Second Project 15B guided missile destroyer delivered to Indian Navy

New Delhi: Y 12705 (Mormugao), the second ship of Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyers being built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), was delivered to the Indian Navy on Thursday, defence officials said.

The ship is 163 metres long and 17 metres wide, displaces 7400 tonnes when fully loaded and has a maximum speed of 30 knots. Apart from myriad indigenous equipment in the 'Float' and 'Move' categories, the destroyer is also installed with major indigenous weapons. The overall indigenous content of the project is approximately 75 per cent, a Defence Ministry official said.

The Defence Ministry said that the destroyers' indigenous equipment includes the medium-range surface-to-air missiles (made by BEL), BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles (BrahMos Aerospace), indigenous torpedo tube launchers (Larsen & Toubro), anti-submarine rocket launchers (Larsen & Toubro), and 76mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (BHEL)

The Indian Navy said that the ship had sailed out for her maiden sea sortie on December 19 last year to coincide with the Goa Liberation Day and has now been delivered.

The delivery of Mormugao is an affirmation of the impetus being given by the government and the Indian Navy towards 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' as part of celebration of the 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'. The early induction of the destroyer, almost three months prior to the contractual date, despite the Covid challenges, is a tribute to the collaborative efforts of large number of stake-holders and would enhance the maritime prowess of the country in the Indian Ocean region, the Navy added.

According to a Defence Ministry official, the contract for ships of four Project 15B - a follow-on of the Kolkata class (Project 15A) destroyers commissioned in the last decade - was signed on January 28, 2011. Its lead ship - INS Visakhapatnam has already been commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 21 last year.

Designed by the Navy's in-house Warship Design Bureau, and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, Mumbai, the four ships of the Project are christened after major cities from all four corners of the country, viz. Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and Surat, the defence ministry official added.

The ministry said that Mormugao's keel was laid in June 2015 and the ship launched on September 17, 2016. The design has largely maintained the Kolkata class's hull form, propulsion machinery, mosy platform equipment and major weapons and sensors to benefit from series production.