Indian Navy steps toward contracting the megaships Navantia will bid for

The country's Navy defined its roadmap and requirements for future ships

Indian Navy has published its roadmap with its aim’s needs in the coming years, and this document outlines the initial requirements for its future megaships. There will be four LPD (Landing Platform Dock) units, whose construction, when the country launches the relevant tender, will be sought by Navantia.

In fact, the Spanish public company already participated, in partnership with Indian shipyard Larsen & Toubro (L&T), in a previous competition for the same purpose, which was cancelled. Now, the country's Defence Ministry is taking the first steps to re-launch that tender and has already established the requirements for the ships, according to Naval News. Thus, they will be configured to embark, transport, and disembark elements of a force for expeditionary operations using specialized surface vessels and integrated helicopters. They will carry both aircraft and unmanned vehicles.

Some of their technical characteristics are similar to the largest ship in the Spanish fleet, the Juan Carlos I. Thus, the future Indian LPDs will be 220 meters long, compared to the Spanish one's 231 meters, and will have a displacement capacity of 29,000 tons. In the case of the Juan Carlos I, it is 26,000 tons.

Various radars

These mega-ships will have to be equipped with multifunction radars, air surveillance radars, weapons and associated equipment, a combat management system, integrated electric propulsion, mechanized landing craft (LCM) and landing craft for personnel (LCVP), unmanned vehicles, such as remotely operated vessels, unmanned aerial vehicles, and planning boats.

The budget for this future order will be around €3,22 billion, according to the latest information gathered in the country. Significantly lower figures had initially been provided.

Source: La Voz de Galicia