Details emerge on India's mystery OSS project
by Kerry Herschelmann, London - IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
Link
http://www.janes.com/article/45006/deta ... ss-project
![Image](http://www.janes.com/images/assets/006/45006/1568497_-_main.jpg)
The IN's OSS project is being built to a VSDI design at the Ministry of Defence-owned HSL. Source: VSDI
Details are slowly coming to light of the mystery Indian Navy (IN) vessel being built under the secretive Ocean Surveillance Ship (OSS) project at the Ministry of Defence-owned Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL). IHS Jane's understands that the OSS project is managed by the Indian Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a similar manner to the Arihant nuclear submarine project.
The layout of the ship - a long open deck with space for several tracking antennae aft of the forward superstructure - suggests it could be a ballistic missile tracking ship operated by the IN for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). The project came to light in late 2011 and early 2012 from tenders released by HSL.
Designed to DNV and Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) class rules by Vik Sandvik Design India (VSDI), the vessel, which is known only as Hull VC-11184, has a length of 175.77 m, a beam of 22.7 m, a draft of 6.45 m, and a design displacement of around 14,700 tons. It has a helicopter deck and hangar, as well as a bulbous bow, with a planned complement of 300 including technicians and scientists.
According to HSL and VSDI (which was formerly a part of Wartsila's Ship Design Group, but is now owned by MDL Energy Pvt Ltd), the ship is powered by two 9,000 kW diesel engines driving a single 4.5 m-diameter CPP propeller. A 1,000 kW bow thruster is also fitted. Top speed is 21 kt and range at a cruising speed of 14 kt is 14,000 n miles.
It is understood that Italy's Fincantieri Group may have been awarded the propulsion system integration contract. If so, the propulsion system may be near identical to that installed in the IN's Fincantieri-built Deepak-class fleet tankers, which have similar dimensions.
ANALYSIS
While negotiations for the ship began in 2012, the INR15 billion (USD245 million) contract was only finalised in 2014, according to HSL sources quoted in local media. At the keel-laying ceremony on 30 June 2014, HSL announced that the vessel would be ready by November 2015. According to HSL tender documents, the project is to last 19 months.
However, given HSL's poor track record of delays and an inability to build relatively simple 50 m patrol boats and tugs on time, this seems to be unrealistic. An industry source told IHS Jane's : "Nineteen months is a tough call due to drawings not being approved by class authorities and ready, resulting in equipment procurement delays and other bureaucratic delays."
Aside from that, damage caused by Cyclone Hudhud to HSL facilities, including some damage to the hull steel shop, will almost certainly move the timeline to the right.
When completed, the OSS will most likely be used for tracking and monitoring ballistic missile launches for the IN's nascent fleet of ballistic missile submarines as well as those of regional countries. The IN would become the fifth navy after those of China, France, Russia, and the United States to operate such a vessel.