Kalvari at its launch, first of five to be built by 2020.
Vishnudas Sheshrao, The Free Press
28 October 2015
The first of the Indian Navy’s indigenously built Scorpene class stealth submarines, ‘Kalvari’, is ready for a sea trial. Officials said the vessel will sail for its sea trial on Wednesday and after successfully completing the same, the submarine will be ready for being commissioned into the Indian Navy as a flagship Indian Naval Submarine before the scheduled deadline.
The construction of the Scorpene class submarine is part of Project 75 of the Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with M/s DCNS, France and Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL). The vessel was undocked from MDL by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in April this year.
An MDL official said, “On Wednesday morning, the vessel will be released from the pontoon and launched for the sea trial. After a successful trial, the vessel will be officially commissioned into the Indian Navy as an Indian Naval Ship.”
According to officials, the vessel is scheduled to be commissioned into the Indian Navy by 2016. MDL officials are sanguine that the sea trials will be completed by then and the vessel will be ready for commissioning.
The remaining five vessels of Project 75 would be delivered by MDL to the Indian Navy by 2020 and would form the core of the Navy’s submarine arm for the next two decades. The Scorpene submarine would pack a potent punch for the Indian Navy, officials said. The vessel would be equipped with anti-submarine missiles and long-range guided torpedoes, along with modern sensor suits.
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