INS Vela: India launches its 4th Scorpene Class Submarine

Under the name Project 75, State-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd has launched 4th Scorpene Class Sub Marine INS Vela in collaboration with MS Naval group of France. This construction is one among the many agreements signed between France and India. It can be placed under the Transfer of Technology for 6 Scorpene Class Submarines. It is named Vela in remembrance of the former submarine INS Vela which was first commissioned in the year 1973. It was the oldest submarine of India when was decommissioned in the year 2010.

New INS Vela is yet to be scrutinized with various tests before including it in the defence fleet. It is a diesel-electric attack submarine. It has the state of the art attacking capability. It can attack both the surface and underground using torpedoes and tube launch anti-ship. Its stealth is of superior quality that makes hard to detect it. It can perform anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, area surveillance, and intelligence gathering.

Under Project 75, submarines are manufactured in a modular approach. In this, parts are manufactured separately and assembled on floats. The parts are fitted together with the indigenous, Air Independent Propulsion System. And MDL was the first shipyard of India to built submarines. It built the first submarine name Shalki, in 1992. INS Kalvari, the first Scorpene class is already commissioned. Other submarines named INS Karanj, INS Vageer and INS Vagsheer are in the levels of advanced trials and tests.