Kochi, Dec 18 (PTI) Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) has laid the keel for the sixth Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) as part of a contract to build eight such vessels for the Indian Navy, the company said on Wednesday.
The keel-laying ceremony took place on December 17 at CSL in the presence of Rear Admiral Satish Shenai, Chief Staff Officer (Training), Southern Naval Command. Senior naval officers, CSL officials, and representatives from the DNV Classification Society were also present, according to a release.
The agreement to construct eight ASW SWC ships was signed between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and CSL in April 2019.
"The Mahe-class ships will replace the in-service Abhay-class ASW Corvettes and are designed to perform anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO), mine-laying tasks, and subsurface surveillance," the release stated.
These vessels are capable of achieving speeds of up to 25 knots and are equipped with indigenously developed state-of-the-art SONAR systems for underwater surveillance, it said.
This project highlights "India’s shipbuilding capabilities and technological expertise in manufacturing high-end, technology-intensive warships with significant indigenous content under 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat'," the statement added.
Five of the eight vessels have already been launched and are in various stages of machinery and system outfitting. The first ship in the series is scheduled for delivery by March 2025, it said.