The Indian defense ministry has awarded shipbuilders M/s CSL and GRSE contracts for the construction of sixteen anti submarine warfare shallow water craft (ASW SWC).
Each shipyard will build 8 units with deliveries scheduled to start from October 2022. The shipyards are to hand over two ships per year after the first delivery.
These ASW SWC will displace 750 tons, develop speeds of 25 knots and will have a complement of 57.
According to earlier GRSE documents, the ships will measure around 70 meters with a maximum draught of 2.7 meter at full displacement.
The defense ministry said the craft would be capable of full-scale subsurface surveillance of coastal waters and coordinated ASW operations with aircraft. In addition, the vessels shall have the capability to interdict and destroy subsurface targets in coastal waters.
In their secondary role, these will be capable to prosecute intruding aircraft, and lay mines in the sea bed.