Why in News?
- INS Imphal (Pennant D68), the third of four warships of Project 15B that together form the Visakhapatnam class stealth-guided missile destroyers, has been commissioned into the Indian Navy on 26th
What’s in Today’s Article?
- About Project 15B (History, Purpose, Specifications)
- About INS Imphal (Details, Strategic Significance)
About Project 15B:
- Between 2014 and 2016, the Indian Navy commissioned three guided missile destroyers of Kolkata class under a project codenamed ‘15A’.
- The Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, also classified as the P-15 Bravo class, or simply P-15B, is a class of guided-missile destroyers currently being built for the Indian Navy.
- The Destroyers come next only to an Aircraft Carrier (INS Vikramaditya) in terms of their reach and endurance.
- The Visakhapatnam class is an upgraded derivative of its predecessor, the Kolkata class, with improved features of stealth, automation and ordnance.
- A total of four ships are being built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL), under the Make in India
- These four ships are Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal, Surat.
- The first vessel of the class, INS Visakhapatnam was commissioned in November 2021. The second ship INS Mormugao in December 2022.
About INS Imphal:
- These ships are equipped with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and long-range Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAM).
- The ship has several indigenous weapons systems like medium range Surface-to-Air Missile (SAMs), indigenous torpedo tube launchers, anti-submarine indigenous rocket launchers and 76-mm super rapid gun mount.
- The class also has a total atmospheric control system (TACS) that offers protection to the crew from chemical, biological and nuclear threats.
- It can operate two multi-role helicopters, including Sea King or HAL Dhruv.
Significance of INS Imphal:
- The ship measures 163m in length, and 17m in breadth with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and is amongst the most potent warships built in India.
- Technically, destroyers are a category of warships that have high speed, maneuverability and longer endurance.
- They are designed to be part of naval formations like a fleet or a carrier battle group also known as carrier strike group.
- The modern destroyers that are swift, sleek and difficult to detect, primarily protect the fleets and carrier battle groups from the short-range attackers from surface, air and sub-surface.
- The guided-missile destroyers are the destroyers that are armed with guided missiles for anti-aircraft warfare, anti-surface operations and anti-submarine warfare.
- Because of the speed, maneuverability and striking capability, the guided missile destroyers are a key asset in various types of naval operations, mainly offensive.
- Being a follow-on of the Kolkata class, the Visakhapatnam class incorporates not just the feedback and suggestions from the Navy but also several new features.
- The state-of-the-art stealth feature makes Visakhapatnam class have the radar signature of a very small ship. A very high indigenous component gives this platform a strategic edge.
