Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday dedicated three frontline naval combatants — INS Surat, INS Nilgiri and INS Vaghsheer — to the nation on their commissioning at the city’s Naval Dockyard on Wednesday.
Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said that 15th January, commemorated as the Army Day, salutes every brave warrior who would sacrifice his life for the safety and security of the nation.
INS Surat, the fourth and final ship of the P15B Guided Missile Destroyer Project, ranks among the largest and most sophisticated destroyers in the world. It has an indigenous content of 75 per cent and is equipped with state-of-the-art weapon-sensor packages and advanced network-centric capabilities.
The ship’s slogan, ‘We dare’ encapsulates the fearless spirit of INS Surat, and also signifies the warship’s readiness to confront challenges and its unwavering resolve in the face of adversity.
Captain and other commanding officers of the ship spoke to IANS on the momentous occasion and described the INS Surat as the ‘destroyer of top order’.
INS Surat Captain Sandeep Shorey described the warship as a one-stop solution for all eventualities and said that once pressed into service, it would accomplish its mission with accuracy and precision.
He further said that it is a matter of pride and glory for the nation as it has been indigenously built with more than 75 per cent of its homegrown equipment.
“AI-enabled systems give the INS Surat a cutting edge. It has also been commissioned in a very short span of time,” he further said.
Lieutenant commander Arpit Sangwan who is also the in-charge of signal communications described the INS Surat as the ‘latest destroyer’.
He further stated, “In the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and Middle-east turmoil, the jammers and electronic warfare have attained prominence. This will ensure that at any given point of time, there exists seamless communication between our units and the establishments.”
Lieutenant commander Mayank Bhalla who looks after gunnery sections on the warship said that the ship has a compilation of all missile systems – including surface to surface, surface to air and more.
The ship is laced with multiple state-of-the-art features which include indigenous 76 MM, super rapid gun mount and close-in weapon system for AK 630 guns. It can accommodate two multirole helicopters in its enclosed, hanger and flight deck and is capable of operating helicopters and unman platforms, both day and night. The powerful generators on board provide a power generation capacity of 4.6 MW.
(IANS)
