Mumbai: The Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilder Ltd (MDL) has delivered the fifth ‘Made in India’ Scorpene-class submarine, ‘Vagir’, to the Indian Navy. It is the third submarine delivered to the navy in 24 months.
The fifth submarine of the Project – 75, Kalvari Class submarines, Yard 11879 was delivered to the Indian Navy on Saturday.
Project – 75 includes indigenous construction of six submarines of Scorpene design. The Kalvari submarines constructed at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders in collaboration with the Naval Group, France, were launched in November 2021 and Vagir commenced sea trials in February this year. “Vagir has completed all major trials including the weapon and sensor trials in the shortest time in comparison to the earlier submarines,” a defence spokesperson said.
A statement added, “Submarine construction is an intricate activity as the difficulty is compounded when all equipment are required to be miniaturised and are subject to stringent quality requirements. Construction of the submarines in an Indian yard is another step towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and enhances self-confidence in ship building.”
The MDL has successfully constructed and delivered the Leander & Godavari class frigates, khukri-class corvettes, missile boats, Delhi and Kolkata-class destroyers and the newly-inducted Visakhapatnam class of destroyers, Shivalik class stealth frigates, the SSK submarines and the Scorpene submarines to the Indian Navy.
Scorpene submarine has superior stealth features such as advanced acoustic absorption techniques, low-radiated noised levels, hydro-dynamically optimised-shape with ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision guided weapons. The attack can be launched with both torpedoes and tube launched anti-ship missiles, while underwater or on surface. The stealth of the potent platform is enhanced by the special attention provided to her characteristic underwater signatures. The stealth features give it an invulnerability, unmatched by most submarines. Vagir submarine would shortly be commissioned into the Indian Navy and enhance the Indian Navy’s blue water capability.
In a related development, ‘Arnala’, the first of anti-submarine warfare corvette being built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers for the Indian Navy, was launched on Tuesday in Chennai.
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