Landing Platform Docks (LPD) of the Indian Navy
Class overview | |
---|---|
Operators | Indian Navy |
Preceded by | INS Jalashwa (L41) |
Planned | 4[1] |
General characteristics | |
Type | Landing Platform Dock (LPD) |
Notes |
|
The procurement of "Landing Platform Docks" (LPD) by the Indian Navy, formerly known as the "Multi-Role Support Vessel Program" (MRSV) - is an initiative of the Indian Navy to procure a series of landing platform docks - specific vessels dedicated to amphibious warfare - as part of the service's strategy to augment its capabilities of amphibious warfare, disaster-response, humanitarian assistance and auxillary duties.[3]
The Indian Navy has long sought to procure amphibious warfare vessels, including landing platform docks; multiple initiatives in procuring specified vessels of the aforementioned type were initiated as early as 2009.[4] However, such measures have been frequently delayed, on account of varying reasons.[5]
The Indian Navy currently operates one landing platform dock - INS Jalashwa, an ex-Austin-class amphibious transport dock, which was purchased from the United States Navy (USN) in 2007.[6]
History[]
Origins[]
The Indian Navy - being one of the most potent navies in the Indian Ocean, had long sought to procure amphibious warfare vessels, as a part of its scheme to augment its capabilities of amphibious warfare, disaster-response management and evacuation of civilians and personnel.[7]
In the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the Indian Navy initiated one of the largest "Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief" (HADR) operations in its history; the service quickly dispatched Indian naval vessels to send supplies to multiple countries that had been affected by the tsunami, namely, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Maldives.[8] However, the experience unraveled a significant drawback - the Indian Navy barely possessed the capability to undertake amphibious transport operations nor humanitarian assistance operations, although it operated landing tank crafts - which were capable of undertaking amphibious operations, albeit at a limited capacity.[9][10]
With the revelation of this acute flaw, India quickly sought to procure amphibious vessels capable of undertaking amphibious warfare and disaster-response management.[11] In 2007, India purchased the ex-USS Trenton - an Austin-class amphibious transport dock from the United States Navy (USN) and re-commissioned it as the INS Jalashwa.[12] Since its re-commissioning, INS Jalashwa has undertaken numerous disaster-response and humanitarian-relief operations, most notably during the COVID-19 pandemic.[13][14][15]
In addition to the re-commissioned INS Jalashwa, India was also offered the USS Nashville, another Austin-class amphibious transport dock; however, the Indian Navy never purchased it.[16][17]
"Multi-Role Support Vessel" Initiative (MRSV)[]
In 2011, the Indian Navy established the "Multi-Role Support Vessel" Program (MSRV), an initiative to acquire four landing platform docks from a foreign naval conglomerate.[18] Under the initiative, India issued a Request For Information (RFI) to multiple foreign naval firms, under the "Buy and Make (Indian)" category of India's 2011 defense acquisition regulations.[19]
In 2013, the Indian Navy issued a Request For Proposal to four domestic shipbuilders - L&T Shipbuilding (L&T), ABG Shipyard (ABG), Pipavav Shipyard Limited (RDEL) and Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL).[20] Under this scheme, the winner of the bid (likely a private-shipyard) would have to build two landing platform docks, while the remaining two were to be built by the state-owned HSL.[21]
Under this programme - worth USD $ 2.65 billion, the three private shipyards tied up with different foreign conglomerates - L&T allied with Spain-based Navantia, RDEL allied with France-based DCNS (now Naval Group), while ABG tied with US-based Alion.[22] However, ABG suffered from severe financial constraints and was deeply in debt; the company was later disqualified from the tender on account of its financial woes.[23][24] L&T and RDEL were the only shipyards which met the technical and financial eligibility criteria in the tender; however, RDEL too suffered from increasing financial debts - which made it unsuitable for participating in the tender; this left L&T as the only prospective vendor in the bid.[25]
In 2017, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) - the arms acquisition body of India's Ministry of Defence (MoD), approved the procurement of the four specified vessels.[26] Concurrently, both L&T and RDEL submitted revised commercial bids to build all the four vessels - in stark contrast to the specifications of the 2013 tender, which regulated that the selected private shipyard must build only two vessels.[27]
The competition narrowed down to just two contenders - an alliance of L&T-Navantia offering the Juan Carlos I-class amphibious assault vessel and another alliance of RDEL-DCNS offering the Mistral-class amphibious assault vessel.[28][29][30]
Cancellation[]
From its inception in 2013, until 2020 - the MRSV initiative underwent seven extensions and one re-submission of bids.[31]
In 2019, after a string of delays in the project, the Indian Navy approached the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to cancel the tender, then worth USD $ 3 billion.[32] With ABG disqualified from competing and RDEL on the brink of bankruptcy, L&T prevailed as the only qualified contender capable of handling the project; proposals to scrap the tender - in order to circumvent a "single-vendor situation", were favoured by the MoD instead.[33]
In September 2020, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) criticised the Indian Navy for its failure to conclude the project and lambasted the project's long-period of inactivity.[34][35] Later that month, the MoD scrapped the tender, then worth INR ₹20,000 crore (US$3 billion) - given the tender's prolonged inactivity and lack of action on the issue.[36] With the termination of the contract, the Indian Navy reportedly planned to initiate a fresh bidding process for the acquisition of a new fleet of landing platform docks, with new qualitative requirements.[37][38]
In November 2020, the Indian Navy revised its original plan of purchasing four landing platform docks to just two, due to severe budgetary constraints and inadequate funding.[39]
Revival[]
In August 2021, in a bid to revive its initiative of procuring amphibious transport vessels - the Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued a new Request For Information (RFI) for the procurement of four landing platform docks (LPD), to domestic Indian shipyards - under the MoD's "Defence Acquisition Procedure 2020" (DAP-2020) guidelines.[40]
According to the RFI, the first vessel slated for delivery within 60 months of the contract being signed and the remaining three at one-year intervals.[41] Furthermore, the RFI also dictated that the competing Indian shipyards must seek transfer-of-technology (TOT) from a foreign naval shipbuilder, and that the four prescribed vessels be built in India, with indigenous content.[42]
Requirements[]
- Characteristics :
- Length: ≤ 200 m (660 ft)
- Beam: To be commensurated with the length and tonnage of the ship.
- Draught: �� 8 m (26 ft)
- Displacement: 30,000–40,000 t (30,000–39,000 long tons; 33,000–44,000 short tons)
- Propulsion: Integrated electric propulsion (IEP)
- Speed:
- ≥ 20 knots (37 km/h) (Maximum)
- 14–16 knots (26–30 km/h) (Cruising Speed)
- Endurance:
- 10,000 nmi (19,000 km; 12,000 mi) (At economic speed)
- ≥ 45 days (In terms of machinery/fuel)
- 60 days (In terms of logistics support for troops)
- Sensors/Processing Systems :
- "Combat Management System" (CMS)
- 1 x E/F-Band air-search/surface-surveillance radar
- 1 x C/D-Band air-surveillance radar
- 1 x surface-surveillance radar
- 2 x I-Band radar
- 1 x E/F-Band COTS radar
- 1 x Infrared search and track (IRST) system
- Weaponry :
- Anti-Air Weaponry:
- Anti-Ship/Anti-Surface Weaponry
- 16 x anti-ship missiles (AShM)/surface-to-surface missiles (SSM)
- Anti-Submarine Weaponry
- "Anti-Torpedo Decoy System" (ATDS)
- Guns
- 4 x AK-630M CIWS (To be equipped with electro-optical fire control systems (EOFCS))
- 4 x OFT 12.7 mm M2 Stabilized Remote Controlled Gun
- 8 x medium-machine guns (MMG)
- 4 x "Portable Saluting Guns"
- Directed-energy weapon (DEW) (To replace AK-630 in future)
Potential Contenders[]
According to multiple sources, the following Indian shipyards may participate in the tender -
Potential Shipyards[]
- Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) :-
- Based in Kochi, CSL is the largest shipbuilder in India and has long been a supplier to the Indian Navy.[43] It is presently engaged in constructing India's first indigenously designed aircraft carrier - INS Vikrant.[44]
- L&T Shipbuilding (L&T) :-
- Based in Hazira and Kattupalli, L&T has also been a noted supplier to the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.[45] L&T's Hazira-based shipyard has the capability to build large vessels, with a tonnage of 20,000 t (20,000 long tons), with a length of 160 m (524 ft 11 in).[46]
- Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) :-
- Based in Kolkata, GRSE has long been a supplier to the Indian Navy; having delivered over 100 warships - including the Shardul-class amphibious warfare vessels, the Kamorta-class corvettes, the Aditya-class auxiliary vessels, the Mk. IV LCU landing craft vesslels and other warships.[47]
- Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) :-
- Based in Mumbai, MDL is a distinguished supplier to the Indian Navy; having delivered numerous warships - including the Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, the Kolkata-class destroyers, the Shivalik-class frigates and the Kalvari-class submarines.[48]
Prospective Designs[]
According to multiple sources, the following naval designs may be offered in the tender -
- France :
- May offer the Mistral-class amphibious warfare vessel.[49]
- Designed by Naval Group and currently operated by the French Navy and the Egyptian Navy.[50]
- Was previously offered to India, in joint-partnership with Reliance Defence & Engineering Limited.[51]
- Participated with the Indian Navy in the Indo-French "VARUNA-21" joint-naval exercise.[52]
- Spain :
- May offer the Juan Carlos-I amphibious warfare vessels.[53]
- Designed by Navantia and currently operated by the Spanish Navy, the Royal Australian Navy and the Turkish Naval Forces.[54]
- Was previously offered to India, in joint-partnership with Larsen & Toubro.[55]
- Participated with the Indian Navy in the Indo-Australian "AUSINDEX-2019" joint-naval exercise.[56]
- Italy :
- May offer a variant of the Trieste landing helicopter dock.[57]
- Designed by Fincantieri and currently operated by the Italian Navy.[58]
- Russia :
- May offer an export variant of Project-23900 amphibious warfare vessel.[59]
- Designed by JSC Zelenodolsk Design Bureau and currently being built for the Russian Navy.[60]
- South Korea :
- May offer the Dokdo-class amphibious warfare vessel..[61]
- Designed by Hanjin Heavy Industries and currently operated by the Republic of Korea Navy.[62]
- Reportedly offered to India, under the MRSV tender.[63]
See also[]
Other Amphibious Vessels Operated by the Indian Navy
- INS Jalashwa (L41) - India's only active landing platform dock, purchased from the United States in 2007. Was previously the USS Trenton of the United States Navy.
Other References to the Indian Navy
References[]
- ^ "RFI out again for 4 Landing Platform Docks for Indian Navy". financialexpress.com. 3 September 2021.
- ^ "REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) FOR PROCUREMENT OF LANDING PLATFORM DOCKs (LPDs)" (PDF). indiannavy.nic.in. 25 August 2021.
- ^ "Why India needs more ships like INS Jalashwa". rediff.com. 29 May 2020.
- ^ "INDIAN MARITIME DOCTRINE Indian Navy Naval Strategic Publication 1.1" (PDF). inexartificers.com. August 2009.
- ^ "Indian Navy seeks cancellation of $2.8 B amphibious warfare ship (LPD) tender". spsnavalforces.com. 18 September 2019.
- ^ "INS Jalashwa a reflection of India-US trust". rediff.com. 2 June 2007.
- ^ "Why India needs more ships like INS Jalashwa". rediff.com. 29 May 2020.
- ^ "Indian Navy's new amphibious ships to be packed with UAVs, missiles, helicopters". theweek.in. 26 August 2021.
- ^ "India says 'not yet' to another assault ship from US". hindustantimes.com. 6 September 2007.
- ^ "The amphibious capability gap". business-standard.com. 21 May 2020.
- ^ "Navy to build four amphibious warships". thehindu.com. 13 December 2009.
- ^ "Indian Navy acquires USS Trenton". rediff.com. 17 January 2007.
- ^ "INS Jalashwa arrives at port of Antsiranana, Madagascar with Naval training team". aninews.com. 13 March 2021.
- ^ "INS Jalashwa reaches Ehoala, Madagascar to deliver humanitarian aid to deal with drought". aninews.com. 22 March 2021.
- ^ https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/ins-jalashwa-arrives-in-comoros-with-1000-metric-tonne-rice20210314202424/
- ^ "After Trenton, Navy's Eyes Now On USS Nashville". livefistdefence.com. 15 July 2007.
- ^ "India says 'Not Yet' to another assault ship from US And to Hawkeye II, too". indiastrategic.in. August 2007.
- ^ https://www.news18.com/blogs/india/saurav-jha/the-indian-navys-quest-for-amphibious-assault-ships-10879-748615.html
- ^ https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/sites/default/files/tender_document/RFI_for_LPD16Feb11%281%29.pdf
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- ^ https://www.primetimes.in/news/519425/navy-scraps-tender-for-rs-20000-cr-landing-platform-docks-contract-over-new-qualitative-requirements/
- ^ https://defence.capital/2020/10/12/india-retracts-amphibious-warships-tender-to-rewrite-qualitative-requirements/
- ^ Dutta, Amrita Nayak (18 November 2020). "Hit by budget crunch, Indian Navy now plans to buy 2 Landing Platform Docks instead of 4". The Print. New Delhi. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- ^ https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/new-delhi-issues-rfi-for-four-locally-made-lpds-for-indian-navy
- ^ https://newsonair.com/2021/08/27/the-indian-navy-has-issued-an-rfi-for-the-procurement-of-4-landing-platform-docks/
- ^ https://www.financialexpress.com/defence/rfi-out-again-for-4-landing-platform-docks-for-indian-navy/2323412/
- ^ https://cochinshipyard.in/
- ^ https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/08/india-issues-rfi-for-the-procurement-of-four-lpd-amphibious-vessels/
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- ^ https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/mistral/
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- ^ https://defence.capital/2020/07/14/india-navy-in-quandary-over-amphibious-warship-project-considers-fresh-tender/
External links[]
- The Indian Navy's New ‘Expeditionary’ Outlook, Admiral (Retd) Arun Prakash, 20 October 2012. Observer Research Foundation.
- Indian Navy
- Amphibious warfare vessels of the Indian Navy
- Military acquisition
- Ships of the Indian Navy