MDL delivers first Scorpene submarine 'Kalvari' to Indian Navy

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) on Thursday delivered the first Scorpene submarine, Kalvari, to the Indian Navy.

Post delivery, the submarine will soon be commissioned into the Indian Navy.

With the Kalvari submarine, MDL has proven to walk the 'Make in India' path, which is being actively implemented by the Department of Defence Production (MoD).

The event also marks the Golden Jubilee of the Submarine Arm for having completed 50 years of Indian submarine operations.

The contract for the construction and Transfer-of-Technology for six Scorpene submarines in series, with M/s DCNS of France as 'Collaborator' and MDL as 'Builder', was signed in October, 2005.

Keeping up with the tradition of re-incarnating ships and submarines of the Navy, after the decommissioning, the new Kalvari is the second one after the first Kalvari that was commissioned on December 8, 1967 and decommissioned on May 31, 1996.

According to MDL, the state-of-art technology utilised in the Scorpene ensures 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 tube launched anti-ship missiles, whilst underwater or on surface.

The stealth of this potent platform is enhanced by the special attention given to various signatures. These stealth features give it invulnerability, unmatched by most submarines.

Scorpene submarines can undertake multifarious types of missions, that is, Anti-Surface warfare, Anti-Submarine warfare, Intelligence gathering, Mine Laying, Area Surveillance etc. The Submarine is designed to operate in all theatres, with means provided to ensure interoperability with other components of a Naval Task Force.

The second of the Scorpenes under construction at MDL, Khanderi, was launched in January 2017, and is currently undergoing the rigorous phase of sea trials, while the third Scorpene, Karanj, is being readied for launch later this year.

Leveraging the experience and the transfer-of-technology of the Scorpene project, with enhanced and upgraded infrastructure, MDL, under the aegis of the Department of Defence Production, further plans to undertake construction of more next generation submarines.