Indian Navy launches missile destroyer 'Mormugao'

The Indian Navy on Saturday launched country's latest destroyer, the Mormugao, at Mumbai's Mazgaon Docks. The ship will be inducted into the Navy two years later.

MDL (Mazagon Dock Limited) priest Shri Puranik did the mandatory pooja and blessed the ship.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Naval Chief Sunil Lanba said, "The indigenous content of the ship is 68 percent."

The Mormugao is 163.2 metres long and is powered by four Ukranian gas turbine engines to achieve speeds over 56 km per hour.

The Mormugao is the second of a class of Project 15B destroyers -- slated to be the most advanced destroyers built in India. Four are being built at a cost of Rs. 29,700 crore.

P15B-Missile Destroyers are warships with latest weapon package in continuation of the lineage of highly successful Delhi and Kolkata Class ships.

Under this project, MDL will build four Destroyers and deliveries are expected to be from 2020 to 2024. First ship of the class was launched on April 20, 2015. P15B ships will have displacement of 7300 T and maximum speed of 31-32 knots.

The vessel is equipped with Surface to Surface Missiles, Surface to Air Missiles, Anti-Submarine launchers. This vessel is also fitted with Multi mission Radar for surveillance along with medium range Air/surface surveillance radar and other advanced electronic warfare and decoys.