Vietnam Eyes India's Advanced Missile Vessels Amidst South China Sea Tensions

HANOI – Vietnam has expressed interest in India's cutting-edge Next Generation Missile Vessels (NGMVs), signaling a potential boost to its naval capabilities within the increasingly contested South China Sea region.

Developed by Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), the NGMVs are anti-surface warfare corvettes built for the Indian Navy. Boasting advanced stealth features, including minimized radar, infrared, acoustic, and magnetic signatures, these vessels are designed for both speed and covert operations.

The NGMVs' primary weapon is anticipated to be the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, capable of striking targets at long ranges. The vessels may also carry various other anti-ship or land-attack missiles, offering tactical flexibility.

CSL received a $1.4 billion contract to construct six NGMVs for the Indian Navy, with deliveries starting in March 2027. The project showcases CSL's expertise in advanced warship manufacturing.

Vietnam's interest highlights the escalating strategic complexities within the South China Sea, where it contests territorial claims with China alongside other nations. The advanced weaponry and stealth capabilities of the NGMVs could prove a significant asset to Vietnam in safeguarding its maritime borders and interests.

 

[Anant]

Seriously, stop using this model. This isn't the NGMV design. It is a proposed modification to all buy the last two Veer-class corvettes that we operate, which proposes replacing the 4 Styx missiles tubes with 8 BrahMos. The entire proposal was rejected on the grounds that these ships are already very old (with in-service ships being between 27 and 33 years old), and will leave service soon. The last two Veer-class already carry 16 Kh-35s instead, and will not receive any such modification, even though they are only 22 years old each.

The NGMV is planned to be over 2,000 tons each, on the other hand. It might look like a slightly downloaded Kamorta-class or an upscaled Kora-class with stealth characteristics.

 

[The Presence]

Seriously, stop using this model. This isn't the NGMV design. It is a proposed modification to all buy the last two Veer-class corvettes that we operate, which proposes replacing the 4 Styx missiles tubes with 8 BrahMos. The entire proposal was rejected on the grounds that these ships are already very old (with in-service ships being between 27 and 33 years old), and will leave service soon. The last two Veer-class already carry 16 Kh-35s instead, and will not receive any such modification, even though they are only 22 years old each.

The NGMV is planned to be over 2,000 tons each, on the other hand. It might look like a slightly downloaded Kamorta-class or an upscaled Kora-class with stealth characteristics.

Okay, so where to find the real picture ?
Also hope it has some credible air defense unlike the Kamorta Class which is virtually defenceless.

 

[Bharat007]

Old skool design. Look at Chinese .issile boats, they have stealth features.

 

[Anant]

Okay, so where to find the real picture ?
Also hope it has some credible air defense unlike the Kamorta Class which is virtually defenceless.

The Kamorta-class has always been planned to be refitted with 32 VL-SRSAMs, which are currently in the final stages of testing from INS Rana.

Oh, and a real picture doesn't exist yet, since the design is still underway. I would say this is probably a decent place to use a good AI image rather than a wrong image.

 

[Anant]

Old skool design. Look at Chinese .issile boats, they have stealth features.

This is not the actual design. This design was a proposed refit design for the Tarantul-class corvettes we operate (except the last two of them), where the 4 Styx missiles were proposed to be replaced by 8 BrahMos. The proposal was rejected due to the age of the ships, which will leave service by the end of this decade.

 

[Ut]

We should push for other technologies with brahmos as well. Like tejas 1a with brahmos etc.
Iet brahmos be anchor sale using which we sell other systems. Let other technologies be the crucial component for the complete environment of brahmos.

 

[Aftab Ahmed Sheikh]

I wonder why hasn't DRDO ever tried to make a "less than 24 crore & less than 8 metre" missile like that Harpoon, Atmaca, 3M-54E, NSM, RBS-15 for small tactical ship-to-anti-ship (Sh-Sh) roles suitable to be launched from corvette & missile vessels?

Why did it choose to remain intellectually dependent on Russia for so long? And before Brahmos there was 3M-54, AS-20 & P-15. I am aware of NASM-SR but that's helicopter launched and not Sh-Sh.

 

[Anant]

I wonder why hasn't DRDO ever tried to make a "less than 24 crore & less than 8 metre" missile like that Harpoon, Atmaca, 3M-54E, NSM, RBS-15 for small tactical ship-to-anti-ship (Sh-Sh) roles suitable to be launched from corvette & missile vessels?

Why did it choose to remain intellectually dependent on Russia for so long? And before Brahmos there was 3M-54, AS-20 & P-15. I am aware of NASM-SR but that's helicopter launched and not Sh-Sh.

That is where missile systems like the ITCM, SLCM, LR-LACM, and NASM-MR come in. All of them are less than 8m in length, and will cost under 24-25 crore INR for large orders. As for why we remained dependent on Russia for long, I can't say.

We have already started the phase-out of the Styx missiles. They remained in service for so long because we had a lot of them lying around. Once the Rajput- and Veer-classes leave service by the end of the decade, the Styx will have flown off into history.

The Kalibr missiles are a more interesting case. The Kalibr-S missiles will go out with our Kilo-class boats, all but one of which are due for retirement by 2031-32. The Kalibr-N looks to be here to stay for another 15 years or so unless we decide to refit the Batch 1 Talwars with alternative missiles. The Batch 1 Talwars only received the Kalibrs since that was the only logical option at the time: The BrahMos was still some distance away, and the Styx was outdated.

 

[Anant]

We should push for other technologies with brahmos as well. Like tejas 1a with brahmos etc.
Iet brahmos be anchor sale using which we sell other systems. Let other technologies be the crucial component for the complete environment of brahmos.

Funny thing about that: We already do offer the BrahMos-NG with the Tejas Mk 1A. Hasn't netted any sales, has it? The simple fact of the matter is that the Tejas Mk 1A is not exactly too competitive for nations that can procure something like the F-16. There is also the fact that the BrahMos-NG is still 18-ish months from it's first test, and the Tejas Mk 1A is still nowhere to be seen in the IAF inventory.

 

[Anant]

The NGMV would be a good replacement for Vietnam's ancient Petya-class corvettes. The NGMV has a very similar hull to the Saryu-class OPVs. Vietnam could theoretically go for a NGMV variant which runs on diesel engines rather than the LM2500-powered NGMVs. That would give them a corvette that can do 25-28 knots and carries 8 AShMs, 32 VLSAMs, and a 3" gun.

As for price, the original NGMVs costs us around 233 million USD, so with a cheaper powerplant, Vietnam could, in theory, get 4 NGMVs for a billion dollars (weapons seperate). Maybe throw in two Saryu-class OPVs for 250 million dollars as well, and Vietnam would be able to get fifteen modern-ish corvettes for their Navy in total and five modern OPVs for their Coast Guard.

 

[Sandeep]

India needs to start construction of our missile vessel as we need them. We also need to develop them into stealth vessels with a very fast 40+ knot speed so we can quickly target key ships or land targets by hitting and running before the enemy can react and target our ships. There's a good chance that India will be able to sell these to many smaller armed countries in the South China Sea that need to replace their old Russian boats with a inferior and outdated weapons and technology. As China begins to become more aggressive those countries will look towards India as providing the solution, ships and missiles.

 

[Anant]

India needs to start construction of our missile vessel as we need them. We also need to develop them into stealth vessels with a very fast 40+ knot speed so we can quickly target key ships or land targets by hitting and running before the enemy can react and target our ships. There's a good chance that India will be able to sell these to many smaller armed countries in the South China Sea that need to replace their old Russian boats with a inferior and outdated weapons and technology. As China begins to become more aggressive those countries will look towards India as providing the solution, ships and missiles.

What you are mentioning is, in effect, a modern-day counterpart to the Osa-class and the La Combattante FACs. There are relatively few nations which still operate such ships due to the proliferation of high-performance sea search radar. That said, there are nations which still operate such ships, for instance, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, etc.

Such ships would have their use in India and elsewhere. I agree with you in that we should look into such boats. Let's say 500-600 tons with 4-8 subsonic AShMs in launch canisters rather than VLS (no BrahMos here, since we want a cheap ship), 8-16 VLSAMs, 2 AK-630s, and a 30mm gun, which can do 35-40 knots with a range of 1,500 to 2,000 nmi. These would be fairly cheap (most likely around 100 million USD each). Having, say, 10 of these in our Navy would be a fairly useful asset.

 

[desigandu]

What you are mentioning is, in effect, a modern-day counterpart to the Osa-class and the La Combattante FACs. There are relatively few nations which still operate such ships due to the proliferation of high-performance sea search radar. That said, there are nations which still operate such ships, for instance, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, etc.

Such ships would have their use in India and elsewhere. I agree with you in that we should look into such boats. Let's say 500-600 tons with 4-8 subsonic AShMs in launch canisters rather than VLS (no BrahMos here, since we want a cheap ship), 8-16 VLSAMs, 2 AK-630s, and a 30mm gun, which can do 35-40 knots with a range of 1,500 to 2,000 nmi. These would be fairly cheap (most likely around 100 million USD each). Having, say, 10 of these in our Navy would be a fairly useful asset.

what is the stealth Iranian boat(s) with VLS that they have about 4-6?

 

[desigandu]

Funny thing about that: We already do offer the BrahMos-NG with the Tejas Mk 1A. Hasn't netted any sales, has it? The simple fact of the matter is that the Tejas Mk 1A is not exactly too competitive for nations that can procure something like the F-16. There is also the fact that the BrahMos-NG is still 18-ish months from it's first test, and the Tejas Mk 1A is still nowhere to be seen in the IAF inventory.

Tejas Mk2s when they appear in numbers have the capability for exports, else Mk1As are no match for F-16s/Block 70-72, except for countries that can't get them due to geopolitics...

 

[Anant]

what is the stealth Iranian boat(s) with VLS that they have about 4-6?

Which of those boats, Sir? Iran has a number of that are essentially motorboats with a missile canister attached on, which can do 50+ knots. The problem with those boats is that they are good for nothing other than asymmetric coastal warfare. They simply don't have a range of more than a few hundred kilometres.

If you are referring to their Soleimani-class corvettes, then those ships, while stealthy (pardon the term), are, in essence, modern missile boats. That is the sort of design I am referring to. However, what I propose is that instead of having a VLS, the space could be used for more machinery to reach a 35-40 knot speed, with the AShM missile capability being based on inclined launch canisters.