Mumbai: The third Scorpene class submarine Karanj will be launched at the state-run Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd on January 3. Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff, will be the chief guest.
The first Scorpene-class submarine INS Kalvari, a diesel-electric attack submarine was commissioned into the Indian Navy on December 14, 2017, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The second Scorpene-class submarine Khanderi was launched on January 12, 2017, at Mazgaon Docks, the premier ship building yard in the country under the Department of Defence Production. Khanderi is currently undergoing the rigorous phase of sea trials and is also scheduled to be delivered shortly.
The contract for the construction and transfer-of-technology for six Scorpene submarines in series was signed between India and France in October 2005 under Project-75 that cost around $3.5 billion.
According to the contract, the first submarine was to be ready for induction into service within seven years of signing the contract and the remaining five submarines delivered at intervals of one year each thereafter. The project, meant to replace India’s ageing submarines, has been already delayed by several years.
The state-of-the-art technology utilised for construction of the Scorpene class submarines has ensured superior stealth features such as advanced acoustic silencing techniques, low radiated noise levels, hydro-dynamically optimised shape and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision guided weapons.
The attack can be launched with both torpedoes and the tube launched anti-ship missiles whilst under water or on surface. Scorpene submarines can undertake multifarious types of missions — that is anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, area surveillance and so on.
The submarine is designed to operate in all theatres, with means provided to ensure interoperability with other components of a naval task force. It is a potent platform, marking a generational shift in submarine operations.
