JOIN USIndian Navy's Mormugao to be commissioned on December 18
The Indian Navy's latest indigenous guided stealth destroyer Mormugao -- which is armed with surface-to-surface BrahMos missiles and Barak-8 long range surface-to-air missiles -- would be commissioned on December 18, 2022 in Mumbai.
The commissioning would take place a day before the Goa Liberation Day, which falls on December 19.
It may be mentioned that on December 19, 2021, the ship sailed for her maiden sortie.
Mormugao is a seaport city situated in the eponymous Mormugao sub-district of the district of South Goa. It has a deep natural harbour and is Goa's chief port.
The Indian Navy played a pivotal role in the liberation and dedicating the ship's name to the maritime state of Goa will not just enhance the bonding between the Indian Navy and the people of Goa, but also link the ship's identity permanently to the crucial role the Navy played in nation-building.
Mormugao was built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDSL) as part of the Project 15B destroyers or the Visakhapatnam-class. On November 24, the MDL delivered the ship to the Indian Navy.
The indigenous content in P15B class destroyers is 72 per cent which is a notch above their predecessors P15A (59 per cent) and P15 (42%) Class Destroyers, reaffirming the Government’s focus in the ‘Make in India’ programme.
The first ship of P15B -- INS Visakhapatnam was commissioned last year on November 21, 2021.
The third ship Imphal was launched on April 20, 2019 and is at an advanced stage of outfitting the fourth ship Surat which was launched on May 17, 2022.
Significantly more versatile than the previous classes of destroyers and frigates in Naval inventory, the Mormugao’s all round capability against enemy submarines, surface warships, anti-ship missiles and fighter aircraft will enable it to operate independently without supporting vessels, and also to function as the flagship of a naval task force.
The ship is constructed using Indigenous Steel DMR 249A and is among the largest destroyers constructed in India, with an overall length of 164 metres and a displacement of over 7,500 tons. The ship is a potent platform capable of undertaking a variety of tasks and missions, spanning the full spectrum of maritime warfare. It is armed with supersonic Surface-to-Surface ‘BrahMos’ missiles and ‘Barak-8’ Long Range Surface to Air Missiles.
Towards undersea warfare capability, the Destroyer is fitted with indigenously developed anti-submarine weapons and sensors, prominently the hull mounted Sonar Humsa NG, heavy weight torpedo tube launchers and ASW rocket launchers.
The ship can accommodate a crew of 312 persons, has an endurance of 4,000 nautical miles and can carry out a typical 42-day-mission with extended mission time in out of area operation.
The ship is equipped with two helicopters onboard to further extend its reach. The ship is propelled by a powerful Combined Gas and Gas Propulsion Plant (COGAG), consisting of four reversible Gas Turbines, which enables her to achieve a speed of over 30 knots (approx 55 kmph). The ship boasts of a very high level of automation with sophisticated digital networks such as Gigabit Ethernet based Ship Data Network (GESDN), Combat Management System (CMS), Automatic Power Management System (APMS) and Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).