Mumbai: Indian navy launched new stealth destroyer, ‘Visakhapatnam’, with enhanced capability to operate in nuclear, biological and chemical atmosphere, in Mumbai.
‘Visakhapatnam’ was launched by wife of India’s Naval Chief Admiral RK Dhowan at Mazgaon Docks Ltd (MDL). The total cost of the project is little over rupees 29,600 crore (USD 4.73 billion). Admiral Dhowan delineated the features of the warship at a press conference after the launch. Indigenously developed twin tube torpedo launchers and rocket launchers will add punch to the ship’s anti-submarine capability.
The vessel is follow-on of Kolkata-class destroyers with enhanced features. The ship weighs approximately 3,000 tonnes and the 163-metre-long vessel will be propelled by four gas turbines, and is designed to achieve a speed of over 30 knots at a displacement of approximately 7,300 tonnes. The P15-B stealth destroyers have been designed by the force’s in-house unit. The vessel is expected to be commissioned in the Navy in 2018.
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