SOURCE: AFI
The Indian Navy’s quest to bolster its underwater defense capabilities with new submarines under Project 75I is progressing steadily. Following successful field evaluation trials (FET) in March, a team is now headed to Spain.
In March 2024, an Indian Naval team visited the ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) facility in Germany. There, they conducted FETs of the U-212C/D submarine offered for Project 75I. The results were positive, with the submarine meeting the technical criteria laid out in the Request for Information (RFI) issued earlier.
The Indian Navy team isn’t stopping there. They are now scheduled to visit Spain to inspect the Navantia S-80 Plus submarine, another contender for Project 75I. Similar to the TKMS visit, the team will conduct FETs to assess the S-80 Plus against the Navy’s technical requirements.
This two-pronged approach of evaluating both the U-212C/D and S-80 Plus submarines ensures a thorough and competitive selection process for Project 75I. It allows the Navy to compare the capabilities of each submarine firsthand through field trials.
The upcoming visit to Spain and the results of the S-80 Plus FETs will be crucial. Once the Navy has evaluated both contenders, they will be in a stronger position to choose the submarine that best meets their operational needs and strategic goals.