Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Class overview
Builders
Operators Indian Navy
Preceded by
Cost
  • 9,781 crore (US$1.2 billion)
  • 889.18 crore (US$110 million) per unit (FY 2023)
Planned11
Building6
General characteristics
TypeOffshore patrol vessel
Displacement2,500–2,900 t (2,461–2,854 long tons)[1]
Length105–110 m (344 ft 6 in – 360 ft 11 in)[1]
Draught4–5 m (13 ft 1 in – 16 ft 5 in)
Propulsion2 x diesel engine
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)[1]
Range8,500 nmi (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) with 25% reserve fuel[1]
Endurance60 days (minimum)[1]
Complement20 officers including 4 women officers and 130 sailors[1]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Navigation radar[1]
  • 2 x BEL Lynx-U2[1]
  • 2 x EOIRST
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carried1 × 15 t (15 long tons) helicopter with facility for UAVs[1]
Aviation facilities
  • Helipad with an enclosed hangar capable of accommodating 1x multi-role helicopters and UAVs.
  • Storage for Light Weight Torpedoes Shyena for helicopter.

The Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) are a series of eleven offshore patrol vessel planned to be built by Goa Shipyard (GSL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) for the Indian Navy.[2] The deal was signed on 30 March 2023 with the delivery of the ships is scheduled to commence from September 2026. The primary role of the vessels to maintain Indian Navy's combat capability and meet various operational requirements such as Anti piracy, Counter-Infiltration, Anti poaching, Anti trafficking, Non combatant evacuation operations, Search and Rescue (SAR), Protection of Offshore Assets and Mine warfare.[3]

History[edit]

The Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel project is a follow on of Shachi class which was eventually cancelled due to an inordinate delay of more than 10 years.[4] Initially, the Indian Navy signed a contract for five offshore patrol vessel to be built by the erstwhile Pipavav Shipyard now (Reliance Defence and Engineering). Numerous delays in the project, initially due to change of design partner and subsequently due to financial issues led to the cancellation of the project in October 2020.[5][6][7]

Indian Navy re-released a new RFI in 2017 for six ships which was later cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in 2018 for a price of 4,941 crore (equivalent to 66 billion or US$830 million in 2023).[8][1] Later on, the number of ships to be built was increased to eleven to compensate for the time lost due to the cancelled Shachi class project.[9][10]

The project was subjected to competitive bidding and shipyards across the country participated. Amongst the public sector participants were Cochin Shipyard, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Goa Shipyard, Hindustan Shipyard and Mazagon Dock while Larsen & Toubro was the sole private bidder. Goa Shipyard was declared the lowest bidder (L1) while Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers was the second lowest L2.[11] Contract was subsequently signed with both the shipyards.[3]

Construction[edit]

The deal for the construction of 11 ships was signed on 30 March 2023 by Ministry of Defence with Goa Shipyard (GSL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) for a total value of 9,781 crore (US$1.2 billion). Of the 11 ships, seven will be designed, developed and manufactured by GSL and four by GRSE. The delivery of the ships is scheduled to commence from September 2026. The order value share for the Goa Shipyard (GSL) is 6,200 crore (US$780 million) while that of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) is 3,500 crore (US$440 million).[12][13]

The first ship is expected to be delivered within 44 months from the date of signing the contract with the final delivery to be complete within seven and half years.[14][15][16]

GRSE began the construction process by kicking off the steel cutting for the first two NGOPV Y3039 and Y3040 at its Rajabagan Dock on 24 February 2024.[17]

Goa Shipyard started the construction of the third and the fourth OPV, the first two from the order of seven, with the steel cutting ceremony on 27 March, 2024.[18]

Design[edit]

The ships will have a displacement of 2,500–2,900 tonnes (2,461–2,854 long tons) and a length of 105–110 metres (344 ft 6 in – 360 ft 11 in) depending upon the design opted by either of the shipyard. They will have a cruising speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) with a maximum speed greater than 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) and an operating range of 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at a speed of 14–15 knots (26–28 km/h; 16–17 mph). The ships will be equipped with state of the art facility and a hangar which can accommodate one HAL Dhruv. The Helipad can accommodate a helicopter of 15 t (15 long tons) with facility to operate UAVs.[16]

These ship will be able to perform mine warfare roles with modular payload, presumably by the usage of UUVs and autonomous mine laying vehicles. The ship would be equipped with light weapons like 76mm main cannon along with CIWS systems and counter-measure system like Kavach decoy launchers and Maareech torpedo-countermeasure systems.[12]

The ship will have the ability to store Shyena torpedoes for helicopter.[1]

Ships of the class[edit]

Name Pennant Yard No Builder Keel laid Launched Commissioned Home-port Status
 Indian Navy
TBA [to be determined] Goa Shipyard Ordered
[to be determined]
1280[18] 3 May 2024 Under construction[18]
1283[18]
[to be determined] Ordered
[to be determined]
[to be determined]
3037[19] GRSE Under construction[17][20]
3038[19]
3039[19]
3040[19]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) FOR CONSTRUCTION OF SIX NEXTGENERATION OFFSHORE PATROL VESSELS (NGOPVs) FOR INDIAN NAVY" (PDF). Indian Navy. 29 December 2017.
  2. ^ "Defence Ministry clears 11 advance warships for Navy, 6 surveillance planes for IAF". The Free Press Journal. 17 December 2020.
  3. ^ a b "MoD signs Rs 19,600 crore contracts for 11 Next Gen Offshore Patrol Vessels, 6 Next Gen Missile Vessels for the Indian Navy". Press Information Bureau. 30 March 2023.
  4. ^ "Ministry of Defence cancels Reliance Naval & Engineering Ltd's ₹2,500 contract". Live Mint. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  5. ^ Nair, Avinash (7 June 2010). "Pipavav bags Rs 2,600-cr Navy deal". The Economic Times. The Times Group.
  6. ^ Action Taken by the Government on the Observations/Recommendations contained in the Twentieth Report (16th Lok Sabha) on 'Demands for Grants of the Ministry of Defence for the year 2016–17 on Army, Navy and Air Force (Demand No. 22) (PDF). Thirty-fifth report of the Standing Committee on Defence (2017–18) (Report). New Delhi: Lok Sabha Secretariat. December 2017. p. 58.
  7. ^ Gurung, Shaurya Karanbir (4 December 2018). "Punitive action against Reliance firm, Navy encashes bank guarantee in vessel deal". The Economic Times.
  8. ^ "DAC Approves Procurement of Six NGOPVs". Press Information Bureau. 13 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Big boost to Make in India: Defence Acquisition Council headed by Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh approves proposals to procure equipment worth Rs 27,000 cr from domestic industry". Press Information Bureau. 17 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Defence Min clears 11 advance warships for Navy, 6 surveillance planes for IAF". Live Mint. 17 December 2020.
  11. ^ "Goa Shipyard Ltd likely to ink 2 deals with Indian Navy". The Times of India. 22 March 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Defence Ministry signs contracts worth ₹32,086 crore for ships, BrahMos and Akash missiles, radars". The Hindu. 30 March 2023.
  13. ^ "India to purchase 11 Next Gen OPV & 6 Next Gen missile vessels". Navy Recognition. 30 March 2023.
  14. ^ "Goa Shipyard Ltd inks Rs 6,200 crore deal with defence ministry". The Times of India. 31 March 2023.
  15. ^ "GRSE Signs Contract for 04 NGOPVs". United News of India. 31 March 2023.
  16. ^ a b "GRSE Signs Contract for 4 NGOPVs, Order Book Surges by 3500 Crore". Raksha Anirveda. 31 March 2023.
  17. ^ a b @OfficialGRSE (24 February 2024). "The Plate Cutting Ceremony of the Next Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) - Yards 3039 & 3040, at #GRSE RBD Unit on 24 Feb 24" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  18. ^ a b c d @goashipyardltd (27 March 2024). "GSL commenced physical construction of 3rd & 4th Vessels yard 1280 & 1283 by Plate Cutting ceremony" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ^ a b c d "Annual Report 2023-24 GRSE" (PDF). GRSE. 30 August 2023. p. 33.
  20. ^ "GRSE Amalyst meet" (pdf). GRSE. 21 March 2024. p. 5.