Abhay Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC)

About Abhay Anti-Submarine Warfare Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC):

• It is built by India's leading shipbuilding and repairing company, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).
• This vessel is the seventh in an eight-ship ASW SWC series, an initiative from a 2019 contract between the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and GRSE. 
  • These ships are being designed with over 80 percent indigenous content.
  • Designed for anti-submarine operations in coastal waters, these advanced craft are also capable of Low-Intensity Maritime Operations (LIMO) and mine-laying activities, enhancing the Navy’s operational reach and defensive capabilities along India’s coastlines.
  • These 77-meter-long, 10-meter-wide warships are engineered for powerful subsurface surveillance in coastal waters.
  • They can track various surface and underwater targets and conduct coordinated anti-submarine operationswith aircraft.
  • The ASW SWCs are compact, waterjet-propelled vessels capable of reaching speeds up to 25 knots, providing agility and swift response in tactical situations.
  • Equipped with an advanced anti-submarine warfare suite, these ships carry lightweight torpedoes, ASW rockets, and mines, making them formidable assets for coastal defence. 
  • They are armed with a 30 mm Close-in Weapon System (CIWS) and 12.7 mm Stabilized Remote-Control Guns, ensuring a robust defence against aerial and surface threats. 
  • The ships are fitted with a Hull-Mounted Sonar and Low-Frequency Variable Depth Sonar for comprehensive underwater surveillance, enhancing their detection and engagement capabilities in anti-submarine operations.

Q1: What are torpedoes?

A torpedo is a type of missile or bomb fired underwater. Torpedoes are cigar-shaped projectiles that are used to attack other submarines or boats. The word torpedo comes from the name of a kind of electric ray that numbs you with its sting (torpediniformes). Torpedoes can also be used to attack a target on land.

Source: Another milestone for Indian Navy: Seventh anti-submarine warfare shallow water craft launched