Myanmar commissions first ever diesel-electric submarine, 6 other new ships

 

New ships were presented to the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Armed Forces) leadership. Photo c/o Myanmar Defence Review.


The Myanmar Navy (MN) has commissioned seven (7) new naval ships, including its first ever submarine, as part of the service's 73rd anniversary ceremonies held on 24 December 2020.

The submarine, a Russian-built Kilo-class Project 877EKM formerly with the Indian Navy and donated by the Indian government to Myanmar, was commissioned as the UMS Minye Theinkhathu (71).

Indian Ambassador to Myanmar Saurabh Kumar was present during the ceremonies, which shows its significant importance in India-Myanmar relations.

The submarine was formerly the INS Sindhuvir (S58) of the Indian Navy, which first entered service in 1988. It was refurbished by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd., before the submarine was transferred to the Myanmar Navy.

It has a displacement of around 3,000 tons, an underwater top speed of around 20 knots, and has an endurance of up to 45 days. The submarine can be armed with the Russian UGST torpedo, and the 3M-54 Klub submarine-launched anti-ship missiles.

It is expected that the submarine will be in service with the Myanmar Navy through the 2030s, as the service plans to use it to train its submarine forces, as plans are underway to acquire additional submarines in the next few years.

Aside from the submarine, the Myanmar Navy also commissioned two 63-meter Yan Nyein Aung-class Submarine Chasers, a 49-meter stealthy fast attack missile craft, a 56-meter landing craft utility (LCU), and two seagoing tugboats.

The submarine chasers, commissioned as the UMS Yan Nyein Aung (443) and UMS Yan Ye Aung (446), were built by the Thanlyin Naval Dockyard in Myanmar, and are armed with a 57mm Type 66 twin guns, two 25mm 2M-3M twin guns, two Type 81 ASW rocket launchers, two triple torpedo tubes for the Indian-made Sheyna torpedoes, and two Large Depth Charge throwers.

The 49-meter missile-armed fast attack craft was also built by the Thanlyin Naval Dockyard, is armed with a 30mm NG-18 close in weapon system, two Type 91 guns, four C802A anti-ship missiles, two Igla short range surface to air missile launchers, and two MA-16 heavy machine guns.




[1] Myanmar Times
[2] Swarjaya Magazine
[3] Myanmar Defence Review



Myanmar commissions first ever diesel-electric submarine, 6 other new ships Myanmar commissions first ever diesel-electric submarine, 6 other new ships Reviewed by Asia Pacific Defense Journal on December 30, 2020 Rating: 5

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