Defence Minister Commissions stealth guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam in Indian Navy
New Delhi : Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday formally commissioned INS Visakhapatnam, a P15B stealth guided missile destroyer in the Indian Navy at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. The destroyer has been indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai.
In his address, Rajnath defined the ship as one of the most technologically advanced guided missile destroyers in the world which will cater to the present & future requirements of the Armed Forces and the Nation as a whole. Saying that global security reasons, border disputes and maritime dominance have forced countries to move towards strengthening their military power, he exhorted the public & private sector to take advantage of Government’s policies, work together and make India an indigenous shipbuilding hub.
INS Visakhapatnam measures 163m in length, 17m in breadth with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and can rightfully be regarded as one of the most potent warships to have been constructed in India. The ship is propelled by four powerful Gas Turbines, in a Combined Gas and Gas (COGAG) configuration, capable of achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots. The ship has enhanced stealth features resulting in a reduced Radar Cross Section (RCS) achieved through efficient shaping of hull, full beam superstructure design, plated masts and use of radar transparent materials on exposed decks.
The ship is packed with sophisticated state-of-the-art weapons and sensors such as Surface-to-Surface missile and Surface-to-Air missiles. It is fitted with a modern surveillance radar which provides target data to the gunnery weapon systems of the ship. The anti-submarine warfare capabilities are provided by the indigenously developed rocket launchers, torpedo launchers and ASW helicopters. The ship is equipped to fight under Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) warfare conditions.