Stealth-Guided Missile Destroyer ‘Mormugao’ Delivered To Indian Navy

The contract for four ships belonging to Project 15 billion was reportedly signed on 28 January 2011. The project is a continuation of the destroyers that belong to the Kolkata class, which was part of Project 15A and was commissioned in the earlier decade. In November 2022, the lead ship of the project, dubbed INS Visakhapatnam, was commissioned into the service.

Designed by Warship Design Bureau, the Indian Navy’s in-house organization, and built by the MDL, the four vessels of the project have been christened after major cities from four corners of India — Visakhapatnam, Surat, Mormugao, and Imphal — the ministry of defence mentioned in a press release.

The keel of Mormugao was reportedly laid in 2015 (June), and the vessel was launched on 17 September 2016. The design has maintained the propulsion machinery, hull form, platform equipment, and significant sensors and weapons like the Kolkata class to benefit from series production.

The ship is 163 meters long and 17 meters wide, displaces 7,400 tons when loaded fully, and has a speed of 30 knots. Besides several indigenous equipments that form the ‘Move’ and ‘Float’ categories, the destroyer is installed with the under-mentioned indigenous weapons. The indigenous content of the overall project is about 75%.

Mormugao boasts medium-range surface-to-air missiles the BEL makes; surface-to-surface missiles made and designed by BrahMos Aerospace; advanced torpedo tube launchers (indigenous) and anti-submarine rocket launchers from Larsen and Toubro; and 76-mm super rapid gun mount from BHEL.

The ship reportedly embarked on her maiden sortie on 19 December 2021, coinciding with Goa Liberation Day. It has now been delivered.

References: Economic Times, Indian Navy, Hindustan Times