VAGIR - DEFENCE AND SECURITY

News: Fifth Scorpène-class submarine Vagir delivered to Navy

 

What's in the news?

       The fifth Scorpène-class conventional submarine, Vagir, was delivered to the Navy by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Mumbai.

       It is scheduled to be commissioned into service next month, a Navy official said.

 

About Vagir:

       Vagir, ex-Russia, named after the Sand Fish, a deadly deep-sea predator of the Indian Ocean, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on December 3, 1973, and was decommissioned on June 7, 2001.

       In true nautical tradition, it is refurbished under the same name - Vagir.

       It is rebuilt with superior stealth features (such as advanced acoustic absorption techniques, low radiated noise levels, hydro-dynamically optimized shape etc.) and precision-guided weapons.

       The attack can be launched with both torpedoes and tube-launched anti-ship missiles, whilst underwater or on the surface.

 

What is Project-75?

       In the late 1990s, around the time of Kargil war, a three-decade plan took shape for indigenous construction of submarines.

       It was known to have two separate series of submarine building lines - codenamed Project 75 and Project 75I in collaboration with foreign entities.

       This is for enabling them to stay submerged for longer duration and substantially increase their operational range.

 

Project 75 I:

       It is a follow-on of the Project 75 Kalvari-class submarine for the Indian navy.

       Under this project, the Indian Navy intends to acquire 6 diesel-electric submarines, which will also feature advanced Air Independent Propulsion (AIP) systems to enable them to stay submerged for longer duration and substantially increase their operational range.

       All six submarines are expected to be constructed in Indian shipyards.

       The project envisages indigenous construction of submarines equipped with

       Contemporary equipment

       Weapons and sensors including fuel-cell based AIP [Air Independent Propulsion system]

       Advanced torpedoes

       Modern missiles and state-of-the-art countermeasure systems.

       The submarines are being constructed under the Ministry of Defence’s ambitious Strategic Partnership (SP) model that aims at providing a significant fillip to the Government’s ‘Make in India’ programme.

       SP model envisages indigenous manufacturing of major defence platforms by an Indian Strategic Partner, who will collaborate with foreign manufacturers to set up production facilities in the country.

       The long-term vision is to promote India as a manufacturing hub for defence equipment through the transfer of niche technologies and higher Indigenous Content thereby enhancing self-sufficiency for meeting the future requirements of the Armed Forces.

 

Submarines commissioned till date:

       The submarines in the current Kalvari-class take their names from erstwhile decommissioned classes of submarines named Kalvari.

       It included Kalvari, Khanderi, Karanj and Vela class which included Vela, Vagir, Vagsheer.

       The first submarine INS Kalvari was commissioned in December 2017, second submarine INS Khanderi in September 2019, third one INS Karanj in March 2021 and the fourth one INS Vela joined service in November 2021.

       Vagir was launched into water on November 12, 2020 and commenced sea trials on February 1, 2022 and delivered to the Navy by December 20, 2022.

       The sixth and last of the Scorpène-class submarines, Vagsheer, was launched into water in April 2022 and is expected to be delivered to the Navy by end 2023.