ASW Shallow Water Craft - ASW-SWC

The Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASWSWC's) are designed for a speed of 25 knots and complement of 57 and capable of full scale sub surface surveillance of coastal waters and co-ordinated ASW operations with aircraft. In addition, the vessels will have the capability to interdict/destroy sub surface targets in coastal waters. They can also be deployed for day and night search and rescue in coastal areas. In their secondary role, they will be capable to sue 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, propulsion machinery, auxiliary machinery, power generation and distribution machinery and damage control machinery etc. The ASWSWC are also being built to International Classification Society rules, in addition to the owner specific requirements.

These technologically advanced vessels are designed and engineered indigenously and will be equipped with various payloads to cater to the vessels' functions. The vessel will feature stringent signature and stealth technologies to avoid detection by submarines and other surveillance systems. Significant part of the payloads and solutions will be from Indian firms and these vessels once commissioned will showcase the country's Atmanirbhar capabilities.

The Indian Ministry of Defense (MoD) planned to construct 16 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) shallow water craft. Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) is a branch of naval warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, or other submarines to find, track and deter, damage or destroy enemy submarines. In December 2013, Indian MoD's Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) cleared US$2,169 million (INR134.4 billion) for the construction of the craft. The Request for Information (RFI) was issued in August 2011.

With the proliferation of potent undersea forces in our area of operations, ASW is of primary importance at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels. The induction of modern submarines by potential adversaries and their dependence on a strategy of sea denial (using submarines) make ASW a priority area for capability enhancement in the coming decade. The long-term vision and plan for enhancing ASW capabilities for conduct of deep ocean as well as shallow water ASW operations, would make it an area of core strength.

In the environs of the IOR, ASW operations would involve a networked force using a preponderance of airborne ASW platforms – due to their relative invulnerability from submarines – in sync with Low Frequency Acoustics and Ranging (LOFAR) technologies and unmanned platforms. Other critical capabilities include Seabed and Platform-based detection and monitoring systems, future underwater sensors, weapons, and decoys.

The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) of the Ministry of Defense on 23 December 2013 cleared the indigenous development of a 700-ton Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft that would take on submarines operating in coastal waters, within 200 nautical miles of the base port. These vessels would watch over foreign submarines operating close to the Indian coastline. It is a ASW Shallow Water Craft class ship for anti-submarine warfare operations in coastal water, within 200NM of the base port.

Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), signed the contract for construction and supply of eight (08) Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASWSWCs) for Indian Navy on 30 April 2019 in a competitive bidding process. The order value for these eight (08) vessels is ?6,311 Crores. The project is to be completed in 90 months from date of signing the contract. The first ship has to be delivered within 42 months

Ministry of Defence (MoD), on 30 April 2019, awarded a contract to build eight anti-submarine vessels to public sector shipyard Garden Reach Shipyard and Engineers. The Kolkata based shipyard will deliver the boats within 84 months. According to an MoD statement, “The 1st ship is to be delivered within 42 months from contract signing date and subsequent balance ships delivery schedule will be two ships per year.” When operational, these eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASWSWCs) worth Rs 6,311 crore will substantially strengthen the anti-submarine capability of the Indian Navy. The Request for Proposal (RFP) for the design, construction and supply of the eight ASWSWCs was issued to private and public sector shipyards.

“The present Project will further consolidate GRSE’s position as a unique shipyard with the all-around capability to design and build ASWSWC warships with state-of-the-art technology,” MoD said. The shipyard is currently building three stealth frigates of Project-17A, anti-submarine warfare corvettes, large craft utility and four survey vessels (large) for Indian Navy, and fast patrol vessel for Indian Coast Guard.

These 750-ton vessels, with a speed of 25 knots and a crew of 57 including seven officers, armed with torpedoes and rockets are expected to undertake search and attack unit (SAU) role and coordinated anti-submarine warfare operations with naval aircraft. In addition, the vessels shall have the capability to interdict and destroy subsurface targets in coastal waters. These can also be deployed for search and rescue by day and night in coastal areas. In their secondary role, these will be capable to prosecute intruding aircraft and lay mines in the sea bed.

These boats will replace the Russian Abhay class corvettes. The vessels are 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 design and construction of these ships at GRSE is another significant milestone in the ‘Make In India’ Initiative of the Government of India.

Steel cutting ceremony of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts (ASWSWCs) for Indian Navy was held on 01 December 2020 at Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi. Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar, PVSM, AVSM, VSM, Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Indian Navy declared through video conferencing the commencement of steel cutting of first steel plate for Ship No. BY 523. The steel cutting ceremony is one of the initial milestones in the vessel construction process. Delivery of ships is scheduled to commence from October 2022, with two ships per year subsequently, by each shipyard.