INS Vela, the fourth in the series Scorpene submarines was commissioned on Thursday in the presence of Navy chief Admiral Karambir Singh at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai.
The Scorpene Class submarines are being built in India by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, in collaboration with Naval Group (earlier DCNS), France.
The Scorpene submarines are extremely potent platforms, have advanced stealth features and are equipped with both long-range guided torpedoes as well as anti-ship missiles.
These submarines have a state-of-the-art SONAR and sensor suite permitting outstanding operational capabilities. They also have an advanced Permanent Magnetic Synchronous (PERMASYN) motor as its propulsion motor.
The delivery of Vela is yet another affirmation of the impetus being given by the Indian Navy towards consolidating its position as a ‘Builder’s Navy’ as also indicative of MDL’s capabilities as a premier ship and submarine building yard.
INS Vela would form part of the Western Naval Command’s Submarine fleet and would be another potent part of its arsenal.
The INS Vela is a name that has been revived of decommissioned submarine of the same name operated by the Navy earlier.
The crew of the erstwhile ‘Vela’, a Russian-origin Foxtrot Class Submarine, which was decommissioned in 2009, was also present among the guests on this occasion.
