On October 28, 2021, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) delivered the first ship of “Project 15B Class Destroyer Visakhapatnam” to the Indian Navy.

Key points

• The ship is likely to commission in November.
• It was constructed using indigenous steel.
• It is among the largest destroyers that are constructed in India.
• Its overall length is 164 meters and the displacement of around 7,500 tonnes.

Characteristics of the ship

• The ship is a potent platform which is capable of undertaking several tasks and missions, over the full spectrum of maritime warfare.
• It is equipped with Barak-8 long range surface-to-air missiles and supersonic surface-to-surface Brahmos missiles.
• It is fitted with indigenously developed anti-submarine weapons as well as sensors for undersea warfare capability.
• It comprises of heavyweight torpedo tube Launchers & rocket launchers as well as hull-mounted sonar Humsa NG.
• Ship has an endurance of 400 nautical miles.