The vessels can be deployed for search and rescue by day and night in coastal areas. In their secondary role, they will be capable to prosecute intruding aircraft, and lay mines in the seabed

KOLKATA: Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE) and India’s defence ministry signed a contract on Monday for construction and supply of eight anti-submarine warfare shallow water crafts (ASWSWCs) for Indian Navy.

The order value for these eight vessels is pegged at Rs 6311.32 crore. The first ship is to be delivered within 42 months from contract signing date and subsequent balance ships delivery schedule will be two ships per year. The project will have to completed within 84 months from date of signing the contract.

GRSE is currently handling major projects including building 3 stealth frigates for Indian Navy under P17A project, ASW Corvettes for Indian Navy, LCUs for Indian Navy, 4 survey vessels (large) for Indian Navy, FPVs for Indian Coast Guard etc. The warships built by GRSE ranges from advanced frigates to anti-submarine warfare corvettes to fleet tankers, fast attack crafts, etc.

The present project will further consolidate GRSE’s position as a shipyard with all round capability to design and build ASWSWC warships with state-of-the-art-technology, the GRSE release stated.

Incidentally, "these anti-submarine warfare shallow water crafts are designed for a deep displacement of 750 tonne, speed of 25 knots and complement of 57 and capable of full scale sub surface surveillance of coastal waters, SAU and coordinated ASW operations with aircraft,” the media statement added.

In addition, the vessels will have the capability to interdict/destroy sub surface targets in coastal waters. They can also be deployed for search and rescue by day and night in coastal areas. In their secondary role, they will be capable to prosecute intruding aircraft, and lay mines in the sea bed.

The vessels will be equipped with highly advanced state-of-the-art integrated platform management systems including propulsion machinery, auxiliary machinery, power generation and distribution machinery and damage control machinery etc. The warships will conform to latest MARPOL (Marine Pollution) Standards of the International Maritime Organisation and Safety of Life at Sea.

The design and construction of these ships at GRSE is another significant milestone in the ‘Make In India’ initiative of the government of India.