
NEW DELHI - Within weeks of the defense ministry cancelling the Rs3,600 crore deal with AgustaWestland to procure 12 VVIP choppers, it has quietly gone ahead and cleared another multi-million dollar deal with Finmeccanica, Agusta’s parent company, for the procurement of 98 torpedoes for the navy. The deal has been struck at a time when the process of blacklisting Finmeccanica has begun.
The Defense Acquisition Council headed by A.K. Antony cleared the proposal to procure Black Shark torpedoes for $300 million for the navy. Now, it will go to the cabinet committee on security for the final nod.
Black Shark torpedoes are multi-purpose weapons designed to launch from both submarines and surface vessels. Both AgustaWest-land and Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei (WASS) are companies of Italian defense group Finmecannica. The Ministry cancelled the chopper deal with Agusta on January 1 for breach of pre-contract integrity pact. According to sources, the Indian navy will arm its Scorpene and conventional submarines with Black Shark torpedoes which have a range of 30 miles and can be launched from submarines and warships. Of the 98 torpedoes that India has sought, 20 would be procured from the original equipment manufacturer and the rest would be manufactured by Bharat Dynamics under license in India. Transfer of technology under the contract will allow maintenance and overhaul of the torpedoes.
Black Shark torpedoes are multi-purpose weapons designed to launch from both submarines and surface vessels. Both AgustaWest-land and Whitehead Alenia Sistemi Subacquei (WASS) are companies of Italian defense group Finmecannica. The Ministry cancelled the chopper deal with Agusta on January 1 for breach of pre-contract integrity pact. According to sources, the Indian navy will arm its Scorpene and conventional submarines with Black Shark torpedoes which have a range of 30 miles and can be launched from submarines and warships. Of the 98 torpedoes that India has sought, 20 would be procured from the original equipment manufacturer and the rest would be manufactured by Bharat Dynamics under license in India. Transfer of technology under the contract will allow maintenance and overhaul of the torpedoes.