http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_range_acoustic_device

if you recall they went ahead with making the hull before the superstructure design was fully fleshed out. perhaps the finalized superstructure design needs some changes in the interior of hull.

extra extra ! read all abou it.

latest India Today mag by the usually reliable sandeep unninathan sayeth the following.

– Trenton is being purchased for 200cr – around $40 mil to give the IN experience with
operating LPHD and will mainly be used for carrying troops, disaster relief supplies,
hospital ships and cargo helicopters.

– IN will order 2 new LPHD from GRSE shipyard license building the french Mistral class
20,000t design @ 1900 cr (around $350 mil) each.

—–
a brief search reveals Mistral can take 450 troops sustained(900 short), 2 LCAC or 4 LST, a regiment of heavy MBTs/many many trucks and lotsa supplies plus has room for command staff to act as flagship. hanger for 10 NH90 sized helos + 10 more on deck in a emergency. top speed is not much at 20 knots but is surely a beefy ASW flagship if need be. podded propulsor for manouvering into those shallow, small caribbean style ports in the andamans!

Bloomberg. Scorpene deal is officially inked now.

India, France Sign Agreements to Build Six Submarines (Update1)

Oct. 6 (Bloomberg) — India and France signed agreements valued at a combined $3.5 billion to build six submarines for the South Asian nation, which is seeking to equip its defense forces with modern equipment.

Armaris, a joint venture between Thales SA, Europe’s biggest maker of defense electronics, and DCN, Europe’s largest military shipbuilder, will transfer technology and design to Mazgaon Dock Ltd. in Mumbai, where the six diesel-powered Scorpene submarines will be built, the government said in a statement in New Delhi today, after the agreements were signed.

India is buying submarines and fighter aircraft as part of a plan to upgrade its defense forces. Separately, the Indian Air Force is seeking to buy 126 fighter jets for more than $9 billion.

Armaris will also supply combat systems. The deal represents about 900 million euros ($1.09 billion) in sales for DCN. Thales said Sept. 12 its portion is valued at almost 600 million euros.

MBDA, Europe’s biggest missile maker, signed an agreement with India’s defense ministry to equip the submarines with Exocet missiles.

The Indian Navy says it needs more ships, submarines, aircraft, missiles and weapons to protect the country’s 7,000- kilometer (4,350-mile) coastline and the nation’s offshore infrastructure, estimated at 1.25 trillion rupees ($28 billion).

`Important Role’

“To ensure the nation’s maritime interests remain safe, India is committed to a strong, capable and balanced three- dimensional navy, in which submarines have a very important role to play,” Arun Prakash, Indian navy chief, said at the signing ceremony.

The agreements were signed by Indian defense ministry officials and French officials, including representatives from Armaris and MBDA.

The agreement “will be seen as a landmark in the continuation of the process of strengthening Indo-French defense relationship and beyond that, of Indo-French strategic partnership,” said Dominique Girard, France’s ambassador to India.

The first Scorpene submarine will be ready for induction into the Indian Navy by 2012 and the remaining five will be delivered at intervals of one year each thereafter, the statement said.