Guided missile stealth destroyer 'Imphal' to be unveiled on Tuesday

Guided missile stealth destroyer ‘Imphal’ to be unveiled on Tuesday

The crest of Yard 12706 (Imphal), the third amongst the four Project 15B guided missile stealth destroyers being built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), will be unveiled in New Delhi on Tuesday.

The ship, which was named Imphal in April 2019, was delivered by MDL to the Indian Navy on October 20. As part of its pre-commissioning trials, the ship recently carried out successful firing of an Extended Range BrahMos missile – making it an ideal milestone for conducting the Crest Unveiling Event for the ship.

The event is scheduled to be conducted in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and senior officials from the Ministry of Defence and the state of Manipur.

According to the maritime traditions and naval customs, Indian naval ships and submarines are named after prominent cities, mountain ranges, rivers, ports and islands. The Indian Navy is immensely proud of its latest and technologically advanced warship named after the historic city of Imphal. This is also the first capital warship to be named after a city in the north-eastern region of India, the approval for which was accorded by the President on April 16, 2019.

Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by MDL, this ship is a hallmark of indigenous shipbuilding and is amongst the most technologically advanced warships in the world.

The ship boasts a high indigenous content of about 75 per cent, including MR SAM, BrahMos SSM, Indigenous Torpedo Tube Launchers, Anti-Submarine Indigenous Rocket Launchers, and 76 mm SRGM.

Imphal is also the first indigenous destroyer to have the shortest time taken to build and complete its sea trials. The ship is scheduled to be commissioned into the Indian Navy in December.