PIPAVAV BAGS GUARD ORDER 920-CRORE COAST

After being declared lowerst bidder last week, private shipbuilder Pipavav Defence and Offshore Engineering Co. Ltd is poised to win a ` 920-crore deal to supply design and build 14 new generation fast patrol vessels (FPVs) for the Indian Coast Guard.

The company had won a contract worth nearly ` 3,000 crore in 2011 to build new generation offshore patrol vessels for the Indian Navy. The fresh win bolsters its position in the Indian market and positions the company as a formidable challenger to state-owned yards like Goa Shipyard Ltd and GRSE. In -uly this year, after almost two years in limbo, a joint venture between Pipavav and state-owned Mazagon Docks Ltd (MDL) was cleared by the Ministry of Defence. On September 30, the Indian Navy and PLA Navy crossed a major milestone in military cooperation when Indian frigate INS Sahyadri and Chinese detroyer Qingdao participated in a marine security exercise off the coast of New South Wales, Australia where both ships were attending a multilateral meet. Personnel from both ships visited the other on skiffs, and interacted at a tactical level. The exchange was focused on joint boarding drills, anti-piracy and security in sea lanes. Indian Navy sources said the exercise would go a long way in paving the way for expansion in cooperation between the two countries. In preparation for the LCA Navy getting back into the skies, perhaps by early next year, the Aeronautical Development Establishment (ADA) is looking to fast-track the setting up of a shore-based telemetry facility to work with the test facility setup at the Dabolim airfield for STOBAR training.

ADA is looking for vendors who can take up design, development, procurement, testing, integration, installation, commissioning, maintenance and operation of a shore-based telemetry facility to facilitate LCA Navy flight testing. The telemetry station will need to have a tracking capability of 200 km, deploy all necessary sensors and monitoring systems with data and video intercom and distribution systems. Interested vendors need to provide onsite operations and maintenance for three years, with embedded engineers and technicians. www.spsnavalforces.net &

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