INS Mormugao is the second ship of the Visakhapatnam-class stealth guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy. She was built at Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL), and was launched on 17 September 2016. The ship was commissioned on 18 December 2022.[5] She is named after the port city of Mormugao in Goa.[6]
Mormugao during delivery to the Indian Navy
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | INS Mormugao |
| Namesake | Mormugao |
| Operator | Indian Navy |
| Builder | Mazagon Dock Limited |
| Way number | D67 |
| Laid down | 4 June 2015 |
| Launched | 17 September 2016 |
| Acquired | 24 November 2022 |
| Commissioned | 18 December 2022 |
| Identification | Pennant number: D67 |
| Motto | सागरे विनाशकः - Destroyer In Sea |
| Status | Active |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Guided missile destroyer |
| Displacement | 7,400 t (7,300 long tons; 8,200 short tons)[1] |
| Length | 163 m (535 ft) |
| Beam | 17.4 m (57 ft) |
| Draft | 6.5 m (21 ft) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | In excess of 30 knots (56 km/h) |
| Range | 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)[3] |
| Endurance | 45 days |
| Boats & landing craft carried | 4 x RHIB |
| Crew | 300 (50 officers + 250 sailors) |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys | |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 2 × HAL Dhruv (or) Sea King Mk. 42B |
| Aviation facilities | Enclosed helicopter hangar and flight deck capable of accommodating two multi-role helicopters. |
| Notes | Modified derivative of the Kolkata-class destroyer.[4] |
Construction
editThe keel of Mormugao was laid down on 4 June 2015, and she was launched on 17 September 2016 at Mazagon Dock Limited of Mumbai.[7][8][9][10]
Mormugao completed its basin trials on 15 December, 2021 and started its maiden sea trials on 19 December, 2021 commemorating the Goa Liberation Day.[11][12] The ship was commissioned on 18 December 2022.[13] The commissioning commanding officer is Captain Kapil Bhatia, VSM.[14]
Service history
editOn 14 May 2023, INS Mormugao successfully fired an advanced variant of Brahmos missile.[15]
In December 2023, INS Mormugao was deployed to the Arabian Sea along with INS Kochi and INS Kolkata to protect commercial shipping after an attack on a tanker transporting oil from Saudi Arabia to Mangalore.[16]
Operation Sankalp: 2023-24 anti-piracy patrols
editAgainst the backdrop of the increasing attacks on commercial ships transiting the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea by the end of 2023, the Indian Navy on December 31 2023 said it had substantially enhanced maritime surveillance efforts in Central and North Arabian Sea and “augmented force levels” by primarily deploying the P-8I Neptune MPA and the SeaGuardian drones.[17] Following two merchant vessels, including MV Ruen and MV Chem Pluto which were targeted in the sea. MV Ruen was hijacked (later rescued by sister ship INS Kolkata) while MV Chem Pluto sustained drone hits eventually and making way to port, The Indian Navy deployed a large flotilla of destroyers to safeguard international security . The deployment into the Arabian Sea includes Navy’s missile destroyers, including INS Kolkata, INS Kochi, INS Mormugao, INS Chennai and INS Visakhapatnam,[18] virtually all of its modern destroyer force of its western fleet.The INS Kolkata is deployed on the mouth of the Red Sea, INS Kochi on the south of Yemen's Socotra Island, INS Mormugao in the west Arabian Sea with INS Chennai in the central Arabian Sea.
INS Visakhapatnam was also moved in a week later and was tasked to patrol the north Arabian Sea.[19]
Gallery
edit-
Mormugao floats on her own post launch
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Mormugao, second indigenous stealth destroyer of the P15B class during maiden sortie.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Shukla, Ajay (21 April 2015). "INS Visakhapatnam shows growing Indian ability to build warships economically". Business Standard. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
- ^ "Project 15B Guided Missile Destroyers".
- ^ "Navy's Most Advanced Guided Missile Destroyer "Mormugao" launched in mumbai". NDTV. 17 September 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
- ^ "New Navy destroyer to be named after Goa port". 24 August 2016. Archived from the original on 2 May 2021.
- ^ "Russia to help India build 4 guided-missile destroyers". Indrus. 18 April 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ "Project 15B". Global Security. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ Sheshrao, Vishnudas (15 April 2015). "Indigenously built warship ready for launch". freepressjournal. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
- ^ "Navy's Next Destroyer Line Christened Visakhapatnam-class, 1st Launch Next Week". LiveFist defence. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
- ^ "MORMUGAO, INDIAN NAVY'S SECOND SHIP OF THE PROJECT 15B, SAILS FOR MAIDEN SEA TRIALS ON GOA LIBERATION DAY" (Press release). PIB. 19 December 2021.
- ^ "Basin trials of Second ship of P15B" (PDF). Mazagon Dock. 15 December 2021.
- ^ "Rajnath Singh commissions missile destroyer INS Mormugao into Indian Navy". India Today. 18 December 2022.
- ^ "Indian Navy commissions INS Mormugao - Stealth Guided-Missile Destroyer". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 27 December 2023.
- ^ "BrahMos supersonic missile firing from INS Mormugao hits 'bull's eye'". India Today. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
- ^ "India deploys three warships to Arabian Sea after attack on tanker". BBC News. 26 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Peri, Dinakar (31 December 2023). "Attacks on ships: Indian Navy enhances surveillance in Arabian Sea". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "Indian Navy deploys warships and surveillance aircraft to enhance maritime security - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
- ^ "Indian Navy deploys warships and surveillance aircraft to enhance maritime security - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 5 January 2024.