INS Kalvari (S21)

Summary

INS Kalvari (S21) is the first of the six indigenous Scorpène-class submarines currently in service with the Indian Navy. It is a diesel-electric attack submarine which is designed by DCNS (French naval defence and energy company) and was manufactured at Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai.[1][14]

INS Kalvari (S21) at sea
History
India
NameKalvari
NamesakeKalvari (S23)
Ordered2005
BuilderMazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai
Launched27 October 2015[1]
Acquired2 December 2017[2]
Commissioned14 December 2017[3]
IdentificationS21[1]
MottoEver Onward
Statusin active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeKalvari-class submarine
Displacement
  • Surfaced: 1,615 tonnes (1,780 short tons)
  • Submerged: 1,775 tonnes (1,957 short tons)[6]
Length67.5 m (221 ft)[1]
Beam6.2 m (20 ft)[4]
Height12.3 m (40 ft)[1]
Draught5.8 m (19 ft)[4]
Propulsion
Speed
  • Surfaced: 11 kn (20 km/h)
  • Submerged: 20 kn (37 km/h)[4]
Range
  • 6,500 nmi (12,000 km) at 8 kn (15 km/h) (surfaced)
  • 550 nmi (1,020 km) at 4 kn (7.4 km/h) (submerged)[5]
Endurance50 days[9]
Test depth350 metres (1,150 ft) [10]
Complement
  • 8 officers
  • 35 sailors[8]
Electronic warfare
& decoys
C303/S anti-torpedo countermeasure system[13]
Armament

Etymology and motto edit

The ship inherits its name from INS Kalvari (S23) which served in the Indian Navy from 1967 to 1996. Kalvari is the Malayalam word for tiger shark, a deep-sea predator in the Indian Ocean. The name symbolizes agility, strength and predatory power.[15][16] The tiger shark (Galeocerdo Cuvier) is a species of requiem shark which are found in tropical and temperate waters. The ship's motto is "Ever Onward" which represents the submarine's zeal and indomitable spirit.[1]

 
INS Kalvari stampsheet issued in 2017

History and construction edit

The submarine was designated as Yard 11875 at Mazagon Dock Limited and construction began on 14 December 2006 with the first cutting of steel. The five separate sections of the submarine were welded together, called "Boot Together", on 30 July 2014. She was undocked to a pontoon from the East Yard dock on 6 April 2015 in the presence of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

She is the first Indian Naval vessel to be built using a modular approach. After completing the important milestones of vacuum test and battery loading, she was launched at the Naval Dockyard on 27 October 2015 by Ritu Shrawat, wife of then CMD, Rear Admiral R K Shrawat (Retd). She was brought back to Mazagon Dock Limited for completion of the Basin trials and Harbour Acceptance trials phase. After conquering numerous challenges faced during the ‘Setting to Work’ phase and undergoing rigorous Harbour tests & trials to the complete satisfaction of the customer, she commenced sea trials on 1 May 2016.[1][17][18][19][20] She was expected to be inducted into the Indian Navy fleet in 2012 but this was delayed.[21][22][23][24]

The submarine successfully fired a torpedo and an Exocet SM39 Block 2 anti-ship missile in the Arabian Sea on 2 March 2017 during sea trials.[25][26][27][28] She was delivered to the Indian Navy on 21 September 2017 after successful completion of sea trials. She was commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 14 December 2017 at Mazagon Dock Limited. Her commissioning officer is Captain S D Mehendale.[1][17][29]

Operational history edit

Post 2019 Balakot airstrike conducted by the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy deployed INS Chakra along with INS Kalvari to search for the Pakistani submarine PNS Saad which was believed to be deployed. [30][31]

As per Pakistan Navy, INS Kalvari was detected by its P3C Orion anti-Submarine aircraft, localised and blocked from entering Pakistani waters, while in Pakistani Exclusive Economic Zone, some 86 miles from Gwadar. [32]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Curtain Raiser : Kalvari to be Commissioned Tomorrow at Mumbai". pib.nic.in. 13 December 2017. Archived from the original on 14 December 2017. Retrieved 13 December 2017.
  2. ^ "INS Kalvari handed over to Navt". Mumbai Mirror. 2 December 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  3. ^ Shukla, Tarun (14 December 2017). "INS Kalvari, India's first Scorpene submarine, commissioned by Narendra Modi". Livemint. Archived from the original on 2 March 2018.
  4. ^ a b c d Rahmat, Ridzwan (7 June 2017). "India's second Scorpène submarine begins sea trials". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017.
  5. ^ Commodore Stephen Saunders, ed. (2005). "India". Jane's Fighting Ships 2005–2006 (108th ed.). Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. p. 308. ISBN 0710626924.
  6. ^ Bedi, Rahul (14 December 2017). "Indian Navy commissions first licence-built Scorpène-class submarine". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017.
  7. ^ "MINISTRY OF DEFENCE - YEAR END REVIEW 2023". Press Information Bureau. 22 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Road to development in the 21st century goes through the Indian ocean – Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister". pib.nic.in. Archived from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  9. ^ "India, France to ink Scorpene deal". The Times of India. PTI. 27 September 2005. Archived from the original on 30 April 2018.
  10. ^ "Scorpene 1000". DCNS. Archived from the original on 15 September 2014. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  11. ^ Bonsignore, Luca (2005). ""Carrera": The first real Spanish export-submarine floated". Naval Forces. Vol. 26, no. 1. Aldershot: Monch Publications. p. 135. ISSN 0722-8880. 18 torpedoes and missiles can be carried otherwise 30 mines.
  12. ^ Dominguez, Gabriel (22 September 2017). "MDL delivers first of six Scorpène-class submarines to Indian Navy". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 28 December 2017.
  13. ^ Bedi, Rahul (31 January 2018). "India launches third Scorpène-class submarine". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018.
  14. ^ "Scorpene Submarine, Built at Mumbai Docks, Launched Into Water". NDTV. Archived from the original on 6 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  15. ^ "What Is INS Kalvari? All You Need To Know". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 17 January 2018. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  16. ^ Banerjee, Ajay (6 April 2015). "Parrikar undocks Scorpene sub". The Tribune. Archived from the original on 7 April 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  17. ^ a b "Maiden Sea Trial of Kalvari – First Scorpene Class Submarine | Indian Navy". indiannavy.nic.in. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  18. ^ "India's first Scorpene boat begins sea trials without primary weapons | IHS Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Archived from the original on 4 May 2016. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  19. ^ "INS Kalvari sea trials begin today: All you need to know about the attack submarine". Indian Express. 29 October 2015. Archived from the original on 30 October 2015. Retrieved 29 October 2015.
  20. ^ "New India submarine enters water". BBC News. 6 April 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  21. ^ "Commissioning of INS Kalvari delayed | The Asian Age". The Asian Age. Archived from the original on 19 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  22. ^ "Scorpenes no more". Archived from the original on 18 March 2017. Retrieved 20 March 2017.
  23. ^ "Scorpene-class submarine likely to be commissioned by Nov-Dec". www.hindustantimes.com/. 26 September 2017. Archived from the original on 2 October 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2017.
  24. ^ "Maiden Sea Trial of Kalvari – First Scorpene Class Submarine". pib.nic.in. Archived from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  25. ^ "India test-fires anti-ship missile from lead Kalvari-class submarine | IHS Jane's 360". www.janes.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  26. ^ "Navy successfully test-fires anti-ship missile from Kalvari submarine – Times of India". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 2 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
  27. ^ First ‘Made in India’ submarine joins Navy in a month Archived 2017-06-04 at the Wayback Machine
  28. ^ "Torpedo Firing Trials of Kalvari | Indian Navy". www.indiannavy.nic.in. Archived from the original on 29 May 2017. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  29. ^ "Road to development in the 21st century goes through the Indian ocean – Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister". pib.nic.in. Archived from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  30. ^ "Post Operation Bandar, Indian Navy hunted for Pakistani submarine PNS Saad for 21 days". Times Now News.com. 23 June 2019. Archived from the original on 24 June 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  31. ^ "Post Balakot strike, Indian Navy hunted for Pakistani submarine for 21 days". India Today. 23 June 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  32. ^ "Pakistan foils intrusion attempt by Indian submarine". Dawn. 6 March 2019. Retrieved 29 September 2021.