In July 2018, Goa-based composites manufacturing company Kineco Limited became the first Indian company to manufacture indigenous composites sonar dome after it was flagged off by the then Union Defence Minister Late Manohar Parrikar to be delivered to Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai (Maharashtra). Now after two years, on September 23, 2020, Kineco manufactured sonar dome again flagged off to MDL, Mumbai by Goa Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant for its mounting on the Indian Navy’s Kolkata and Visakhapatnam-class stealth destroyers of Indian Navy, P15 Alpha for the first time.
- It has been designed by Research and Development Establishment (Engineers), a Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratory based in Pune (Maharashtra).
- Developed on the lines of Make in India vision in the defence sector and the Atmanirbhar initiatives, a total of seven sonar domes will be supplied to MDL, two of which will be delivered this year, three in the next year and one dome in 2022-23.
What is a sonar dome?
All anti-submarine warfare (ASW) ships have a sonar array fitted to the ship structure below the waterline which acts as a ship’s underwater eyes and ears. A sonar dome is a structure fitted over the sonar array so that its electronics and sensors are not exposed to surrounding hostile environments such as wave slamming, minor collisions etc.
Points to be noted:
-Earlier, Indian Navy had to rely on sonar domes imported from Germany for its warships.
-India’s first maritime cluster is coming up at Verna, Goa.
Recent Related News:
i.In order to enhance maritime security, on August 13, 2020, an Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) for the Indian Coast Guard was launched and re-christened as Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) “Sarthak” during a virtual ceremony held at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).
ii.On 13th August 2020, Government of Goa signed a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Siemens Limited, India and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), India to provide world class German dual vocational education and training(VET) in Goa’s Industrial Training Institutes(ITIs).
About Goa:
Capital– Panaji (Panjim)
Governor– Bhagat Singh Koshyari
