Indian Navy's fifth Scorpene class submarine Vagir launched

    (Eds: adds details)
    Mumbai, Nov 12 (PTI) Indian Navy's fifth Scorpene
class submarine Vagir, having superior stealth features like
the advanced acoustic absorption technique, was launched on
Thursday at the Mazagon Dock in south Mumbai.
    Vijaya, wife of Minister of State for Defence Shripad
Naik, launched the submarine through video conferencing. The
minister was the chief guest at the event and attended it via
video link from Goa.
    Vagir is part of the six Kalvari-class submarines
being built in India. The submarines, designed by French naval
defence and energy company DCNS, are being built as part of
Indian Navy's Project-75.
    These submarines can undertake missions like anti-
surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence
gathering, mine laying, and area surveillance, an official
said.
    Vagir is named after the Sand Fish, a deadly deep sea
predator of the Indian Ocean. The first Vagir, a submarine
from Russia, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on December
3, 1973, and was decommissioned on June 7, 2001 after almost
three decades of service to the nation.
    "Building the Scorpene was indeed a challenge for MDL,
as the complexity of the simplest of tasks increased
exponentially due to all work having to be done in the most
congested of spaces," MDL said in a release.
    "The state-of-art technology used in the submarine has
ensured superior stealth features such as advanced acoustic
absorption techniques, low radiated noise levels, and hydro-
dynamically optimised shape and also the ability to attack the
enemy using precision guided weapons," the release said.
    The attack can be launched with both torpedoes and
tube launched anti-ship missiles, whilst underwater or on
surface, MDL said. "The stealth of this potent platform is
enhanced by the special attention to her characteristic
underwater signatures. These stealth features give it an
invulnerability, unmatched by most submarines," it said.
    The submarine is designed to operate in all theatres
of operation, showcasing interoperability with other
components of a Naval Task Force, MDL said.
    "With the launching of Vagir, India further cements
its position as a submarine building nation. This is in sync
with the current impetus of the government towards Make in
India and Atma Nirbhar Bharat," MDL said.
    Two submarines of the ongoing Project-75 Scorpene
programme at MDL, Kalvari and Khanderi, have been commissioned
into the Indian Navy. The third submarine, Karanj, is in the
last phase of rigorous sea trials. The fourth Scorpene, Vela,
has commenced her sea trials, whilst the sixth and last
submarine, Vagsheer, is being readied for boot together.
    "Two SSK submarines built by MDL during 1992-94 are in
active service, which is a testimony to the professionalism
and capability of Mazagon Dock personnel," it said. PTI VT
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(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)