Goa Shipyard, Naval Group expand scope of collaboration

Goa Shipyard Limited, a defence PSU shipyard, and Naval Group, a leader in French Naval Defence industry, signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) on Thursday to expand their collaboration in the field of design and production of all shore-based simulators for Scorpene submarine project.

The expanded collaboration would also cover other future advanced simulator requirements of the Indian Navy.

In line with "Make in India" programme of the Central Government, these simulators are planned to have significant indigenous content.

The LoI was signed during the DefExpo 2017 being held here.

The two companies had earlier signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) for simulators for submarine's Combat Management System (CMS).

The two entities had also collaborated earlier on future projects including advanced simulators for Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) and Submarine Escape Training Tower (SETT).

With this renewed collaboration with the Naval Group, the GSL will be able to offer complete suite of simulators, including 3D simulators, for the different future platforms, including submarine programme, for the Indian Navy.

During the occasion, Rear Admiral Shekhar Mital, the Chairman and Managing Director of GSL said: "We have expanded the scope of futuristic diversification on the strength of our old partner and will now be making series of simulators for Scorpene submarines of Indian Navy.

"This is in addition to the array of land-based simulators such as damage control simulator, fire fighting simulator and nuclear biological and chemical simulator that the GSL has designed and supplied to the Indian Navy in the past."

François Dupont, Director, International Trade Department of the Naval Group, said the partnership would offer latest generation advanced simulators which would benefit the future training of the Indian Navy.

--IANS

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