The fourth and fifth ships of the Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) project, named 'Malpe' and 'Mulki', were launched on Monday.
The Mahe class ASW shallow water crafts have been named after ports of strategic importance along the coast of India, according to a defence ministry release. They are being built by the state-owned Cochin Shipyard Ltd.
The ships “will look to carry forward the glorious legacy of the erstwhile minesweepers which were their namesake,” the defence ministry said.
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The Mahe class of ships will be equipped with indigenously developed, state-of-the-art underwater sensors, and are designed to undertake anti-submarine operations in coastal waters as well as low-intensity maritime operations and mine-laying operations. These ships can achieve a maximum speed of 25 knots with endurance of up to 1800 nautical miles.
The ASW SWC ships have 80 per cent indigenous content and are intended to replace the older Abhay-class corvettes.
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The introduction of the ASW-SWC class is a major move in enhancing the Indian Navy's operational readiness and ability to secure maritime interests in a constantly evolving geopolitical landscape.
