SOURCE: RAUNAK KUNDE / NEWS BEAT / IDRW.ORG
German shipbuilder ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) has informed the Indian Navy that its lithium-ion battery technology, developed in-house since 2015, will be installed and validated by around 2028. This battery system is being offered as part of the proposal for India’s Project-75I (P-75I), a submarine procurement program aimed at bolstering the Navy’s underwater capabilities. The lithium-ion battery technology is set to be integrated into TKMS’s T-214NG (Next-Generation) submarine design, which the company has pitched to India.
TKMS has been at the forefront of developing next-generation submarine batteries, starting research in 2015 and achieving the first major breakthrough in 2019, when the company conducted its initial tests. , TKMS plans to install the battery on the German Navy’s U-212A submarine, which will serve as a testbed.
This validation process is crucial because one of the Indian Navy’s key requirements for the Project-75I tender is that all critical systems, including battery technology and Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP), must be sea-proven. While TKMS is confident about its lithium-ion battery and AIP systems, neither has been fully integrated into an operational submarine yet. The battery’s validation by 2028 would come in time for its inclusion in the Indian Navy’s submarine fleet, but until then, the technology remains under evaluation.
However, the challenge for TKMS lies in meeting the Indian Navy’s strict requirements, which state that both the lithium-ion battery and AIP systems must be proven technologies that have already been integrated into submarines. The fact that neither of these systems is currently installed on an operational submarine could be a hurdle in TKMS’s bid to secure the P-75I contract.
TKMS is not alone in vying for the P-75I contract. Spain’s Navantia, which is also competing for the tender with its S-80 class submarine, has raised concerns over the Indian Navy’s decision to rely on Field evaluation trials (FET) rather than a traditional price discovery method for selecting the final submarine design. Navantia has argued that both the T-214NG and S-80 submarines do not yet have sea-proven AIP systems, which could impact their eligibility under the Navy’s current criteria.
The Indian Navy is under pressure to ensure that the selected submarine design not only meets the operational requirements but also offers technological maturity. In addition, the Navy has emphasized the importance of indigenous production and technology transfer under the “Make in India” initiative, which will also play a crucial role in determining the final winner of the P-75I tender.
NOTE : Article cannot be reproduced without written permission of idrw.org in any form even for YouTube Videos to avoid Copy right strikes. Websites doing illegal reproductions will get DMCA and Legal Notices.