Insight INS Imphal: India’s Latest Stealth Destroyer

INS Imphal, the Indian Navy’s third indigenous stealth destroyer of the Project 15B class, made her maiden sea sortie today. She is scheduled to be commissioned later this year. The...

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April 29, 2023
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INS Imphal, the Indian Navy’s third indigenous stealth destroyer of the Project 15B class, made her maiden sea sortie today. She is scheduled to be commissioned later this year. The ship, which incorporates several niche technologies and has a high indigenous content and is designed in-house by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL), is a proud testament to the Indian Navy’s push for the national vision of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ and the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Insight INS Imphal Indias Latest Stealth Destroyer

The Indian Navy began sea trials of the INS Imphal, the third ship of the Visakhapatnam-class stealth-guided missile destroyer, on April 28, 2023, marking a significant milestone in India’s naval modernization efforts. The ship was put down on May 19, 2017, and launched on April 20, 2019. It is identified by the Pennant number D68. Imphal will have the distinction of being the largest and most advanced destroyer ever named after a North-East city. Imphal would thus be an appropriate symbol of the North-Eastern region’s and Manipur’s growing prominence and commitment to national security and development.

About INS Imphal

The INS Imphal, named after Indian soldiers who fought in the Battle of Imphal during World War II, is an updated derivative of its predecessor, the Kolkata class, with increased stealth, automation, and ordnance features.

The INS Imphal is outfitted with cutting-edge equipment, such as an IAI EL/M-2248 MF-STAR S-Band AESA radar, a BEL RAWL-02/LW-08 L-Band air-search radar, and a Terma/Tata Scanter-6002 X-Band surface-search radar. For sonar systems, BEL HUMSA-NG active/passive sonar and BEL Nagin active towed-array sonar are available. The ship also has a DRDO Shakti EW suite with ESM/ECM and a “Radar Finger Printing System” (RFPS) for electronic warfare, as well as a DRDO Nayan COMINT suite for electronic warfare.

The INS Imphal is equipped with four Kavach decoy launchers, two Maareech torpedo-countermeasure systems, four 8-cell VLS for a total of 32 Barak 8 surface-to-air missiles for anti-air warfare, two 8-cell VLS for 16 BrahMos anti-ship missiles for anti-surface warfare, four 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes, and two RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers. For gun systems, the vessel possesses 1 OTO Melara 76 mm naval gun, 4 x AK-630M CIWS, and 2 x OFT 12.7 mm M2 Stabilised Remote Controlled Guns. In its enclosed helicopter hangar and flight deck, the INS Imphal can house two multi-role helicopters.

Significance of INS Imphal

The addition of INS Imphal to the Indian Navy’s fighting capabilities will be important. With the recent commissioning of her predecessor, INS Mormugao, in December 2022, and the fifth Project 75 submarine, INS Vagir, in January 2023, the start of sea trials of INS Imphal is yet another significant milestone in MDL’s ongoing contribution to building a strong, modern, and self-sufficient India. The start of sea testing for the INS Imphal is a notable accomplishment for India’s defence sector and naval modernization initiatives. The superior capabilities and technology of the ship will strengthen India’s maritime security and naval capabilities, giving the country a strong platform to protect its interests in the Indian Ocean region. The INS Imphal is the third ship in the class, following the INS Visakhapatnam D66 and INS Mormugao D67, with the Surat D69 set to be integrated in 2024.

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