The Indian Navy’s fifth Kalvari Class ‘Scorpene’ submarine ‘Vagir’ has commenced her sea trials.
Vagir is the fifth of six submarines being built for the Indian Navy by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) under a transfer of technology agreement with the French shipbuilder Naval Group.
According to MDL, the commencement of sea trials of the new submarine is a significant milestone, and it will now undergo intense trials of all its systems at sea, including propulsion systems, weapons, and sensors.
On being officially commissioned into Indian Navy service on completion of trials, later this year, the submarine will be known as INS Vagir.
India signed the contract with Naval Group (erstwhile DCNS) in 2005 for six submarines worth $3.75 billion, and four submarines have been commissioned into service: INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj and INS Vela, with the latter two commissioned into service in 2021.
The Scorpene is a stealthy and fast conventional-propulsion submarine designed and developed by Naval Group, which has sold 14 of them to international customers.
Conventional attack submarines, also known as ‘SSK’, can undertake surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, long-range strikes, special operations, or intelligence gathering.
Scorpene Class submarines are highly automated, reducing crew requirements and having six weapon launching tubes that can carry 18 weapons of different types such as torpedoes, missiles, and mines.