‘Kalvari’ (Tiger Shark), the first of the Scorpene class submarines being built by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders for the Indian navy, has went to sea for the first time. The submarine sailed out at about 10 am on Sunday, under her own propulsion for her first sea trial, off the Mumbai coast.

She is part of the ongoing project for the construction of six Scorpene class submarines, in collaboration with DCNS of France, which will include transfer of technology to MDL.

Preliminary tests on the propulsion system, auxiliary equipment and systems, navigation aids, communication equipment and steering gear, various standard operating procedures were validated for Kalvari.

The submarine will undergo a barrage of sea, surface, diving, weapons, noise trials, etc testing her to the extremes of its intended operating envelop. She will be commissioned into the Indian Navy, giving a major boost to the ‘Make In India’ initiative of the government.

"The sea trials of Kalvari have begun on Sunday. It is a proud moment for us," a Navy official said. "During the next few months, Kalvari will undergo a barrage of sea trials, including surface trials, diving trials, weapon trials, noise trials etc, which would test the submarine to the extremes of its intended operating envelop," said an officer.

After the successful completion of these battery of tests, she will be formally inducted into the naval fleet as INS Kalvari. This is expected to be in September.

Under the Scorpene project, India plans to build six submarines. The remaining five will be delivered every nine months. The project is expected to be completed by 2020.

Kalvari Specs:

Length: 67 metre

Width: 6.2 metre

Displacement: 1550 tonnes

Weapons: Torpedos, tube-launched anti ship missiles (fired either underwater or from surface)

Cost: USD 3.5 billion (Project 75)

By Premji