New warships define country’s tech ability

The two warships and a submarine commissioned into the Navy today define a technology curve for India’s military ship-making abilities.

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INS Nilgiri is the first warship to have been made using the “integrated construction” technique, which brings the ship-building technology on a par with the European standards. “The ship-building process will get refined from now on and reduce timelines,” an official said.

Integrated construction entails designing of various parts of a ship, particularly its hull, superstructure and internal systems, to be manufactured in separate blocks of 250 tonnes each.

Each block is built with precision to allow cabling and piping to pass through when two sets of blocks are aligned and welded together seamlessly. This technique accelerates the speed of making warships.

INS Nilgiri incorporates stealth features and reduced radar signatures, reducing emissions and keeping a low profile. It is equipped with sophisticated weapon systems, including the BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles and Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles. INS Nilgiri is the first of seven stealth frigates.

The stealth destroyer, INS Surat, was also commissioned today. It is part of the Visakhapatnam class of ships. Three sister ships of the class — INS Visakhapatnam, INS Mormugao and INS Imphal — have already been commissioned.

Both ships — INS Nilgiri and INS Surat — were designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and are equipped with advanced sensors and weapon packages developed primarily in India or through strategic collaborations with leading global manufacturers.

Both INS Nilgiri and INS Surat can operate a range of helicopters, including Sea King and the newly inducted MH-60R.

The third commissioning on the day was INS Vaghsheer, the sixth and last of the Kalvari class submarine. The vessels are made under collaboration by the Naval Group of France and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai.

The Kalvari class is a conventional diesel-electric powered submarine known for its “silent” undersea operations. It is designed to undertake a wide range of missions, including anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, area surveillance and special operations. It is armed with wire-guided torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and advanced sonar systems.

The submarine also features modular construction, allowing for future upgrades such as the integration of the air independent propulsion technology, which allows a submarine to stay under water for longer periods.