German shipbuilding company, Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) was awarded a Medium Refit and Life Certification (MRLC) contract by India’s state-owned shipbuilder, Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL), for the overhaul and modernization of the Indian Navy’s diesel-electric attack submarine, INS Shishumar (S44).

The total refit deal awarded by the Indian Navy to Mazagon Dock is worth Rs 1,100 crore (~USD150 million). TKMS will receive as much as Rs 410 crore as its share of the refit of the submarine.

According to TKMS, the contract includes the delivery of new equipment, the maintenance of systems and components, as well as on-site technical support and logistical services in form of documentation, training and spare parts. In addition, it entails a life certification that warrants the operability of the INS Shishumar’s pressure hull for the next decade.

“We are happy to partner with MDL, the renowned Indian shipyard, which has proven already in the 1980ies to be capable of building new submarines,” Matthias Bergande, MRLC campaign manager of thyssenkrupp Marine Systems. “This contract once again reiterates our long-standing commitment to the country and represents another cornerstone in maintaining the operational capabilities of the Indian submarine force.”

The refit work will commence in October and is expected to be completed by 2021. The upgrade will extend the operational life of the submarine by at least 10 years.

Indian Navy currently operates four Shishumar-class diesel-electric attack submarines. These submarines are a lengthier and heavier Indian variant of the Type 209 submarines developed by the German yard Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) under the internal designation Type 1500. HDW is currently part of Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) group.

The first two submarines – INS Shishumar (S44) and INS Shankush (S45) – were directly supplied by Thyssenkrupp after assembling them at the HDW shipyard in Kiel, Germany. The third – INS Shalki (S46) – and the fourth – INS Shankul (S44) – submarines were built at Mazagon Dock under a Transfer of Technology (ToT) agreement. These were the first submarines ever to be built in India.

These four submarines were commissioned between 1986 and 1994 and form the Indian Navy’s 10th Submarine Squadron based at Mumbai.

The Indian Navy is also planning subsequent overhauls of the remaining three HDW Class 209 Type 1500 submarines.

Thyssenkrupp was recently awarded a contract worth €35 million for the retrofit of the Harpoon missile system in two of the Shishumar-class submarines. Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems is also one of the four firms short-listed by the Indian Navy as strategic partner to build six advanced Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP)-equipped attack submarines under the Project-75I programme estimated at a combined $8 billion.

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders is currently building five Scorpene Class (locally called Kalvari-class) submarines for the Indian Navy through a technology tie-up with the Naval Group of France. The third Scorpene submarine was launched earlier this year.





