The Indian Navy.
Credit: PTI File Photo
As part of its efforts to modernise and strengthen the capabilities of its Marine Commandos (MARCOS) for special undersea operations, the Indian Navy plans to acquire swimmer delivery vehicles, also known as underwater chariots and midget submarines, built in the country.
As per a report by The Indian Express, these chariots, which can accommodate a crew of at least six, will be powered by lithium-ion batteries.
Once the first prototype is approved, the Navy intends to purchase a few dozen chariots, the publication said quoting sources.
Because of the size of these delivery vehicles, divers will be able to carry larger cylinders in their chariots, extending their time underwater and increasing their overall operational range in shallow waters.
The chariots' size will also allow for the carriage of extra weaponry for different operations.
Industry input is being taken while the Navy designs the vehicles, and the resulting prototype will be produced, the report said.
These submerged ships, also known as chariots, are used by nearly all advanced navies. These are quite useful when the Navy needs to conduct operations in shallow waters, conduct surveillance, or target the enemy's ships in harbor or coastal installations.
The chariots are self-propelled vehicles that, depending on their size and intended purpose, can be launched from either ships or submarines. Manned-human torpedoes during World War II were called chariots.
The chariots facilitate the transportation of weapons and equipment to areas of operations and give marine commandos access to areas near the enemy's harbor, which submarines cannot reach because of shallow waters.
There is not much public information on the Navy's current swimmer delivery vehicles.
According to some reports, the Navy has been using chariots made in Italy for a while now. Two of these submarines were to be built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited, per a request from the Ministry of Defence in 2012.