Mumbai: Khanderi, the second Kalvari class submarine, will be
launched at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai on
January 12.
Union Minister
of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre will preside over the function to initiate
the launch of Khanderi (Yard 11876).
The launch
will start a trail of events, which will lead to the separation of the
submarine from the pontoon on which it is being assembled and its final setting
afloat, an official release said.
"India is
among few countries in the world which produces conventional submarines. Six
submarines are being built at MDL in collaboration with M/s DCNS of France, as
a part of Project 75 of Indian Navy.
The first
submarine of the class (Kalvari) is completing its sea trials and will be
commissioned shortly into the Indian Navy," the release said.
Indian Navy's
Submarine arm will complete 50 years on December 8 this year. Submarine Day is celebrated
every year to commemorate the birth of the submarine arm with induction of the
first submarine, erstwhile INS Kalvari, into the Indian Navy on December 8,
1967, it said.
India joined
the exclusive group of submarine constructing nations on February 7, 1992, with
the commissioning of the first Indian-built submarine, INS Shalki.
MDL built this
submarine and went on to commission another submarine, INS Shankul on May 28,
1994. These submarines are still in service today.
Khanderi is
named after the Island fort of Maratha forces, which played a vital role in
ensuring their supremacy at sea in the late 17th century, the release said.
The
state-of-the-art features of this Scorpene class submarine includes superior
stealth and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using
precision guided weapons.
The attack can
be launched with torpedoes, as well as tube-launched anti-ship missiles, whilst
underwater or on surface.
The Stealth
features will give it an invulnerability, unmatched by many submarines.
The submarine is designed to operate in all theatres, including the tropics.
All means and communications are provided to ensure interoperability with other
components of a Naval Task Force.
It can
undertake multifarious types of missions typically undertaken by any modern
submarine i.e Anti-Surface warfare, Anti-Submarine warfare, Intelligence
gathering, Mine Laying, Area Surveillance etc.
It is built
according to the principle of Modular Construction, which involves dividing the
submarine into a number of sections and outfitting them concurrently.
The equipment
is mounted in a special manner and then embarked into the sections. The
complexity of the task increases exponentially as it involves laying kilometres
of cabling and piping in extremely congested compartments.
All equipment
has been installed in the submarine, with 95 percent cabling and piping also
being completed.
Pressure
testing, setting-to-work and commissioning of various systems of the submarine
is presently in progress, and would continue after the launching of the
submarine, the release said.
The important
safety milestone of vacuum-testing was completed in the first attempt itself,
and within a single day on January 5.
This matched
the record of 'Kalvari', which also completed the Vacuum Test in one go.
Till December, the submarine will undergo rigorous trials and tests, both in
harbour and at sea, while on surface and whilst dived.
These trials
are designed to test each system to its fullest capacity. Thereafter, she would
to be commissioned into the Indian Navy as INS Khanderi.
This would be
preceded by the commissioning of Kalvari later this year. The other four
submarines will follow in the wake of Khanderi at intervals of nine months.
As per
tradition, ships and submarines of the Navy, are brought alive again after
decommissioning. The first Khanderi was commissioned into the Navy on December
6, 1968 and decommissioned on October 18, 1989.
The launching,
and subsequent commissioning of Khanderi, marks a generational shift in technology,
it said.
0 Comments