DRDO and L&T ink contract for realisation of two Air Independent Propulsion System modules
NEW DELHI: Larsen and Toubro (L&T) and DRDO on Thursday signed a contract for realisation of two Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) System Modules for Kalvari Class of Submarines of the Indian Navy.
These Modules constitute the core of the fuel cell-based AIP System, indigenously developed by Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL) of DRDO with L&T as the prime Industry partner, an association spanning more than a decade.
L&T in a statement said, “The contract documents were exchanged between Arun T Ramchandani, Executive Vice President and Head-L&T Defence and PT Rojatkar, Director Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL).”
The Energy Modules (EMs) comprising Fuel Cells produce the required power, along with on-board Hydrogen generation.
On realisation and integration of these modules in the submarines, India will join an elite club of a handful of nations who have indigenously developed fuel cell based submarine AIP technology which is critical for increasing the endurance of conventional submarines.
The technology of this indigenous AIP system is a unique one that generates hydrogen on demand thereby obviating the need for carrying hydrogen onboard which is a major safety concern for a submarine. AIP has a force multiplier effect on lethality of a diesel-electric submarine as it enhances the submerged endurance of the boat, several folds
It is pertinent to mention here that principally this technology is a green one since the by-product of the reaction is non-polluted water which can be released into the oceans.
L&T is the recipient of Transfer of Technology (ToT) for this DRDO developed AIP System. The Transfer of Technology documents for the same were handed over to Mr Patil by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in presence of Chief of Defence Staff and Navy Chief during Aero India 2021 In Bangalore.
The manufacturing, integration and factory acceptance trials of the EMs will be undertaken in L&T’s AM Naik Heavy Engineering Complex at Surat. The EMs will be supplied for integration into the AIP Plug that will be retro-fitted into the submarine.
The contract for P-75 was signed in 2005 and INS Kalvari was the first of the P-75 submarines (Kalvari Class) was inducted into the Navy in December 2017. INS Kalvari is likely to be docked for its first refit at the end of 2024 or early 2025. India’s indigenous manufacturing of conventional submarines has reached the final leg with the last of the six Scorpene class submarines being manufactured as part of Project 75 (P-75) sliding into the waters in April 2022.
This project, said L&T, would pave the way for order(s) for AIP Systems for the remaining five Kalvari Class submarines in the coming years. This could also open up possible export opportunities to other countries that operate Scorpene class submarines, L&T added.