A massive data leak detailing the combat and stealth capabilities of the Indian Navy’s soon-to-be inducted French Scorpene submarines has been reported. The leak could potentially affect the combat capabilities of the sub-surface platforms.
Mazgaon Docks Limited (MDL) is building six Scorpene submarines with technology transfer from DCNS of France.
“The stunning leak, which runs to 22,400 pages and has been seen by The Australian , details the entire secret combat capability of the six Scorpene-class submarines that French shipbuilder DCNS has designed for the Indian Navy,” The Australian reported.
Marked “Restricted Scorpene India”, the DCNS documents detail sensitive combat capabilities of India’s new submarine fleet. The report states that the leak could provide crucial intelligence data to India’s strategic rivals, such as Pakistan or China.
The data tells the submarine crew where they can speak safely to avoid detection by the enemy. It also discloses magnetic, electromagnetic and infrared data as well as the specifications of the submarine’s torpedo launch system and the combat system, the report further stated.
The data includes 4,457 pages on the submarine’s underwater sensors, 4,209 pages on its above-water sensors, 4,301 pages on its combat management system, 493 pages on its torpedo launch system and specifications, 6,841 pages on the sub’s communications system and 2,138 on its navigation systems.
While DCNS claimed that the leak was unlikely from its end, the report points to information leaked about other upcoming DCNS deals with other countries which likely means the leak was from the company.
According to The Australian , the data on the Scorpene was written in France for India in 2011 and is suspected of being removed from France in that same year by a former French Navy officer who was at that time a DCNS subcontractor.
The news is of particular concern to India as the Scorpenes are to be the mainstay of the Navy for the next couple of next decades.
The first of the Scorpenes, Kalvari, is currently undergoing sea trials and is scheduled to be commissioned in October this year with the remaining five expected to be rolled out at nine-month intervals. With depleting submarine levels, India has expressed interest in ordering additional Scorpenes which would also keep the assembly line at MDL running.
