Explained: What does guided missile destroyer Imphal's crest mean?
The Indian Navy unveiled the crest of the guided missile destroyer Imphal, the third of the four Project 15B ships, weeks before its expected commissioning in December. The crest was launched in Delhi by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
FollowWeeks ahead of her commissioning into the force, the Indian Navy on Tuesday unveiled the crest of the guided missile destroyer Imphal, the third amongst the four Project 15B in Delhi. The crest was launched by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh in the presence of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan and Indian Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar.
The ship is expected to be commissioned into the force in December. Built at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, the stealth guided missile destroyer was to the Indian Navy on October 20. It should be noted that the ship had successfully test-fired the Extended Range BrahMos missile system last week.
Why is the ship named after Manipur's capital city?
It is a maritime tradition and a naval custom according to which many Indian naval ships have been named after prominent cities, mountain ranges, rivers, ponds and islands. This is the first capital warship, which has been named after a city in the North-Eastern region of India. The President of India had accorded approval for the name on April 16, 2019. The Indian Navy said that the crest design depicts the Kangla Palace on the left and ‘Kangla-Sa’ on the right.
Kangla Palace is an important historical and archaeological site of Manipur and was the traditional seat of the past kingdom. With a dragon’s head and lion’s body, the ‘Kangla-Sa’ is a mythical being from Manipur history, and is symbolic as the guardian/ protector of its people. ‘Kangla-Sa’ is also the state emblem of Manipur. It also said that it’s a befitting tribute to the sacrifice made by the people of Manipur towards India’s independence, sovereignty and security.
What You Must Know About The Ship
It was designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd, Mumbai. The guided missile destroyer has a displacement of 7,400 tons and an overall length of 164 meters.
The vessel 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. She is powered by Combined Gas and Gas (COGAG) propulsion and has the capability of achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots (56 km/h).
About 75 per cent of the content used in building it is indigenous.
What are the weapon systems on the ship?
The arsenal on board the ship includes Medium Range Surface-to-Air missiles, BrahMos Surface-to-Surface missiles, indigenous torpedo tube launchers, anti-submarine indigenous rocket launchers and 76mm super rapid gun mount among others.
Construction of Destroyer Imphal
The keel for Imphal was laid on May 19, 2017, and about two years later she was launched into water on April 20, 2019. The ship had sailed out for her maiden sea trials on April 28, 2023, and has undergone a comprehensive schedule of trials in the harbour and at sea, before being delivered to the Navy.
Indian Navy PRO Commander Vivek Madhwal said: “The time taken to build Imphal and for her trials is the shortest for any indigenous destroyer. The delivery of the ship is an affirmation of the impetus towards ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.”
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