Kochi: In a Big boost to its anti-submarine capabilities, particularly in coastal waters, the Indian Navy received its third Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) on Friday.
INS Mahe, as it is called, is the first ASW SWC to be built and delivered by Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL). The other two vessels of this class that have already been commissioned into the Navy earlier this year are the INS Arnala and INS Androth. These warships were built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).
The Navy has ordered 16 such multi-role platforms. Eight of them are being built by GRSE and the remaining by CSL.
These warships are the largest in the Indian Navy to be propelled by Diesel Engine-Waterjet combinations. These ships has been designed for underwater surveillance, Search & Rescue operations and Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO).
Armed with anti-submarine rockets, lightweight torpedoes and requiring a draft of just 2.7 metres, these ships can operate close to shore and track down underwater threats such as midget submarines and autonomous underwater vessels.
These warships can also operate in co-ordination with aircraft to neutralise larger underwater targets. They can also be part of fleet operations whenever required.
The INS Mahe is named after a port town in the Union Territory of Puducherry.
While GRSE has launched its remaining six ASW SWCs, CSL launched its sixth platform of this class, the Magdala, on Saturday. In keeping with naval maritime tradition, the ship was launched by Renu Rajaram in the presence of Vice Admiral Rajaram Swaminathan, Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition (CWP&A), along with senior officials from the Indian Navy and CSL.
These ships have a high indigenous content in keeping with India’s Atmanirbhar and Make in India policies.
