On
20 October 2023, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) delivered the third
stealth destroyer of Project 15B Class Guided Missile Destroyer i.e. Yard 12706
(Imphal) to the Indian Navy. The Acceptance Document was signed by Sanjeev
Singhal, Chairman and Managing Director, MDL and RAdm Sanjay Sadhu, CSO (Tech)
at MDL in the presence of Commanding Officer (Designate) Capt K K Choudhury,
MDL Directors, WOT(MB) and Navy personnel.
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 7500 tons. The ship is a potent platform capable of undertaking a
variety of tasks and missions, spanning the full spectrum of maritime warfare.
It is armed with supersonic surface to surface Brahmos missiles and Barak-8
Medium Range Surface to Air Missiles (MRSAM). Towards undersea warfare
capability the destroyer is fitted with indigenously developed anti-submarine
weapons and sensors, prominently the hull mounted sonar Humsa NG, heavy weight
torpedo tube launchers and ASW rocket launchers.
Significantly
more versatile than the previous classes of destroyer and frigates in Naval
inventory, the Imphal’s all-round capability against enemy submarines, surface
warships, anti-ship missiles and fighter aircraft will enable it to operate
independently without supporting vessels, and also to function as the flagship
of a Naval task force.
Imphal
has been delivered to the Indian Navy more than four months ahead of the
contractual time as the most combat worthy platform to date. This reaffirms
MDL’s commitment towards continuous improvement and mostly/exceeding global
benchmarks. This ship has completed all sea trials in 3 CSTs (Contractor’s Sea
Trials) including firing of major critical weapons in the very first CST. The ship
is the first amongst all P15B ships which is to be fitted with upgraded Brahmos
missiles having dual role capability of Long Range and Land attack. Further, Imphal
is the first naval warship being commissioned with accommodation of women
officers and sailors.
The
ship can accommodate a crew of 312 persons, has an endurance of 4000 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 onboard to further
extend its reach. The ship is propelled by a powerful Combined Gas and Gas
Propulsion Plant (COGAG), consisting of four reversible Gas Turbines, which
enables her to achieve a speed of over 30 knots (approx 55 kmph). The Ship
boasts of a very high level of automation with sophisticated digital networks
such as Gigabyte Ethernet based Ship Data Network (GESDN), Combat Management
System (CMS), Automatic Power Management System (APMS) and Integrated Platform
Management System (IPMS).
The
indigenous content in P15B Class Destroyers is 72% which is a notch above their
predecessors P15A (59%) and P15 (42%) Class Destroyers, reaffirming the
Government’s focus in ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ Programme along with large eco
system development of sub vendors.
The
first Ship of P15B (Visakhapatnam) was commissioned on 21 November 2021.
The
second ship (Mormugao) was commissioned on 18 December 2022. The third ship (Imphal)
has been delivered to Indian Navy on 20 October 2023. The fourth ship (Surat)
was launched on 17 May 2022 and is at an advance stage of outfitting.
MDL
officials stated: We have always been at the forefront of the nation’s
progressive indigenous warship and submarine building programme. With the
construction of the Leander and Godavari class Frigates, Khukri class
Corvettes, missile boats, Delhi and Kolkata class destroyers, Shivalik class stealth
frigates, Visakhapatanam class destroyers, Nilgiri class frigates, the SSK submarines and five in number Scorpene
submarine under its belt, the history of modern day MDL almost maps the history
of indigenous warship and submarine building in India there by deservedly
earning the soubriquet ‘Warship and Submarine Builders to the Nation’.
