Indian Navy’s newest guided missile destroyer Imphal hits bull’s eye

NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy’s latest indigenous guided missile destroyer, Yard 12706 (Imphal), scored a Bull’s Eye’ in her maiden Brahmos firing at sea, the Indian Navy said on Wednesday.

According to the Indian Navy, this was the first ever test-firing of the extended-range Brahmos missile by a warship before the commissioning, which underscores the unwavering focus of the navy on combat readiness. This marks another symbol of ‘Aatmanibharta’ and the Indian Navy’s firepower at the sea.

#WATCH | Imphal (Yard 12706), Indian Navy’s latest indigenous guided missile destroyer, scored ‘Bulls Eye’ in her maiden Brahmos firing at sea.

First ever test-firing of Extended Range Brahmos missile before a ship’s commissioning underscores Indian Navy’s unwavering focus on… pic.twitter.com/hdXFGXS7se

— ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2023

The Imphal is the third ship of the Visakhapatnam-class stealth guided missile destroyer of the Indian Navy. Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, Mumbai, the INS Imphal ship is a hallmark of indigenous shipbuilding and is amongst the most technologically advanced warships in the world. Imphal was named in recognition of the Indian soldiers who fought in the Battle of Imphal during World War II.

Being a guided missile destroyer with a displacement of 7,400 tons and an overall length of 164 metres, Imphal is a potent and versatile platform equipped with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors, including surface-to-air missiles, anti-ship missiles and torpedoes. Powered by a Combined Gas and Gas (COGAG) propulsion set, comprising four gas turbines, she is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots (56 km/h).

The ship boasts of high indigenous content of approximately 75 per cent that includes Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (BEL, Bengaluru), BrahMos Surface-to-Surface Missiles (BrahMos Aerospace, New Delhi), Indigenous Torpedo Tube Launchers (Larsen and Toubro, Mumbai), Anti-Submarine Indigenous Rocket Launchers (Larsen and Toubro, Mumbai) and 76 mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (BHEL, Haridwar).

Imphal’s keel was laid on May 19, 2017, and the ship was launched into water on April 20, 2019. The ship had sailed out for her maiden sea trials on April 28, 2023, and, ever since, has undergone a comprehensive schedule of trials in the harbour and at sea, leading up to its delivery within a record timeframe of only six months. (ANI)