
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued a request for information (RFI) in a bid to lease or acquire three to four Mine Countermeasure Vessels (MMCV) from a foreign government for the Indian Navy.
The RFI mentioned that the MCMVs should be able to locate, classify, and neutralize all types of ground and moored mines, mine laying, channel conditioning, route survey, sanitization, Local Naval Defence, Search & Rescue, Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO), and Visit Board Search and Seize (VBSS) operations.
As per the specifications required, the ship should be capable of sustaining its mission for at least 10 days at an economical speed. The vessels should be able to embark lightweight 20/30 mm anti-surface NSG, two 12.7 mm SRCGs and a very short-range air defence system. In terms of sensors, ships are to be fitted with a hull-mounted sonar and a SSS for mine detection and classification. Finally, about mine warfare capability, vessels will feature system capable of launching, recovering, and guiding Expendable and/or Reusable Mine Identification & Disposal Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs), Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs)/ Propelled Variable Depth Sonar (PVDS) able to operate in autonomous, semi-autonomous, supervised, or in tethered mode.