The Indian Navy’s modernisation quest under Project-28, to stealthily hunt and destroy lurking enemy submarines, got a further boost recently with the launch of the second indigenous anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvette Kadmatt – named after an island in Lakshwadeep.

The corvette built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata, was launched by Mamatha M, wife of the Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju in the presence of the Controller of Warship Production and Acquisition of the Indian Navy Vice Admiral N.N. Kumar and GRSE Chairman and Managing Director Rear Admiral K.C. Sekhar.

GRSE is to launch four P28 corvettes at a cost of Rs. 373 million. Kamorta was the first to be launched on April 19, 2010, and after fitments is expected to be delivered to the Indian Navy in June 2012 and Kadmatt in March 2013. The remaining two are Kiltan and Kavaratti.

The Kamorta class corvettes, with over 80 per cent indigenous content, are capable of fighting in a nuclear, biological and chemical environment. The 109-metre-long, 12.8-metre-wide ship with an approximate displacement capacity of 3,000 tonnes can achieve a maximum speed of 25 knots. Powered by four 3,888 kW diesel engines, it can cover nearly 3,450 nautical miles at 18 knots, carrying a helicopter. The anti-submarine warfare capability is largely achieved due to the low signature of radiated underwater noise. The ship having indigenous weapon and sensor suites is equipped with super-rapid gun mounting, anti-aircraft guns, torpedo launcher, rocket and chaff launchers.