Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mormugao (Pennant D67), the second warship of the P15B, was commissioned into the Indian Navy by the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on December 18, 2022. The warship ‘Yard 12705’, named after the Goan port city of Mormugao, is the second of the four Visakhapatnam-class destroyers being built under the Indian Navy Project 15B. The ship has been indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation, Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai. INS Mormugao has multi-dimensional combat capabilities including surface-to-surface missiles, surface-to-air missiles, and modern surveillance radar.
The ship had been launched on September 17, 2016, which started sea trials on December 19, 2021, coincided with 60 years of Goa Liberation Day in 1961 from Portuguese rule through Operation Vijay. With its modern sensors and communication facilities, the ‘Visakhapatnam-class’ would prove to be a key asset in modern ‘network-centric warfare’.
Project 15B
Project 15 was launched in the 1990s to add guided missile destroyers to the inventory of the Indian Navy. The project was named ‘Delhi-class’ which commissioned INS Delhi, INS Mysore, and INS Mumbai. The Indian Navy had then launched three guided missile destroyers of the ‘Kolkata-class’—INS Kolkata, INS Kochi, and INS Chennai—under the project code named 15A. Project 15A primarily focused on advanced technology and equipment in surface ships.
Project 15B destroyers incorporate new design concepts for improved survivability, seakeeping, and manoeuvrability. Enhanced stealth has also been achieved, making the ships difficult to detect. With a significantly indigenous content, P15B destroyers are a hallmark of self-reliance in warship design and building.
The contract for four guided missile destroyers, more advanced than the ‘Kolkata-class’, was signed in January 2011. Project 15B or the ‘Visakhapatnam-class’ is a follow-on class of weapon-intensive Project 15A destroyers. The four ships of Project 15B were named after four major Indian cities—Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal, and Surat. Under P15B, INS Imphal and INS Surat are expected to be commissioned between 2023 and 2025, respectively. A ship ‘class’ is identified by its lead ship.
Strategic Significance
INS Mormugao’s all-domain capability would augment the Indian Navy’s mobility, reach, and flexibility to accomplish any mission or task in view of the constantly changing power dynamics in the Indian Ocean Region. Induction of INS Mormugao into the Indian Navy also reflects India’s growing ability to remain first responder and preferred security partner in the region.
Features
INS Mormugao is equipped with the following features:
- INS Mormugao (Yard 12705) has largely maintained the hull form, propulsion machinery, many platform equipment, and major weapons and sensors from the ‘Kolkata-class’ to benefit from series production.
- It incorporates advanced stealth features and a higher degree of automation.
- The sleeker hull design and the radar-transparent deck fittings make the vessel difficult to detect.
- It is swift, sleek, and difficult to be detected and can protect the fleets and battle groups from short-range surface, air, and sub-surface attacks. It is capable of destroying anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare.
- The state of art a stealth feature ensures that it has the radar signature of a very small ship, whereas high indigenous components give it a strategic edge.
- INS Mormugao has been automated with sophisticated digital networks such as the gigabyte ethernet-based ship data network (GESDN).
- Its combat management system (CMS) enables it to perform threat evaluation and resource allocation on the basis of the tactical picture compiled and ammunition available onboard.
- It has an automatic power management system (APMS) which controls the power management.
- It is equipped with an integrated platform management system (IPMS) to control and monitor machinery and auxiliaries. The ship’s ship data network (SDN) is the information highway for data from sensors and weapons.
- ‘With over 75 per cent indigenous content, INS Mormugao proves India’s self-reliance efforts.
Specifications and Fire Power
INS Mormugao is 163 metres long, 17 metres wide, and has the capacity to displace 7,400 tonnes when fully loaded. It is propelled by four gas turbines in a combined gas and gas (COGAG) configuration. It can achieve a speed of more than 30 knots (50km/h) and a maximum range of 4,000 nautical miles and would be operated by a crew of 350, including 50 officers and 250 sailors.
It is equipped with multiple fire zones, battle damage control systems, and distributional power systems for improved survivability and reliability in extreme operational and conflict scenarios. It has a total atmospheric control system to protect the crew against nuclear, biological, and chemical threats. Its fire power comprises BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles (SSM) and Barak-8 surface-to-air (SAM) missiles for a long range of shore-and sea-based targets and a 76mm super rapid gun mount. The forward bow deck has a 127mm main gun, and four AK-630 30mm guns for close-point defence capability. The ship is armed with RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers and 533mm torpedo launchers. It is also equipped to carry and operate multi-role helicopters. The ship also has rail-less helicopter traversing, and a hangar facility.
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