The Indian Navy plans to procure extra-large unmanned underwater vehicles (XLUUVs) to strengthen its maritime domain awareness (MDA) and combat capabilities.
The Indian Navy issued an expression of interest (EOI) in late 2024, seeking industry partners for the development of 12 XLUUVs that can be used to support anti-submarine warfare (ASW); mine-countermeasures (MCM); and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations.
These XLUUVs can serve as force multipliers, taking on some of the roles of conventional submarines. The XLUUVs will be designed to undertake “high-risk missions in restricted and shallow waters, long-duration missions of up to two months, and pre-programmed missions”, the Indian Navy said.
The Indian Navy added that the XLUUVs are expected to have a modular payload section, and the payloads to be developed for these vehicles include a communication system with satellite communications (satcom) capability, radar, electronic support measures (ESM), a sonar suite, a Doppler velocity log (DVL), and a navigation system. The XLUUVs will also be integrated with an image processing system utilising artificial intelligence (AI)-based perception algorithms.
The state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has the “design capabilities” for radar; electronic intelligence sensors; communications systems; and sonar systems, including flank array sonar, towed array sonar, multibeam echosounder, side scan sonar, and collision-avoidance sonar, which can be used to develop the XLUUVs, the navy said.
Once an industry partner is selected for the project, the prototype development is expected to be completed within three years. The prototype will be tested by the Indian Navy in its bases in the western city of Mumbai and the southeastern city of Visakhapatnam.
Looking to read the full article?
Gain unlimited access to Janes news and more...
