INS MAHE, INS MALVAN AND INS MANGROL

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Context

• The launch of the first three of eight Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Crafts by Cochin Shipyard Ltd. for the Indian Navy signifies a significant advancement in India's naval capabilities.

Details

Key Highlights

• Vessels Launched: INS Mahe, INS Malvan, and INS Mangrol are the first three of the series of eight anti-submarine warfare shallow water crafts.
• Purpose and Features: The ships, upon commissioning, will replace the Navy’s existing Abhay class ASW corvettes. Designed specifically for anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, they are capable of low-intensity maritime operations, mine-laying, sub-surface surveillance, coordinated ASW operations with aircraft, and search and rescue missions.
• Contract and Timeline: Cochin Shipyard Ltd. signed a contract with the Defence Ministry in 2019 for the construction of these eight vessels.
• Capabilities: Each vessel has the capacity to accommodate 57 personnel, including seven naval officers, and is equipped with advanced anti-submarine warfare technologies, enhancing the Navy's capabilities in coastal defense and maritime security.

About Abhay-class vessels

• Modified from the Pauk II class under Project 1241 PE, represented an important facet of India's naval fleet.

Features and Modifications:

• Origin and Development: Derived from the Pauk II class vessels built at the Volodarski shipyard in the former Soviet Union.
• Enhancements: The Abhay class was characterized by being longer, equipped with larger torpedo tubes, and featured improved electronics compared to the Pauk I class vessels.
• Upgrades: The class was intended to undergo an upgrade with the Abhay integrated sonar system developed by the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory.

Service History:

• INS Agray Incident: In 2004, INS Agray suffered damage due to an accident when an anti-submarine rocket misfired and exploded from the RBU-1200 launcher on board. Following this incident, the vessel underwent conversion into a patrol vessel and a trials ship for electronic warfare systems.
• Decommissioning of INS Ajay: INS Ajay, after 32 years of service in the Indian Navy, was decommissioned on September 19, 2022.

About Mahe class

• The Mahé-class minesweeper vessels represent a significant category of small Russian minesweepers developed in the mid-1960s primarily to counter the threat posed by naval mines.
• Minesweepers are crucial in detecting and neutralizing mines to ensure safe passage for other naval operations.

Key Features:

• The Mahé class featured glass-reinforced plastic hulls that were constructed at Kolpino, USSR.
• These vessels were primarily stationed at Kochi and engaged in various operational commitments:
  • Conducting mine countermeasure exercises.
  • Harbor defense operations.
  • Visits to minor ports.
  • Participating in search and rescue missions.

Details of Mahé-class Minesweepers:

• INS Mahé (M 83):
  • Commissioned: May 16, 1983
  • Decommissioned: May 15, 2006
• INS Malvan (M 84):
  • Commissioned: May 16, 1983
  • Decommissioned: January 5, 2003
• INS Mangrol (M 85):
  • Commissioned: May 16, 1983
  • Decommissioned: April 7, 2004
• INS Malpe (M 86):
  • Commissioned: May 10, 1984
  • Decommissioned: December 4, 2006
• INS Mulki (M 87):
  • Commissioned: May 10, 1984
  • Decommissioned: 2003
• INS Magdala (M 88):
  • Commissioned: May 10, 1984
  • Decommissioned: February 2002