-sophisticated frontline warships with stealth features. The 109 metres long, 12.8 metres wide ship with an approximate displacement capacity of 3,000 Tons can achieve a maximum speed of 25 knots.
The ship powered by four 3888 KW diesel engines at 1,050 rpm has an endurance to cover nearly 3,450 nautical miles at 18 knots and can carry a helicopter on board. Each ship can accommodate 17 officers and 106 sailors.
The anti-submarine warfare capability is largely achieved due to the low signature of radiated underwater noise. The ship having indigenous weapon and sensor suites is equipped with super-rapid gun mounting, anti-aircraft guns, torpedo launcher, rocket and chaff launchers. The ship fittings include early warning, navigation, fire control radars and under-water sensors with integrated communication and electronic warfare systems.
The Indian Navy has commissioned the fourth fleet tanker INS Shakti into the fleet which has been constructed by Fincantieri Shipyard of Italy. INS Shakti will be a much needed boost for the Indian Navy as it will help them to chart beyond the limits of the Indian Ocean. INS Shakti has been fitted with an indigenous Anti Missile Defence Chaff System and has a powerful self defence capability.
Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma witnessed the commissioning in the Naval Dockyard in Vishakapatnam and indicated that all possible measures were being taken to enhance the coastal security in the country. INS Shakti has been constructed by the Italian Shipyard in less than two years and is one the largest vessels with the Indian Navy. The ship is 175 metres in length and 32 metres wide with a full-load displacement of 27,500 tonne. Admiral Verma congratulated the Fincantieri Shipyard, Indian PSUs like Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and HAL besides the small scale industries for their assistance in building the largest ship of the Indian Navy, INS Shakti.
Before the induction of INS Shakti, the Italian shipyard Fincantieri had delivered the first tanker INS Deepak earlier this year which has also been inducted into the Indian Navy. Both these fleet tankers will enable destroyers, frigates and other kinds of warships to operate for long durations on the waters without the need for returning to the harbor to replenish it. Hence, Indian Navy will extend its scope well beyond the Indian Ocean region. INS Shakti is equipped with four AK-630 guns each and it will have an endurance of 10,000 nautical miles at a speed of 16 knots.
Meanwhile, Indian Navy’s plan to add more teeth to the amphibious operations capabilities has materialized with the signing of a $ 482.22 million contract with the defence public sector undertaking Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata for construction of 8 Landing Craft Utilities (LCUs). Indian government had recently cleared the plan for construction of these vessels and the Indian Navy signed the contract which envisages delivery of the first ship in 35 months, according to Indian Navy officials. Another project to acquire four huge amphibious warfare ships or Landing Platform Docks (LPDs), at a cost of around $ 3.5 billion is on the verge of being finalized by the Defence Ministry, sources said. The LCUs and LPDs will enable the transport of thousands of troops, tanks, infantry combat vehicles and other weapon systems over long distances to enemy shores.
Admiral Nirmal has assured that the naval surveillance along the coast across the country was strengthened in association with the Indian Coast Guard and the Marine Police in respective states. As part of the security enhancement, 29 MiG-29K aircraft and 16 helicopters would be inducted into the Indian Navy by 2013. Earlier, 12 fighters and 4 trainee aircraft of this class had been acquired, he added.
Indian Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Verma, recently said that more Mig-29K class air fighter air-craft and helicopters would be inducted into the Indian Navy in the next two years.
Talking to media after commissioning of INS Shakti, a fleet tanker, at the Naval Dockyard here today, he said 29 MIG-29K aircraft and sixteen helicopters would be acquired within two years.
Earlier, 16 aircraft of this class, (12 fighter and 4 trainee aircraft) had been acquired.
The Navy Chief also said that aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya would be delivered to the Indian Navy as per the schedule, and Italy was extending cooperation for another aircraft carrier, being built by the Cochin shipyard.
To a question, he said the naval surveillance along the coast had been strengthened in association with the Coast Guard and Marine Police. Fishermen too were being roped in, he said.
Navy and Coast Guard were creating awareness among the fishermen community for this purpose, he said.
Regarding rehabilitation package for those who had lost lands for the alternative naval base at Rambilli Mandal in the district, Verma said the Centre and the Navy had accepted the rehabilitation package submitted by the district administration and the state government, and Centre had released the funds.
The Indian Navy seems to be sceptical of using nuclear energy for its aricraft carriers, though it plans to commission the nuclear-powered submarine INS Arihant in December.
“Installing nuclear technology on a ship involves a huge design issue and high cost,” Admiral Nirmal Verma, the Chief of Naval Staff, told DC after inaugurating the India International Regatta here.
“We have restricted the use of nuclear technology to submarines, where it helps to create endurance under water,” he said.
Admiral Verma said the indigenously built warship INS Satpura was commissioned two months ago, while the refurbished Admiral Gorshkov, renamed INS Vikramaditya, would join the navy by December 2012.
“The three additional stealth frigates that are being built in Russia will reach us in the next 18 months,” he said.
On piracy off the coast of Somalia, Admiral Verma said the Indian Navy is part of the multinational naval task force set up to counter the threat.
“There is a tremendous exchange of information between all navies through a private computer network. About 15 countries, including France, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, China and India, are involved in this effort,” he said. Since 2008, an Indian ship has been permanently assigned to patrol the area.
“The Somalia coast comes within 200 to 300 miles of Lakshdweep. So we are carrying out massive search operations to keep the waters safe,” he said.
Earlier, the Chief of Naval Staff unveiled an Optimist boat to mark the official launch of the India International Regatta in Chennai and had called on TN Governor K. Rosaiah.
More than 100 sailors from 10 countries, including hosts India, Qatar, Ireland, Slovenia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Czech Republic, Myanmar and Indonesia, are taking part in the regatta that will end on October 9.
The regatta is organised by the Chennai Sailing Academy under the aegis of the Tamil Nadu Sailing Association.
The Commodore of the TN Sailing Association, Ashok Thakkar, said sailing is poised for growth in the state with government planning to build an international class marina.
