Goan Firm to Supply Sonar Dome for Navy’s Stealth Destroyers – Make in India

PANAJI: Pilerne-based Kineco Ltd will supply seven sonar domes to Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), which will be installed on the Indian Navy’s Kolkata and Vishakapatnam-class stealth destroyers. Kineco has manufactured the composite sonar dome based on design and technology developed in collaboration with Defence and Research Development Organisation.
Kineco is the first Indian company to manufacture indigenous composite sonar domes. The Indian Navy had to rely on sonar domes imported from Germany for its warships.

“The first sonar dome is ready for dispatch and we will supply two domes to MDL this year, three in the next year and one dome in 2022-23,” said vice chairman and managing director of Kineco Shekher Sardesai.
Kineco and DRDO began collaborating in 2012 to develop an indigenous sonar dome and after four years of developments, the prototype was unveiled at the 2016 DefExpo.

According to Sardesai, Kineco will explore further opportunities with other defence sector shipyards while also exploring export opportunities.
“A natural progression for us would be to look at submarine sonar domes and other composites,” said Sardesai.

Chief minister Pramod Sawant was present for the inauguration of the first sonar dome. “A Goan company collaborating with India’s top defence research organisation, is a matter to be proud and is in line of the prime minister’s vision of Atma Nirbhar Bharat and make India,” said Sawant.
He also said that the nation’s first maritime cluster coming up would provide employment to 7,000 locals and promote Goa’s shipbuilding sector.

Source:ToI