India's Second Visakhapatnam-Class Stealth Destroyer Mormugao Heads Out For Maiden Sea Trials

India's second Visakhapatnam-class (P-15 Bravo-class) stealth guided-missile destroyer Mormugao headed out for its maiden sea trials today (19 December), the Indian Navy has said, adding that the warship is likely to be commissioned into service in mid-2022.

Built by the Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mormugao was laid down in June 2015 and launched in September 2016.

Named after the port city of Mormugao in Goa, the warship headed out for sea trials on the occasion of the Goa Liberation Day celebrated on 19 December every year to mark the success of the military action undertaken by India against the Portuguese to liberate Goa.

The destroyer, designed indigenously by the Directorate of Naval Design, spans 163 metres in length and 17.4 metres at the beam. The warship has a displacement of around 7300 tonnes. It can reach speeds above 30 knots with its four gas turbines and has a maximum endurance of 4000 nautical miles.

"Stealth has been a major thrust area in P15B design. Enhanced stealth features have been achieved through shaping of hull and use of radar transparent deck fittings which make these ships difficult to detect. The ship embodies features such as Multiple Fire Zones, Total Atmospheric Control System for Air Conditioning, Battle Damage Control Systems, Distributional Power Systems and Emergency DA to enhance survivability and reliability in emergent scenarios," the Navy's statement read.

Visakhapatnam-class stealth destroyers are equipped with vertically launched surface-to-air missiles to deal with airborne threats and surface-to-surface missiles for anti-ship and land-attack missions.

Under Project 15B of the Indian Navy, four guided-missile destroyers were to be built by Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited. The Defence Ministry signed a contract for the construction of these four ships in January 2011.

INS Visakhapatnam, the first of the four P15B-class destroyers, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in November this year. The other two warships of the class, named Imphal and Surat, are likely to be commissioned into service in 2024 and 2025, respectively.