Mahe Class Anti Submarine Warfare Ship Malpe and Mulki launched

The Cochin Shipyard launched its Mahe Class anti-submarine Warfare Shallow Water ship Malpe and Mulki on September 9, 2024, in a ceremony in Kochi, Kerala. The Malpe and Mulki are the fourth and fifth ships in the Mahe Class, Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft vessels to be built by the defence sector Cochin Shipyard Limited. The ship has been built indigenously, with around 80 per cent of its content being Indian.

Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW-SWC) Project in India

The government of India launched a project to manufacture 16 Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow watercraft (ASW-SWC) vessels in India under the Make in India initiative.

The new Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow watercraft will replace the Russian Abhay-class corvettes that were inducted into the Indian Navy in 1989.

In April 2019, the Union Ministry of Defence signed a contract with Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited and the Kochi-based Cochin Shipyard Limited to construct eight ASW-SWC vessels each.

The Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited-built ASW -SWC vessels will be known as Arnala Class vessels, and the Cochin Shipyard vessels will be known as Mahe Class vessels.

Vessels Launched under the ASW SWC Project

• Under the Mahe class ASW-SWC vessels, the Cochin Shipyard has launched the first vessel Mahe, the second vessel Malvan, the third Mangrol, the fourth Malpe and the fifth Mulki.
• Six ships have been launched under the Arnala class ASW-SWC so far. The first ship was the Arnala, the second Androth, the third Anjadip, the fourth Amini, the fifth Agray, and the sixth Akshay. The Akshay and Agray were launched in March 2024.

What is an ASW-SWC Vessel?

• The ASW-SWC vessels are submarine hunters that will operate along India's coastal waters. The waters near the coastal areas are shallow hence they are called Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow watercraft.
• The ASW-SWC are also capable of laying mines along the sea bed and undertake low-intensity maritime operations.
• The 77.6 m long & 105 m wide ASW-SWC  vessels are equipped with lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets and mines, 30mm naval surface gun, and two 16.7mm stabilised remote control guns with optronic control systems.
• It has stealth technology and highly advanced sonar to detect submarines in shallow waters.
• The maximum speed of the vessels is 25 knots per hour. 
• The Arnala and the Mahe class AW-SWC vessels can accommodate 57 crew members. The ASW vessel has a water jet propulsion system driven by three diesel engines.