Sixth Scorpene-class submarine ‘INS Vagsheer’ launched in Mumbai
On Wednesday, defence secretary Ajay Kumar launched INS Vagsheer, the sixth Scorpene-class submarine under Project-75, at Mazagon Dock in Mumbai, giving India's naval fleet a boost. The sandfish, a deadly deep-sea predator of the Indian Ocean, inspired Vagsheer's name.
The Indian Navy has so far received four Scorpene-class submarines from the Mazagon Dock so far:
- INS Kalvari
- INS Khanderi
- INS Karanj
- INS Vela.
INS Kalvari was the first submarine to be launched in October 2015 and commissioned in December 2017. The second, the INS Khanderi, was launched in January 2017 for sea trials and commissioned in September 2019; the third, the INS Karanj, was launched in January 2018 and commissioned in the Indian Navy on March 10, 2021, after two years of sea trials. INS Vela, the fourth submarine, was launched in May 2019 and will be delivered to the Indian Navy in November 2021.
The fifth submarine, dubbed 'Vagir,' is currently under trial at sea and is expected to be commissioned by the end of this year.
The Indian Navy's first submarine, the ex-Russian (then USSR) Vagsheer, was commissioned on December 26, 1974, and decommissioned on April 30, 1997, after nearly three decades of service at sea.
"In true nautical fashion, she reappears in a new guise bearing the same name. Vagsheer, resurrected by Mazagon Dock, is once again a powerful predator of the deep sea, protecting our nation's vast maritime interests," Mazagon Dock said in a statement on Wednesday.
Anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, area surveillance, and other missions are all possible with Scorpene-class submarines. The submarine is designed to operate in all theatres, with provisions for interoperability with other naval task force components. It's a capable platform that heralds a new era in submarine operations.
Superior stealth features, such as advanced acoustic silencing techniques, low radiated noise levels, hydro-dynamically optimised shape, and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision-guided weapons has been ensured by the state-of-the-art technology used in the construction of Scorpene-class submarines. At the same time, torpedoes and tube-launched anti-ship missiles can be used in the attack.
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