- GRSE launches Ajay, the eighth and final shallow water anti-submarine warship, boosting coastal defence and underwater threat detection
- The warships pack a lethal anti-submarine suite comprising lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets and mines
- With an indigenous content of over 80%, the ship exemplifies the Government of India’s initiative of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India and will provide significant capabilities to secure our national maritime interests in the Indian Ocean Region.
NE NEWS SERVICE
KOLKATA, JULY 21
The eighth and final ship in a series of anti-submarine warfare shallow water crafts (ASWSW), built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) for the Indian Navy, was launched on Monday.
Priya Deshmukh, wife of Vice Admiral Kiran Deshmukh, chief of materiel of the Indian Navy, who was the chief guest at a function in Kolkata, launched the ship, which has been named Ajay.
“This launch connects past with present: INS Ajay, originally delivered in 1961 as India’s first indigenous warship built by GRSE, set the path for domestic defence shipbuilding. Today’s Ajay, carries forward that proud heritage of GRSE’s shipbuilding process,” a tweet by GRSE read.
A GRSE official said the warship maker has built eight anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft, which are versatile platforms and can participate in a wide range of operations, for the Indian Navy.
According to the official, these ships are designed and built with low draughts and are thus capable of coastal operations.
These platforms are equally capable of low-intensity maritime operations, laying mines, and can carry out coordinated anti-submarine operations with aircraft.
The warships pack a lethal anti-submarine suite comprising lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets and mines, the official further said. They are also armed with 30 mm Close-in Weapons System and 12.7 mm Stabilised Remote-Control Guns, and are fitted with a Hull Mounted Sonar and a Low-Frequency Variable Depth Sonar for effective underwater surveillance.
The first warship of this series of ASW Shallow Water Crafts, INS Arnala, was commissioned into the Navy on June 18.
GRSE said Androth, the second ship, has also completed its contractor sea trials successfully and is ready to be delivered.
With an indigenous content of over 80%, the ship exemplifies the Government of India’s initiative of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India and will provide significant capabilities to secure our national maritime interests in the Indian Ocean Region.
