I’m pretty sure this is a ship few are aware of. Which is amazing, considering that when it joins service a few years from now, it’ll be one of the navy’s largest vessels — and one of the most advanced ever built in India. In June this year, the keel for the ship, designated VC 11184 at Visakhapatnam’s Hindustan Shipyard Ltd (HSL), was laid. At 175 metres and 10,000 tons, it’ll be comparable in size to the INS Jalashwa and Deepak-class fleet tankers in service. But what is it?On Feb 25, 2013, after great hesitation, but prodded by the Department of Defence Production to take the lead in giving the decaying shipyard a chance, the Indian Navy signed up with HSL for a specialty vessel for ocean surveillance. Tantalisingly little is known about the what sort of ship this is — whether for routine hydrographic application, or more sensitive advanced radar duties and tracking of strategic weapons (missile range instrumentation as part of India’s ballistic missile defence shield etc) or otherwise. The images and schematics you see above happen to be the first available information on the ship, slated for delivery to the Indian Navy in two-three years.
What we do know is that the ship has been designed by Vik Sandvik’s India office out of Chennai. The only news report on the vessel describes it as required for ‘studies in oceans’.Brought under control of the Ministry of Defence in 2010, HSL has reeled from crippling financial problems that continue to threaten the shipyard, including its core business as a repair and refurbishment shipyard for ships and submarines. It’s a dire situation for HSL. Battling a paralysing financial situation and with no bank willing to help, the shipyard has had to dip into its ‘Refurbishment & Replacement of Machineries & Infrastructure (RRMI) funds’ just to make available the working capital to complete its shipbuilding projects, including the naval ship project revealed here.
It is an OSS Ocean surveillance Ship – meaning anything on, over and under the sea will be surveilled. The yard cannot deliver 50m patrol boats and tugs on time so its very doubtful if HSL can deliver this by Nov 2015.
DO you think Mazagoan docks or Garden reach can deliver with high quality in given time?
All shipyards are alike in India. with same communist unions and lots of delays.
Bombay and Calcutta are lucky as majority of defence contracts are bagged because of tremendous north indian representation in Indian polity. Cochin started to get good projects only after Anthony took as DF.
But, Vizag shipyard, which is India's largest shipyard…I don't think many of you know that…is still lurking of political bias.
Other shipyards deliver late and without quality… So will be vizag too…woow what a mentality… I will not be an example for others…. Well when there are Mumbai and Cochin shipyards that deliver poor quality products that too in delayed timing, should India need to have another one why shouldn't that be closed?
Could it be possible that the communist unions are working for China and delaying production?
White elephant – keeping HSL alive, until the LHD contracts are finalised.
Tracking vessel – essentially a telemetry platform for missile tests. China has several, under the Yuan Wang-class designation. This would seem an appropriate silhouette for such purposes.
Pak submarines will sink half of the remaining indian navy in any war
Ya and pigs will fly.
The submarine handed for refurbish nearly a decade has been dumped off by this PSU so no hope
Possibly a submarine tender -like the old INS AMBA
Good. Along with 4 LHD's should keep HSL in business. No use worrying about rust bucket paki fishing fleet. Chinese navy should be the target.
@ PRS. Sir, You don't know anything about Vizag shipyard but still you want to comment ! Have you ever visited that shipyard ? Forget about the navy ships do you know how many years they took to built a ordinary bulk-carrier ? They took a decade to built SCI's " bulk carriers " Goa and Maharashtra ". After that even SCI. is not placing any order with them. That yard was almost a BIFR. case but due to political pressure MOD. had taken over. Little knowledge is a dangerous thing. First be informed then comment.
I think the yard needs modernisation. They are operating with historic methods of construction. On contrast Mazagon and Garden even Cochin shipyards have been getting a flow of naval orders. Hindustan shipyard has been neglected for years. If the yard is modernised it would definitely improve. The requirement of the navy would have a lot in store for HSL, 2 LDP for sure that should keep them sufficiently busy till the mid of the next decade; obviously once the contract is signed. I am sure the government would never kill HSL.
Good days are ahead…..the yard has 75 yrs of legacy….Late Walchand would be happy to see it survived 75 yrs….what kills a PSU is stupid ancient archaic policies laid by past governments…it cripples and promotes corruption….it is in MODs hands now and BJP will revive it soon and with Manohar…he is listening….lets be optimistic and have positive thinking…atleast it will give hope to good youth that is being employed there. The old gen at HSL is finally over