Indian Navy unveils crest of third Project 15B destroyer

Indian Navy has unveiled the crest of Yard 12706 (Imphal), the third amongst the four Project 15B stealth-guided missile destroyers.

The crest design depicts the Kangla Palace on the left and ‘Kangla-Sa’ on the right. The 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.

Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai, this ship is a hallmark of indigenous shipbuilding and is amongst the most technologically advanced warships in the world. The ship was delivered by the MDL to the Indian Navy on October 20, 2023.

A guided missile destroyer with a displacement of 7,400 tons and overall length of 164 meters, 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 Combined Gas and Gas (COGAG) propulsion, she is capable of achieving speeds in excess of 30 knots (56 km/hr).

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 has undergone a comprehensive schedule of trials in harbour and at sea, leading up to its delivery on October 20, 2023.

As part of the pre-commissioning trials, the ship recently carried out successful firing of an Extended Range BrahMos missile. The time taken to build Imphal and for her trials is the shortest for any indigenous destroyer, according to the Indian Navy.