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"The delivery, managed by DCNS India, was
made on time, meeting all the stringent quality
standards required for on-board use on a submarine
with 100 percent quality compliance," the
company said in a statement.
The agreement with Flash Forge was signed in
June 2011.
MDL, which is producing the six conventional
diesel-electric submarines with French technological
help, has already received the first Indian-made
equipment for the Scorpene submarines programme,
termed in naval parlance as Project 75.
"Simultaneously, DCNS India, the subsidiary
of the French defence major in India, is working
on the selection and qualification of Indian companies
as partners for local production of the Scorpenes'
equipment," the statement said.
"We are providing our Indian partners with
know-how and technical assistance to manufacture
equipment which will be installed on board the
Scorpenes. Together with MDL, we are qualifying
suitable companies which are meeting the rigorous
specifications needed for the submarines,"
DCNS India managing director Bernard Buisson said.
The Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) for the first
locally-made equipment for large-scale piping
system on board the Scorpenes was successfully
performed at Flash Forge premises in Vishakapatnam
in January.
"The success of the manufacture and delivery
of this first indigenisation contract with Flash
Forge is the culmination of a long and stringent
process," it said.
The process involves preliminary audits of the
manufacturing and quality processes performed
by experts from DCNS France; certification of
the prototypes to three different laboratories,
including a DCNS laboratory for Naval Material
and Structures, to validate the good manufacturing
of the equipment; and frequent interaction between
Flash Forge and DCNS teams during the manufacturing
process, it added.
"This delivery is especially significant
since the quality of each equipment on board submarines
contribute to the overall safety of the crew and
of the ship's performance," DCNS India said.
"Given the relative small quantities of
each material to be manufactured, DCNS is looking
for long-term partnerships. And each potential
industrial partner needs to demonstrate a willingness
to invest in the required specific infrastructure
development," Buisson said.
The same comprehensive selection method is underway
for other equipment and more contracts with Indian
partners will be announced shortly, the firm added.
(IANS)
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