Whitehead Sistemi Subacquei S.p.A. (WASS), Italy’s leading company known for advanced underwater weapon and sensor design and development, has presence in 27 countries, including India where it has established itself. WASS arrived in India in 1976 with the sale of A244s light weight torpedos (LWTs), but has transformed itself as a partner in progress.

In 2010, much before the issue of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) 2013 (which forces OEMs to indigenise), it opened a fully-owned subsidiary and has fruitful relationship with Indian companies such as the Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), HEB, Tata Advanced System, Larsen & Toubro, etc. It has committed itself to offer India the latest and state-of-the-art products, supporting the Indian Navy, Indian industry and research and development organisations in their endeavours for indigenisation.

The Regional Delegate of WASS, Antonio Budroni mentioned how 10 years back, WASS initialised an industrial relationship with Soviet/Russian companies and India gave WASS an opportunity to increase the relationship in submarines and ASW avionics, such as kilo class submarines, IL38 ASW airplane and K28 ASW helicopters. The HWT (heavyweight torpedoes) and LWT families are in the process of integration on the above-mentioned platforms for both India and the worldwide market.

BDL Collaboration

The collaboration with BDL since 2005 in submarine torpedo countermeasure field has strengthened and has potential for more. WASS believes that the right, reliable and safe way to indigenise production is to find the right partner, preferably a leader in the sector and offer it a production share as to develop technologies. WASS proposals to DRDO and NSTL were in this direction, but till date no agreement has been signed.

WASS believes that offsets and transfer of technology (ToT) are not enough to guarantee real absorption of technologies. All these instruments are based on programmes and not on products. The way BrahMos was indigenised is the most reliable way.

Black Shark, the Right Choice for Indian Navy

The Ministry of Defence has selected WASS’s Blackshark torpedo for the Scorpene submarine and WASS is awaiting final signatures. With execution of this contract, which involves transfer of technology to BDL and offset, India would receive a large number of technologies and BDL would become established manufacturer of heavyweight torpedoes.

It is the most advanced and combat proven torpedo available in the market today. Its lethality and readiness is the results of years of strict collaboration in the development and qualification phases between WASS and Italian Navy. Recently, Black Shark was tested in Malaysia where the torpedo WARSHOT firing was from a Scorpene submarine against a dismissed ship. The firing confirmed the excellent performance of its communication’s reliability with the fire control system through the fibre optic cable, of dynamic and acoustic performances, the effectiveness of its ignition chain and the explosive charge.

WASS’s R&D investments have helped WASS to be the 100 per cent owner of the technologies and patented inventions such as acoustic head, insensitive high energy explosive, fibre optic wire guidance, primary and secondary batteries, propellers and wake homing contained in this sophisticated torpedo. The technology level of the other torpedoes in the market are at least 15 years old. WASS outsources its components production and follows a strict supply chain and is the best choice for the ‘Make in India’ policy of Prime Minister Modi.

LWT Backbone of Indian Navy

These torpedoes have been the backbone of the Indian Navy underwater operations for over 30 years. WASS is willing and keen to collaborate with DRDO/NSTL for development of future LWT in India, by transferring key technologies.

Torpedo Decoy System for Submarines

WASS supplied first C303 system to the Indian Navy in the late 1990s. In 2005, Indian Navy contracted WASS for supply of nine C303 additional systems with ToT and indigenisation by BDL is around 50 per cent. BDL has started receiving direct orders from the Indian Navy and WASS has become its sub-supplier.

HWT for Ships

The HWT for ships is similar to HWT for submarines. WASS is very keen to supply these for the Indian Navy ships and is willing to increase the indigenous content to more than 50 per cent, with transfer of some key technologies. Once BDL has received the entire ToT, it should be the logical choice for placing order for these torpedoes.