(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) New Delhi: To further boost its anti-submarine warfare capability, the Indian Navy on Monday (Sep 09) launched the fourth and fifth ships of the Eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft project, named“Malpe” and“Mulki”. Being built at the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) in Kerala's Kochi, the Mahe class of warships will be fitted with indigenously developed, advanced underwater sensors, and are envisaged to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters as well as Low-Intensity Maritime Operations and Mine Laying Operations.

As part of its naval tradition, the wife of Southern Naval Command Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Vice Admiral V Srinivas, Vijaya Srinivas launched the two ships.

The contract was signed on April 30, 2019, between the Defence Ministry and the Cochin Shipyard Limited.

Know about the anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft:--

The ships are 78m long with about 900 tons of displacement, which can achieve a maximum speed of 25 knots with endurance of up to 1800 nautical miles.

Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) is also constructing eight more anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft which are under different stages of construction.

“The ASW SWC ships will have over 80% indigenous content, thereby ensuring that large-scale defence production is executed by Indian manufacturing units, generating employment and capability enhancement within the country,” Indian Navy PRO Captain Vivek Madhwal said.

These ships have been named after ports of strategic importance along the coast of India. It is expected to carry forward the glorious legacy of the erstwhile minesweepers, which were their namesake.

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