INS Sindhukirti a Russian made Submarine that had undergone mid life upgrade
at HSL in 2015 today returned to HSL for Normal Refit of 22 months.
While one team completed PNC with MoD today, the other team on the same day docked the Sub at HSL.
Hindustan Shipyard Limited, which kick-started the retrofitting of
Russia-made INS Sindhuvir, one of the sophisticated EKM-class submarines of
Indian Navy, will complete the ₹500 crore project in 27 months.
The country’s premier shipbuilding yard set up by Scindia Steam Navigation
Ltd in 1941 in recognition of the strategic importance of the city was
credited with successfully completing the retrofitting of INS Sindhukirti
immediately after Cyclone Hudhud caused devastation in and around
Visakhapatnam in 2014. HSL has submarine repair facility developed at a cost
of ₹50 crore. It has expertise in submarine repairs with plans to construct
next generation submarines in future.
INS Sindhukirti's will involve extensive modernisation. In the earlier
retrofit, its torpedo tubes were modified to fire Klub missiles at surface
targets. But Sindhukirti also got additional capabilities: A MCA inertial
navigation suite, a Palady nerve system, and a Pirit ship control console.
Bharat Electronics Ltd has provided an indigenous Ushus sonar and a
modernised CCS Mark II communications suite.