HBL Power: Signs of change

News on Advanced Heavy Weight Torpedo – Varunastra

DRDO has been testing the submarine-launched variant of the Varunastra torpedo using a swim out tube. The laboratory has initiated the process of testing this torpedo in a simulated environment before firing it from a submarine of the Indian Navy. The swim out tube is 8 meters long and is designed to exactly fit the 7.8 meters long Varunastra. The tube mechanism includes lowering the tube into the water and then launching the torpedo as if it was launched from a submarine. The test structure also has recovery mechanism with winches, HD camera to record the launch for analysis, and other electrical setups required in an actual submarine torpedo launch system.

Powered by an electric propulsion system with multiple 250 KW silver oxide zinc (AgOZn) batteries, the Varunastra can achieve speeds in excess of 40 knots (74 km/h; 46 mph) and has a range of 40 km (25 mi).

The torpedo has already been ordered by the Navy in two batches and has also been exported to Vietnam and another country.

Source Submarine Launched Varunastra – Alpha Defense

More details https://delhidefencereview.com/2020/01/14/indias-varunastra-heavyweight-torpedo-all-you-need-to-know/

BDL launched manufacture of the Varunastra under technological guidance of DRDO in FY20 and later received a contract worth Rs 1,188 crore for supply of 63 of torpedoes in next 42 months. Battery Cost is around 20-40% of the Cost of the torpedo.

Source The Indian Navy must finalise its torpedo requirements as new generation torpedoes are now beginning to emerge

HBL is one of two suppliers in India which have been supplying batteries for Torpedo Propulsion to the Indian Navy. HBL also exports these batteries in limited numbers. HBL has two contracts from NSTL/ DRDO for development of state of the art Al AgO Torpedo Batteries. Only two companies in
the world make such batteries today

Source HBL 2023 PPT https://www.bseindia.com/xml-data/corpfiling/AttachHis/bf42f239-a7c1-4192-824c-7f3d15347c6f.pdf

FY22 Annual Report- HBL has made more progress on the development of advanced Light Weight and Heavy Weight Torpedo batteries for Indian Navy and expect to complete these development orders in FY24