It’s a time to rejoice in the Indian Army. It’s first French-designed conventional, diesel-electric submarine in more than 15 years, the Kalvari, will finally hit the sea. Credible sources associated with the project, that has been code named Project 75, has confirmed the same according to India Today. It is also confirmed that the Kalvari’s Harbour Acceptance Trials (HATs) are pretty much complete, and she has been readied for ‘Sea Trials’, post which, she will become a part of the fleet.
The process will play out over a period of 5-6 months, after which comes the commissioning” a source was quoted saying. The test was supposed to have been done over the weekend but had to be rescheduled due to “minor, logistical reasons”.HATs are done to check the nitty-gritties of the submarines. From diving to navigating and carrying out maneuvers, all possibilities are tested. The Kalvari will also have to prove how capable it is as far as carrying missiles and torpedoes are concerned.
The Kalvari joined the Navy in 2012 but is finally set for commissioning in September this year. Project 75 consists of six submarines but the one that comes first among the six will face the most gruelling tests. Project 75 costs a whopping $3.5 billion. The Kalvari is 67 metres in length, is 6.2 metres wide and weighs a considerable 1550 tonnes. The beast can fire torpedoes and tube-launched anti-launch missiles both from underwater or from the surface. But what’s worrying is the time delay, since the average age of an Indian submarine still remains 25 years, which isn’t very impressive keeping in mind the technological advancements India has made.
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