DCNS & SEC Industries achieve milestone under the Indian Scorpene submarines programme

: Posted On Monday, 16 July 2012 17:15

Naval Industry News - France, India

DCNS and SEC Industries achieve another milestone under the
Indian Scorpene submarines programme:
Inauguration of new workshops & deliveries of indigenous equipment

SEC Industries and DCNS today officially inaugurated new workshop facilities and delivered, after successful Factory Acceptance Tests, the cofferdam doors coamings for the Indian P75* Scorpene submarines. The facilities were inaugurated by Shri M.M. Pallam Raju, the Indian Honbl’e Minister of State for Defence, Government of India. French Ambassador to India, H.E. Mr. François Richier was present at the occasion along with other Indian senior dignitaries and officials.

In September 2011, DCNS India** signed a contract with SEC Industries for the manufacture of for high technological equipment for the P75 Scorpene submarines. A second contract was signed in May 2012 for additional items. These contracts cover an extensive Transfer of Technology (TOT), today running at full speed. The contract is part of the indigenization programme implemented by DCNS India under the P75 Mazagon Purchased Materials (MPM) contracts.

By helping SEC industries in building new industrial workshops and in delivering cofferdam coamings for Scorpene submarines, DCNS has achieved yet another milestone in its endeavour to manufacture indigenous products and equipments and provide transfer of technology under P75 Scorpene submarine programme.

Mr. Bernard Buisson, Managing Director of DCNS India;
Mr. Bernard Planchais, Chief Operating Officer of DCNS;
H.E. Francois Richier, The Ambassador of France in India;
Shri M.M. Pallam Raju, Minister of State for Defence;
Shri B.A. Prabhakar, Chairman of Andhra Bank;
Mr. DS Rao, Chairman of SEC Industries;
D. Vidyasagar, Managing Director of SEC Industries.
(Picture: DCNS)

New industrial means
Spread over 1500 sq. m., the workshop facility is integrated with modern capabilities for various manufacturing activities such as shotblasting, welding and painting. There are new CNC and conventional machines together with test and measurement fixtures - including a pit for under pressure testing. There is a temperature controlled area for the storage of specific equipment and material. The newly recruited technicians and engineers have dedicated offices (a mezzanine of 155 sqm) and training areas.

D. Vidyasagar, Managing Director of SEC Industries said “We are happy to be part of the on-going indigenisation of the P75 programme. With the know-how, technical assistance and constant support provided by DCNS, we are happy to have developed these new facilities and delivered some major indigenous equipments for the Scorpene submarines.”

Bernard Planchais, Chief Operating Officer of DCNS developed “We started our technology transfers with MDL to help them achieve a degree of accuracy and quality at par with other major worldwide shipyards as far as pressure hull manufacturing is concerned. We are now concentrating our efforts to help MDL integrate equipment inside the submarines and assist our industrial partners to deliver in a timely manner to MDL the various indigenized equipment of the Scorpenes. DCNS wishes to enlarge its footprint in India, we are developing win-win industrial partnerships for the long term benefits of our customers.”

“The contract with SEC is part of the indigenization programme implemented by DCNS India under the P75 Mazagon Purchased Materials (MPM) contracts. Through this commitment to manufacture in India, we are developing strong industrial partnerships and capabilities for the P75 and future programmes.” added Bernard Buisson, Managing Director of DCNS India.

Deliveries of key equipments for the Indian Scorpenes

Bernard Buisson explained “The building of workshop facilities and successful delivery of cofferdam doors coamings for Scorpene Submarines is a testimonial to our constant efforts towards indigenization of equipments for P75 Scorpene submarine programme through successfully implemented TOTs.”

Mr. Buisson added “The Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) for the first locally-made P75 cofferdam doors coamings was successfully performed at SEC Industries in June. The indigenized equipment were made as per the contractual quality requirements, and their delivery to our customer MDL ahead of schedule.”

The cofferdam doors and coamings are key safety components of the submarine. The cofferdam itself is a watertight enclosure; in case of incident, it can be used to isolate the flooded submarine part and proceed to the crew evacuation.

* Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) is manufacturing SSK Scorpene submarines (P75) under transfer of technology (ToT) from DCNS. Simultaneously, DCNS India, DCNS Group’s subsidiary based in Mumbai, is working at the selection and qualification of Indian companies as partners for local production of the Scorpenes’ equipments. The first Scorpene submarine is to be launched at the end of 2013 and commissioned in 2015. The last Scorpene is expected to be commissioned in 2018.

** DCNS India Private Limited was inaugurated in March 2009 in Mumbai. It is specializing in naval services. DCNS India’s main missions are to support the naval shipyards and industries (Naval Technical Advice Department), to develop local services with Indian talents (Design & Marine Engineering Department), to achieve localized production with large base industrial partners (Programme Department) and to extend sourcing opportunities for both local and international needs (Sourcing & Purchasing Department).