# Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel

The Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel (NGOPV) are a series of eleven offshore patrol vessel planned to be built by Goa Shipyard (GSL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) for the Indian Navy. The deal was signed on 30 March 2023 with the delivery of the ships is scheduled to commence from September 2026. The primary role of the vessels to maintain Indian Navy's combat capability and meet various operational requirements such as Anti piracy, Counter-Infiltration, Anti poaching, Anti trafficking, Non combatant evacuation operations, Search and Rescue (SAR), Protection of Offshore Assets and Mine warfare.

## History

The Next-Generation Offshore Patrol Vessel project is a follow on of Shachi class which was eventually cancelled due to an inordinate delay of more than 10 years. Initially, the Indian Navy signed a contract for five offshore patrol vessel to be built by the erstwhile Pipavav Shipyard now (Reliance Defence and Engineering). Numerous delays in the project, initially due to change of design partner and subsequently due to financial issues led to the cancellation of the project in October 2020.
Indian Navy re-released a new RFI in 2017 for six ships which was later cleared by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) in 2018 for a price of ₹4,941 crore (equivalent to ₹66 billion or US$760 million in 2023). Later on, the number of ships to be built was increased to eleven to compensate for the time lost due to the cancelled Shachi class project.
The project was subjected to competitive bidding and shipyards across the country participated. Amongst the public sector participants were Cochin Shipyard, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers, Goa Shipyard, Hindustan Shipyard and Mazagon Dock while Larsen & Toubro was the sole private bidder. Goa Shipyard was declared the lowest bidder (L1) while Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers was the second lowest L2. Contract was subsequently signed with both the shipyards.

## Construction

The deal for the construction of 11 ships was signed on 30 March 2023 by Ministry of Defence with Goa Shipyard (GSL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) for a total value of ₹9,781 crore (US$1.1 billion). Of the 11 ships, seven will be designed, developed and manufactured by GSL and four by GRSE. The delivery of the ships is scheduled to commence from September 2026. The order value share for the Goa Shipyard (GSL) is ₹6,200 crore (US$710 million) while that of Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) is ₹3,500 crore (US$400 million).
The first ship is expected to be delivered within 44 months from the date of signing the contract with the final delivery to be complete within seven and half years.
On the same date, MoD also ordered 13 units of BEL Lynx-U2 Fire Control Radar worth ₹1,700 crore (US$190 million) for the NGOPV programme.
GRSE began the construction process by kicking off the steel cutting for the first two NGOPV Y3039 and Y3040 at its Rajabagan Dock on 24 February 2024.
Goa Shipyard started the construction of the third and the fourth OPV, the first two from the order of seven, with the steel cutting ceremony on 27 March 2024.
GRSE laid keels for two NGOPVs at Yard Y3037 and Y3038 on 5 November 2024.
On 8 February 2025, MoD placed an order for 28 BEL EON-51 FCS, worth ₹642 crore (US$73 million), to complement AK-630s onboard 11 NGOPVs and 3 Cadet Training Ships.

## Design

The ships will have a displacement of 2,500–2,900 tonnes (2,461–2,854 long tons) and a length of 105–110 metres (344 ft 6 in – 360 ft 11 in) depending upon the design opted by either of the shipyard. They will have a cruising speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph) with a maximum speed greater than 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) and an operating range of 8,500 nautical miles (15,700 km; 9,800 mi) at a speed of 14–15 knots (26–28 km/h; 16–17 mph). The ships will be equipped with state of the art facility and a hangar which can accommodate one HAL Dhruv. The Helipad can accommodate a helicopter of 15 t (15 long tons) with facility to operate UAVs.
These ship will be able to perform mine warfare roles with modular payload, presumably by the usage of UUVs and autonomous mine laying vehicles. The ship would be equipped with light weapons like 76mm main cannon along with CIWS systems and counter-measure system like Kavach decoy launchers and Maareech torpedo-countermeasure systems.
The CIWS will be partnered with EON-51 FCS, an electro optical fire-control system capable of search, detection and classification of targets by employing devices like Electro Optical and Thermal Imagers.
The ship will have the ability to store Shyena torpedoes for helicopter.

## Ships of the class

| Name | Yard No | Builder | Keel laid | Status |
| Indian Navy |||||||||
| TBA | | Goa Shipyard | | Ordered |
| TBA | 1280 | Goa Shipyard | 3 May 2024 | Under construction |
| TBA | 1283 | Goa Shipyard | | Under construction |
| TBA | | Goa Shipyard | | Ordered |
| TBA | 3037 | GRSE | 5 November 2024 | Under construction |
| TBA | 3038 | GRSE | 5 November 2024 | Under construction |
| TBA | 3039 | GRSE | | Under construction |
| TBA | 3040 | GRSE | | Under construction |