On September 17, the ‘Mormugao’ will be launched, and MDL claims that this feat is happening ahead of schedule.

In a big boost for ‘Make in India’ in the defence sector, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) is all set to launch the second ship of Project 15B, that is the Visakhapatnam-class of destroyers. On September 17, the ‘Mormugao’ will be launched, and MDL claims that this feat is happening ahead of schedule. Indian Navy chief Admiral Sunil Lanba will be the chief guest for the function.

The hull of the ship will be floated in the water for the first time on that day. MDL is constructing four follow-on destroyers to the Kolkata class of guided missile destroyers under Project 15B. The first ship in this class Visakhapatnam was launched in April 2015. According to an MoD release, “For the first time in its history, Mazagon Dock in 2015-16 achieved a VOP (Value of Production) above Rs 4,000 crore with an operating profit of Rs 218 crore.”

MDL is also constructing the six Scorpene-class submarines for the Indian Navy under a transfer of technology from France’s DCNS. Kalvari, which is the first Scorpene-class submarine will be commissioned into the Indian Navy in a few months. The second submarinet is slated for launch later this year. The yard is now ready with the augmented facility created recently for a second line of submarines, said MDL.

On September 17, the ‘Mormugao’ will be launched, and MDL claims that this feat is happening ahead of schedule.

In terms of futuristic stealth frigates, P17A is currently in progress with. Work on this will commence in early 2017. This will be the first time MDL will be using the integrated construction methodology by leveraging the new infrastructure in the yard. This will be a paradigm shift in the way ships will be built in India in the years to come.