PSU NEWS
MDL delivered of the second Scorpene submarine to the Indian Navy
New Delhi: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (“MDL”) continues the country’s ‘Make in India’ programme, with the delivery of the second Scorpene submarine today to the Indian Navy. The Acceptance Document was signed by Cmde Rakesh Anand, Chairman & Managing Director, MDL and RAdm B Sivakumar, VSM, Chief of Staff Officer (Tech), Western Naval Command in presence of MDL Directors and Navy personnel at MDL.
Post delivery, the submarine would soon be commissioned into the Indian Navy. It is a milestone event for MDL.
Khanderi is named after the wide snouted Saw fish, a deadly deep sea predator of the Indian Ocean. The first Submarine Khanderi was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 06 December 1968, and was decommissioned on 18 October 1989 after more than 20 years of yeoman service to the nation. In true nautical tradition, she will now be ‘reincarnated’ by MDL to guard the vast maritime interests of our nation.
Building of the Scorpene was indeed a challenge for MDL, as the complexity of the simplest of tasks increased exponentially due to all work having to be done in the most congested of spaces. This complexity was further aggravated by the stringent tolerances required to be achieved. However, all these challenges were accepted head-on and successfully overcome by MDL, without any compromise in quality whatsoever.
The technology utilised in the Scorpene has ensured superior features of the submarine.
The Scorpene class of submarines can undertake multifarious tasks typically undertaken by any modern submarine which include anti-surface as well as anti-submarine warfare.
With the delivery of Khanderi, India further cements its position as a submarine building nation and MDL has lived up to its reputation as one of the India’s leading shipyards with a capacity to meet requirements of the Indian Navy. (Report on “Indian commercial and warship building and ship repairing industry report” released in Mumbai in March, 2018 by CRISIL)
The third of the Scorpenes under construction at MDL, Karanj, was launched on 31 January 2018, and is currently undergoing the rigorous phase of sea trials. The fourth Scorpene, Vela, was launched in May 2019, and is being prepared for sea trials, whilst the remaining two submarines, Vagir and Vagsheer, are in various stages of outfitting. The Scorpene project would not have achieved the current progress without the unconditional support and active encouragement of the Department of Defence Production (MoD) throughout its various phases.
It is also pertinent to mention that the two SSK submarines built by MDL in 1992 and 1994 are still in service today, after more than 25 years. This is testimony to the skill and capability of MDL. MDL also achieved expertise in submarine refits by successfully executing the medium refit-cum-upgradation of all the four SSK class submarines of the Indian Navy. It is presently carrying out the medium refit and Life Certification of INS Shishumar, the first SSK submarine.
MDL has always been in the forefront of the nation’s progressive indigenous warship building programme. In fact, with the construction of the Leander and Godavari class frigates, Khukri class Corvettes, Missile Boats, Delhi and Kolkata class Destroyers, Shivalik class Stealth Frigates, the SSK submarines and the first Scorpene submarine under its belt, the history of modern day MDL almost maps the history of indigenous warship building in India.
MDL’s contribution to national security and nation building continues with the P-15B Visakhapatnam class Destroyers and the P-17A class StealthFrigates.
Recognising the challenges of the future well in time, MDL has completed an extensive mordernisation programme, at the end of which, today it is building EIGHT warships, SIX submarines, in its yard, which have FOUR drydocks, THREE slipways, TWO WET BASINS and more than SIXTY THOUSAND square metres of work shop area.Leveraging the experience, the transfer-of-technology of the Scorpene project, and with its enhanced and upgraded infrastructure, MDL is ready for undertaking construction of future submarines projects.
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