Mazagon Dock to deliver INS Kolkata next month

With the modernisation programme completed, the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) has accelerated the pace of shipbuilding activities and under Project 15A the first ship - INS Kolkata - will be delivered to the Indian Navy next month, announced the MDL Chairman and Managing Director Rear Admiral (Retd) R.K. Shrawat. MDL is building three ships in this class.

INS Kolkata is the biggest warship in terms of tonnage, bigger than Delhi class. The next two ships will be delivered in quick succession and this is possible due to the new integrated methodology of construction the company has adopted.

Under Project 17A, MDL will be building four ships, while the other three will be built by GRSE. The frigate construction time has been compressed considerably, bringing it down from the earlier eight to 10 years to five-and-a-half years for the first frigate. After more than every six months one frigate will be rolled out.

As regards Scorpene project, he mentioned that the contractual delays had been sorted out and the project was moving ahead for delivery in September 2016. “It is a stiff target, but we now have the capabilities to deliver. Every nine months, one boat will be delivered between 2016 and 2020.” The transfer of technology on the programme is moving satisfactorily, he said.