Buy Now on Amazon
INS Imphal
INS Imphal, a Project 15B stealth guided missile destroyer, was commissioned into the Indian Navy in the presence of Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at an impressive ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai on December 26, 2023.
The event marks the formal induction of the third of four indigenous ‘Visakhapatnam’ class destroyers, being designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and constructed by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.
The ship measures 163m in length, 17m in breadth with a displacement of 7,400 tonnes and is amongst the most potent warships built in India. It is propelled by four powerful Gas Turbines, in a Combined Gas & Gas configuration, and is capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots.
INS Imphal has the unique distinction of being the first warship to be named after a city in the North-east, underscoring the importance and contribution of the region and Manipur to the Nation & the Indian Navy. Its keel was laid on May 19, 2017 and the ship was launched on April 20, 2019. The ship sailed for her maiden sea sortie on April 28, 2023, and underwent comprehensive trials in harbour & at sea, with its delivery on October 20, 2023 marking a record time frame of less than six months.
The time taken to build INS Imphal and undergo trials has been the shortest for any indigenous destroyer. The ship successfully completed the first-ever test-firing of extended range Brahmos missile prior to its commissioning, making it ‘weapon-ready’.
The ship has a total complement of about 315 personnel, and is commanded by Captain KK Choudhury, a Gunnery and Missiles specialist. It will augment the Navy’s mobility, reach and flexibility in safeguarding the nation’s maritime security and interests.
INS Imphal has enhanced stealth features resulting in a reduced Radar Cross Section, achieved through efficient shaping of hull, full beam superstructure design, plated masts and use of radar transparent material on exposed decks. It is armed with sophisticated state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, including Surface-to-Surface Missiles, Surface-to-Air Missiles, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) rocket launchers & Torpedo launchers, ASW helicopters, radars, sonar and Electronic Warfare systems. The ship is equipped to fight under Nuclear, Biological and Chemical warfare conditions.
