The INS Mormugao and its capabilities

In a boost to the country’s maritime capabilities, INS Mormugao under Project 15B, has officially joined the Indian Navy’s fleet, marking a significant milestone for an indigenous military expedition.A

What is Project 15B?

• Project 15 was launched in the 1990s to add guided missile destroyers to the inventory of the Indian Navy.
• The project was named ‘Delhi class’.
• It was followed by Project 15A or Kolkata class which primarily focused on advanced technology and equipment in surface ships.
• Project 15B or the Visakhapatnam class is a follow-on class of weapon-intensive Project 15A destroyers.
  • The project was launched in January 2011.
• P15B destroyers incorporate new design concepts for improved survivability, seakeeping, and maneuverability.
• The lead ship of Project 15B, INS Visakhapatnam, was the first of the class to be commissioned.
• Besides INS Mormugao, the other two destroyers are expected to be commissioned between 2023 and 2025.

About INS Mormugao (‘Yard 12705’):

• Built by: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL)
• Dimensions: 163 m long and 17.4 m wide
• Displacement: 7,400 tonnes when fully loaded
• Crew Strength: It can be operated by a crew of 350
• Total atmospheric control system (TACS): Offers protection to the crew from chemical, biological, and nuclear threats.
• Firepower: BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles (SSM), Barak-8 surface-to-air (SAM) missiles.
• Enhanced stealth features: Ensure a reduced Radar Cross Section or radar signature.
• Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS): It is used to control and monitor machinery and auxiliaries.

What is the strategic importance?

• Countering China: It will bolster India’s maritime capabilities in the Indian Ocean region to counter the threat from China.
• Prepare the nation to deal with any situation arising due to the changing global scenario.
• It will help in ensuring rule-based freedom of navigation and security of sea lanes.
• This advanced stealth warship provides a strategic advantage to India.

Significance:

• It is built with over 75% indigenous content
• P15B destroyers are a hallmark of self-reliance in warship design and building and a shining example of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’
• The commissioning of INS Mormugao is a shot in the arm for India’s self-reliance efforts.
• It is also crucial for the 15-year Indian Naval Indigenization Plan (INIP) 2015-2030 implemented in 2014 for the indigenous development of its resources, and equipment and to make the nation self-reliant in defense technology.