Source : Indian Defence Analysis
The Indian Navy intends to procure Four Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) which will be able to transport and land ashore a combined arms force and sustain their operations ashore. These LPDs will act as Command Centres for the Commander, Amphibious Task Force, Landing Force Commander and Air Force Commander and also undertake Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Missions.
Additionally, LPDs will also act as mother ships for unmanned capability and to support the operation/ exploitation of all dimensions of futuristic unmanned vehicles/ platforms/ equipment. The LPDs will also provide medical facilities for the treatment of battle casualties.
The procurement of the LPDs will be as per DAP 2020 and accordingly shipyards are required to submit the details regarding Indigenous Content(IC). The categorization for the procurement is intended to be under Buy (IndianIDDM)/ Buy (Indian).
The LPDs must meet the minimum IC parameters as per Para 21 of Chapter 1 of DAP 20. The LPD is expected to have less than or equal to 200m with a capacity of 60 officers, 470 sailors and 900 troops. The warship needs to be integrated with 16 anti-ship missiles, 32 VLSRSAM, 4 AK-603, 6 HMGs, Directed-energy weapons, and 8 MMGs. It should also have an Integrated EW system comprising ESM and ECM subsystems interfaced with CMS.
The warship should have:
- (a) 01 x E/ F Band combined Air and Surface Surveillance Radar.
- (b) 01 x 3D C/ D Band Air Surveillance Radar.
- (c) 01 x Surface Surveillance Radar.
- (d) 02 x ‘I’ Band and 01 X E/F COTS Radars.
- (e) 01 X EOIRST
LPDs are going to be the second most infrastructure-intensive warships, next to aircraft carriers.
HSL and Naval Group collaboration
The Hindustan Shipyard Limited(HSL) is in discussion with French Naval group for fulfilling the LPD requirements of Indian Navy. The shipbuilder already has the requisite infrastructure and capability to build Landing Platform Docks (LPD). HSL has already submitted its RFI response to IHQ MoD (N) for design, construction and delivery of 04 Nos LPDs for Indian Navy. The Naval group has proposed its Mistral-class warship for this requirement.
Mistral-Class Warship
Mistral-class LHD is an amphibious assault ship with full load displacement of 21,500(tonnes). It has 6 helicopter landing spots and a 1800m sq hanger. The flight deck of 5000m sq can accommodate upto 6 helicopter movements immediately. The hanger deck of the warship can carry upto 16 medium or 35 light helicopters.
The 2,650-square-metre (28,500 sq ft) vehicle hangar can carry a 40-strong Leclerc tank battalion, or a 13-strong Leclerc tank company and 46 other vehicles. The ship has a crew of 160 with 20 officers and can carry additional 450 troops.
Mistral-class ships can be used as command and control ships, with a 850-square-metre (9,100 sq ft) command centre.
The Mistral is armed with two MBDA France Simbad launchers for the Mistral air defence missile. Mistral has infra-red guidance and a range up to 6km.
The ship also has two Breda Mauser 30mm naval guns and four 12.7mm machine guns. The ship’s electronic support measures include the Thales ARBR 21 radar warning receiver.
The vessel’s surveillance radar is the MMR-3D NG G-band multirole radar from Thales Naval France. The MRR-3D has a lightweight phased array antenna and operates as both a surveillance radar and a self-defence system sensor, with automatic mode switching.
In surface surveillance mode, the MRR-3D NG can detect low and medium-level targets at ranges of up to 140km, and in long-range 3D air surveillance mode targets up to 180km. In the self-defence mode, it can detect and track any threat within a radius of 60km.
Navigation radar is the Sperry Marine Bridgemaster, operating at I-band.
