According to information published by the Indian government on December 20, 2022, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Mormugao (D67), the second warship of the P15B class of stealth guided-missile destroyers, was commissioned in the august presence of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.
Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link
P15B class (Visakhapatnam class) guided missile destroyer INS Mormugao. (Picture source: Indian MoD)
The event marked the formal induction of the second of the four ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organization Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.
Shri Rajnath Singh praised MDL for growing in stature by continuously building new ships with state-of-the-art technologies. He urged them and other shipbuilding companies to enhance their capabilities by taking advantage of the Government’s initiatives and move forward towards making India an indigenous shipbuilding hub.
Measuring 163m in length and 17m in breadth with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes, INS Mormugao is packed with sophisticated state-of-the-art weapons and sensors such as Surface-to-Surface Missile and Surface-to-Air Missiles.
The ship is fitted with a modern Surveillance Radar which provides target data to the gunnery weapon systems. Its Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities are provided by the indigenously-developed Rocket Launchers, Torpedo Launchers and the ASW helicopters.
Named after the historic port city of Goa on the west coast, the ship is equipped to fight under Nuclear, Biological and Chemical warfare conditions. It is propelled by four powerful Gas Turbines, in a Combined Gas and Gas configuration, capable of achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots. The ship has enhanced stealth features resulting in a reduced Radar Cross Section. INS Mormugao has a complement of about 300 personnel.
With over 75% indigenous content, all her major weapons and sensors have been developed and manufactured in India either directly through design and development by Indian Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) or through strategic tie-ups and Transfer of Technology with reputed foreign OEMs.
P15B 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 increased indigenous content, P15B destroyers are a hallmark of self-reliance in warship design and building and a shining example of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
The ship was launched on September 17, 2016 and commenced sea trials on December 19, 2021, coinciding with 60 years of Goa Liberation. The commissioning on 18 December is significant as it was the same date in 1961 when Operation Vijay was launched to liberate Goa from Portuguese rule.
