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Context

• Recently, the sixth Scorpene Submarine of Project-75 "Vagsheer" was launched at the Mazagon Docks, Mumbai as part of ‘Make in India’ initiative.

 

The project

• P 75 is one of two lines of submarines, the other being P75I, as part of a plan approved in 1999 for indigenous submarine construction with technology taken from overseas firms.
• The contract for six submarines under P75 was given to Mazgaon dock in 2005 and delivery was to start from 2012, but the project has faced delays.
• Under P75, INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj and INS Vela have been commissioned. Sea trials are on for Vagir. Vagsheer is the sixth; its production was delayed due to the pandemic.

 

‘Vagsheer’

• Vagsheer is named after the sand fish, a deep sea predator of the Indian Ocean. The first submarine Vagsheer, from Russia, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on December 26, 1974, and was decommissioned on April 30, 1997.
• The new Vagsheer will be officially named at the time of its commissioning.

 

Specifications

• Vagsheer can take up to eight officers and 35 men.
• It is 67.5 metres long and 12.3 metres high, with a beam measuring 6.2 metres Vagsheer can reach top speed of 20 knots when submerged and a top speed of 11 knots when it surfaces
• It has four MTU 12V 396 SE84 diesel engines, 360 battery cells for power, and a silent Permanently Magnetised Propulsion Motor.
• The hull, fin and hydroplanes are designed for minimum underwater resistance and all equipment inside the pressure hull is mounted on shock-absorbing cradles for enhanced stealth.

 

Features

• Vagsheer is a diesel attack submarine, designed to perform sea denial as well as access denial warfare against the adversary.
• It can do offensive operations across the spectrum of naval warfare including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying and area surveillance.
• It is enabled with anti-torpedo counter measure system. It can carry up to 18 torpedoes or Exocet anti-ship missiles, or 30 mines in place of torpedoes.
• Its superior stealth features include advanced acoustic absorption techniques, low radiated noise levels, hydro-dynamically optimised shape, and it has the ability to launch a crippling attack using precision guided weapons, underwater or on surface.
• Scorpene submarines can undertake various types of missions such as anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, area surveillance etc.

Road ahead

• Vagsheer will be commissioned into the Indian Navy’s Western Command after 12 to 18 months when sea trials end. It will be based with Western Naval Command, mostly in Mumbai.
• The submarine will undergo a very comprehensive and rigorous set of tests and trials, for more than a year, to ensure delivery of a fully combat worthy submarine, capable of operation in all modes and regimes of deployment.

 

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/sixth-scorpne-submarine-vagsheer-launched-into-water-in-mumbai/article65338261.ece