Rear Admiral Upal Kundu, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command has laid the keel for the seventh Anti-Submarine Warfare ship (ASW SWC) being built for the Indian Navy at Cochin Shipyard.
Contract for building eight ASW SWC ships was signed between the Defence Ministry and Cochin Shipyard on April 30, 2019. The Mahe class of ships will replace the in-service Abhay class ASW Corvettes of Indian Navy and are designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, Low Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and Mine Laying Operations including subsurface surveillance, said a press release.
These vessels are capable of maximum speed of 25 knots and endurance of 1800 nautical miles. The vessels are fitted with indigenously developed, state-of-the-art Sonars for underwater surveillance. This is fine example of Indian capability and prowess to manufacture high end technology intensive warships with high indigenous content under “Aatmanirbhar Bharat.”
Madhu S Nair, Chairman and Managing Director, CSL, Director (Technical) and Director (Operations) of CSL, Executive Directors of CSL, General Manager (Ship Building), Warship Production Superintendent, Kochi, Senior officials of Indian Navy and CSL representatives from the Classification society (DNV), officers, supervisors and workmen of CSL were present for the ceremony.