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Indian Navy Inducts ASW Ship Androth
What’s the News?
- The Indian Navy has received Androth, the second indigenously built Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) under the eight-ship series.
- Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, this ship enhances naval capabilities in shallow littoral zones—especially anti-submarine surveillance, coastal monitoring, and mine-laying.
ASW-SWC Fleet: Design and Capabilities
- Primary Roles:
- Detect and engage enemy submarines in littoral (shallow) waters.
- Conduct mine-laying operations, search-and-rescue (SAR), and low-intensity maritime operations (LIMO).
- Key Features:
- Dimensions: Length of 77.6 meters, displacement of 900–1,490 tons, and endurance of 1,800 nautical miles.
- Propulsion: Diesel engine-waterjet combination (first in Indian Navy warships), enabling speeds up to 25 knots and enhanced agility in shallow waters.
- Stealth Technology: Reduced radar cross-section, low acoustic signature, and infrared suppression for covert operations.
- Armament and Sensors:
- Anti-submarine weapons: RBU-6000 rocket launchers, lightweight torpedo tubes (e.g., Advanced Light Weight Torpedo), and mine-laying rails.
- Guns: 30mm naval surface gun and 12.7mm stabilized remote-controlled guns for surface threats.
- Sensors: Hull-mounted sonar and low-frequency variable-depth sonar (LFVDS) for submarine detection.
- Indigenization: Over 80% indigenous content, with contributions from Bharat Electronics (BEL), Larsen & Toubro, Mahindra Defence, and 55+ MSMEs.
Additional Info
- 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat' Initiative in Defence:
- The government has been consistently promoting self-reliance in the defense sector to reduce dependency on imports.
- Key policies include the Defence Acquisition Procedure (DAP) 2020, which prioritizes 'Buy Indian' and 'Make in India' categories.
- Positive Indigenisation Lists have been released, banning the import of various defense items and creating assured demand for domestic manufacturers.
- Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW):
- ASW is a branch of naval warfare that involves finding, tracking, and neutralizing enemy submarines.
- It is a critical capability for any navy to protect its coastline, trade routes, and naval fleet from underwater threats.
- India's ASW assets include specialized ships, submarines, and maritime patrol aircraft like the P-8I Poseidon.
- Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE):
- A public sector undertaking based in Kolkata, it's one of India's leading shipyards.
- GRSE has a history of building a wide range of vessels for the Indian Navy, including frigates, corvettes, and patrol vessels.
- The construction of the ASW-SWC class of ships is part of a larger contract between the Ministry of Defence and GRSE for eight such vessels.