The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a contract with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai for air independent propulsion (AIP) plugs worth nearly Rs 1,990 crore. The plugs will integrate the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)-developed AIP system into the Kalvari-class submarines.
An AIP is fitted onto conventional submarines with an AIP plug to allow the submarines to stay underwater longer without having to come up to the ocean surface for air, hence reducing the chances of detection by the enemy. AIP acts as a ‘force multiplier’ of a diesel-electric submarine.
In a press statement, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said that the DRDO is developing the AIP technology indigenously. The project, pertaining to the construction of the plugs and the integration of the AIP with the conventional submarines, will enhance the endurance of the submarines and significantly contribute towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
