New Delhi: India plans a seabed cable network to strengthen underwater surveillance in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has started the process to build an advanced Underwater Fiber Optic Sensing System (UFOSS). The project aims to detect and monitor submarine movements around the clock as Chinese and Pakistani naval activity in the region continues to grow.
UFOSS Project: DRDO Begins Search for Industry Partner
DRDO’s Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), based in Kochi, has issued an Expression of Interest (EOI) to identify a lead system integrator for the project.
Read also: What Is DRDO’s New Compact Anti-Radiation Missile and Why Can’t Rudram-1 Fit Inside AMCA?
The selected company will be responsible for designing, supplying, transporting, deploying, integrating, testing and commissioning the entire underwater surveillance system.
What Is the UFOSS Project (Underwater Fiber Optic Sensing System)
UFOSS is a fixed underwater surveillance network that uses seabed sensors connected through fibre-optic cables. The sensors will continuously monitor underwater activity and send data to shore-based monitoring stations. This will allow the Indian Navy to detect submarine movements without depending only on aircraft and warships.
Why India Is Building UFOSS Project
The Indian Ocean Region has become more strategically important in recent years. Chinese nuclear and conventional submarines regularly operate in the region. Chinese survey and research ships are also mapping the seabed, collecting valuable underwater data.
At the same time, Pakistan has started inducting eight Chinese-origin Hangor-class diesel-electric submarines equipped with Air-Independent Propulsion (AIP), allowing them to stay underwater for much longer.
India Wants Better Underwater Awareness
India currently relies on multiple platforms for anti-submarine warfare, including:
- P-8I maritime patrol aircraft
- MH-60R multi-role helicopters
- Indian Navy warships
- Other surveillance systems
However, these platforms patrol only at specific times. A permanent seabed sensor network will provide 24-hour underwater monitoring, making submarine detection faster and more reliable.
Inspired by Global Underwater Surveillance Systems
The idea is not new. During the Cold War, the United States built the Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS), a network of seabed-mounted hydrophones used to detect Soviet submarines.
The United States and Japan later expanded similar underwater surveillance systems across the western Pacific. China has also developed its own underwater acoustic sensor network, often referred to as an “Underwater Great Wall,” in the South China Sea.
How the UFOSS Project Will Work
According to the EOI, the project will include:
- Underwater “wet-plant” sensor systems
- Seabed sensor array nodes
- Subsea fibre-optic cables
- Junction boxes and branching units
- Shore-based monitoring stations
The selected contractor will also manage system integration, deployment, commissioning, one year of operations and long-term lifecycle support for the planned 20-year service life. The estimated execution period is around 48 months.
Companies Must Meet Strict Technical Requirements
Industry proposals are due by September 1. Bidders must demonstrate expertise in underwater systems, subsea cable manufacturing and deployment, marine surveys, fibre-optic integration, remote-operated vehicles (ROVs), cable-laying ships and cable burial equipment. Consortiums of up to five companies will be allowed.
India’s Submarine Modernisation Still Takes Time
India is also expanding its submarine fleet, but several major programmes are still years away from completion. The indigenous nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN) programme has been approved, while the Project-75I conventional submarine programme is awaiting final approval. Experts expect it will take several years before these submarines become operational.
Strategic Importance of UFOSS Project
Defence experts believe a permanent underwater surveillance network will significantly improve India’s maritime security. By combining seabed sensors with aircraft, helicopters and warships, the Indian Navy will gain better situational awareness and stronger anti-submarine capabilities across the Indian Ocean Region.
Read also: India’s New Fire-and-Forget Missile Is Ready—Here’s What Makes MP-ATGM Special
