Indian Navy gets first of four stealth guided destroyer built at Mazgaon Dock

The Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) has delivered the first ship INS Visakhapatnam, of the four stealth guided-missile destroyers under project-15B, to the Indian Navy

The Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) has delivered the first ship INS Visakhapatnam, of the four stealth guided-missile destroyers under project-15B, to the Indian Navy. Project 15B comprises four ships — Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and Porbandar, and all are being built by the MDL.

Indian Navy’s Project 15B comprises four stealth guided destroyer ships — Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and Porbandar, and all are being built by the Mazagon Dock Limited. (Twitter- @indiannavy)

Visakhapatnam ship can accommodate a crew of 312 persons, has an endurance of 4,000 nautical miles and can carry out a typical 42 days mission with extended mission time in out of area operation. The ship is equipped with two helicopters on board to further extend its reach. The ship is propelled by a powerful combined gas and gas (COGAG) propulsion plant, consisting of four reversible gas turbines, which enables it to achieve a speed of over 30 knots (approximately 55 km/hr).

The keel of Visakhapatnam was laid in October 2013 and was launched in 2015. The second ship Mormugao was launched in September 2016 and is currently in sea trials. It is expected to be commissioned next year. The third ship Imphal was launched on April 20, 2019, and is at an advanced stage of outfitting. The fourth ship is under block erection and will be launched within the current financial year.

“The indigenous content in Project-15B class destroyers is 72% which is a notch above their predecessors’ project —15A (59%) the Kolkata class destroyers comprises three ships – Kolkata, Kochi and Chennai, all of which were built by MDL and commissioned in the last decade. The ship is constructed using indigenous steel DMR 249A and is amongst the largest destroyers constructed in India, with an overall length of 164 meters and a displacement of over 7,500 tons” mentioned in the press release issued by MDL.

The ship is capable of undertaking a variety of tasks and missions. It is armed with supersonic surface-to-surface ‘Brahmos’ missiles and ‘Barak-8’ long-range surface to air missiles. Towards undersea warfare capability, the destroyer is fitted with indigenously developed anti-submarine weapons and sensors, prominently the Hull mounted Sonar Humsa NG, heavyweight torpedo tube launchers and rocket launchers.

The acceptance document was signed by vice admiral Narayan Prasad retired from the Navy and currently, chairman and managing director, MDL and rear admiral KP Arvindan at MDL in the presence of a commanding officer (designate), MDL directors and Navy personnel, written in the release.