AIP (Air-Independent Propulsion) Technology:
France’s Naval Group declined the bid for the P-75I Project, citing it does not use AIP (Air-Independent Propulsion) Technology yet.
- Around 10 countries have developed or are close to building AIP technology, and almost 20 nations have AIP submarines.
P-75I project:
- In June 1999, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved a 30-year plan for the Navy to indigenously build and induct 24 submarines by 2030.
- In the first phase, two lines of production were to be established — the first, P-75; the second, P-75I. Each line was to produce six submarines.
- While the six P-75 submarines are diesel-electric, they can be fitted with AIP technology later in their lives.
- This P-75I project envisages indigenous construction of submarines equipped with the state-of-the-art Air Independent Propulsion system at an estimated cost of Rs. 43,000 crore.
AIP :
- AIP is a technology for conventional non-nuclear submarines.
- Submarines are essentially of two types: conventional and nuclear.
- The conventional submarines use diesel-electric engines, which require them to surface almost daily to get atmospheric oxygen for fuel combustion.
- If fitted with an AIP system, the submarine will need to take in oxygen only once a week.
- The indigenously developed AIP, which is one of the key missions of the Naval Materials Research Laboratory (NMRL – DRDO), is considered one of the ambitious projects of the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) for the Navy.
