INS Virbahu

Last updated

INS Virbahu
Virbahu
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
TypeNaval station
Site information
Controlled by Indian Navy
Site history
Built19 May 1971 (1971-05-19)
In use1971-present
Garrison information
Occupants Eastern Naval Command

INS Virbahu is an Indian Navy submarine base of the Eastern Naval Command located near Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

History

INS Virbahu was commissioned as the shore support base for submarines on 19 May 1971. Initially, the 8th Submarine Squadron of Vela-class submarines was based here. The Commanding Officer INS Virbahu was also designated as the Captain Submarines, 8th Submarine Squadron. However, with the induction of the Sindhughosh class submarines, the 11th Submarine Squadron was established. As two Submarine Squadrons with eight submarines were based at Visakhapatnam, the scope of responsibility of the Commanding Officer, INS Virbahu, increased. The submarines were then placed under the control of Captain Submarines, 8th and 11th Submarine Squadron. With the increase of the number and type of submarines the operational authority of Submarine Squadrons was elevated from Captain Submarines to Commodore Submarines in April 1990. Since, the appointment of the Commodore Submarines had a command responsibility towards the submarines the appointment was thus re-christened as Commodore Commanding Submarines (East) in Jun 1997.

Though, all training, maintenance, operational and logistic matters pertaining to submarines were initially dealt by Virbahu, as the Submarine Arm expanded, the training role was taken over by INS Satavahana and the Class Authority functions by Submarine Headquarters. But the attachment to the old Alma Mater persists and Virbahu continues to be regarded as the 'Home of the Dolphins' even today. [3] [4]

Objective

The role of INS Virbahu is to provide administrative and logistic support to the 8th and 11th Submarine Squadrons. It also provides accommodation, messing, welfare and recreational facilities to the crews of submarines. INS Virbahu is the seat of the Commodore Commanding Submarines (East) (COMCOS (W)). The COMCOS is also the commanding officer of the base. [3]

See also

Indian Navy
Integrated commands and units
Other lists

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Israeli Navy</span> Maritime service branch of the Israel Defense Forces

The Israeli Navy is the naval warfare service arm of the Israel Defense Forces, operating primarily in the Mediterranean Sea theater as well as the Gulf of Eilat and the Red Sea theater. The current commander in chief of the Israeli Navy is Aluf David Saar Salama. The Israeli Navy is believed to be responsible for maintaining Israel's offshore nuclear second strike capability.

INS Rajali, is an Indian naval air station located near Arakkonam, Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu in southern India. It operates under the Southern Naval Command of the Indian Navy, and has the longest military runway in Asia.

INS Venduruthy is an Indian Navy base located on Willingdon Island in Kochi, Kerala. It serves as the Headquarters of the Southern Naval Command. It is the largest training establishment of the Indian Navy. INS Garuda is a naval air station located adjacent to INS Venduruthy. Commodore Deepak Kumar is the Commanding officer of this base. It provides administrative facilities to all training establishments inside the Southern naval command. Pincode of INS Vendurathy is 682004.

INS Garuda, is an Indian naval air station located in Kochi, in the state of Kerala. Commissioned on 11 May 1953, it is the oldest operating air station of the Indian Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">INS Shikra</span> Indian naval air station

INS Shikra, formerly known as INS Kunjali, is an Indian naval air station located at Colaba in Mumbai, Maharashtra. It is a heliport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Naval Command</span> Military unit

The Eastern Naval Command is one of the three command-level formations of the Indian Navy. It is headquartered in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. The command is responsible for the all naval forces in the Bay of Bengal and parts of the Indian Ocean and the naval establishments on the east coast of India.

INS<i> Dega</i> Airport in Visakhapatnam, India

INS Dega, is a naval air station of the Indian Navy. It is located in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on the east coast of India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">INS Vajrabahu</span>

INS Vajrabahu is an Indian Navy submarine base of the Western Naval Command located near Mumbai in Maharashtra. It was commissioned on 1 February 1996.

INS Satavahana is the premier Submarine Training Base of the Indian Navy and is located at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Training is carried out by the Submarine School (SMS) and the Escape Training School (ETS) and the School of Advanced Undersea Warfare (SAUW).

INS Dwarka is a Forward Operating Base (FOB) of the Indian Navy and is located at Okha, Gujarat.

INS Trata is a missile battery base of the Indian Navy at Mumbai, Maharashtra tasked with the coastal defense of Maharashtra and Gujarat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Fleet (India)</span> Military unit

The Eastern Fleet is a Naval fleet of the Indian Navy. It is known as the 'Sword Arm' of the Eastern Naval Command and called the Sunrise Fleet. It is headquartered at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh on the east coast of India. It is a part of the Eastern Naval Command and is responsible for the naval forces in the Bay of Bengal and parts of the Indian Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rajesh Pendharkar</span> Indian admiral

Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar, AVSM, VSM is a serving Flag officer in the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command. He earlier served as the Deputy Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff (Operations) at IDS HQ.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commodore (India)</span> A rank for Naval officers in India

Commodore is a one-star rank in the Indian Navy. Commodore ranks above the rank of captain and below the two-star rank of rear admiral. This navy rank will be abbreviated as CMDE or Cmde.

Rear Admiral Arun Auditto, AVSM, NM was a Flag Officer in the Indian Navy. He was decorated with a gallantry award during the Liberation of Goa. A pioneer submariner in the Indian Navy, he was the commissioning Commanding Officer of the Kalvari-class submarine INS Kursura (S20), which he commanded during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He later commanded the submarine base INS Virbahu and the Whitby-class frigate INS Trishul (F143). After promotion to flag rank, he served as the Fortress Commander, Andaman and Nicobar Islands (FORTAN) and as the first Flag Officer Submarines, before retiring in 1988.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag Officer Submarines (India)</span>

The Flag Officer Submarines (FOSM) is the single-point class authority of submarines in the Indian Navy. A two star Officer holding the rank of Rear Admiral, the FOSM is responsible for submarine safety, submarine training, maintenance and operating schedules and operational readiness inspections. The current FOSM is Rear Admiral K. Venkatraman who assumed office on 1 April 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commodore Commanding Submarines (East)</span>

The Commodore Commanding Submarines (East) is an operational appointment in the Indian Navy. The COMCOS (E) is the commander of the all submarines and allied units of Eastern Naval Command. Based in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, the COMCOS is also the Commanding Officer of the submarine base INS Virbahu. Currently, there are two COMCOS in the Indian Navy, COMCOS (East) and COMCOS (West). The COMCOS (E) is a one star officer holding the rank of Commodore. The current COMCOS (E) is Commodore K. Venkatraman, VSM who took over on 20 February 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commodore Commanding Submarines (West)</span>

The Commodore Commanding Submarines (West) is an operational appointment in the Indian Navy. The COMCOS (W) is the commander of the all submarines and allied units of Western Naval Command. Based in Mumbai, Maharashtra, the COMCOS is also the Commanding Officer of the submarine base INS Vajrabahu. Currently, there are two COMCOS in the Indian Navy, COMCOS (East) and COMCOS (West). The COMCOS (W) is a one star officer holding the rank of Commodore. The current COMCOS (W) is Commodore Anurag Srivastava.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Puneet Chadha</span> Indian Navy admiral

Rear Admiral Puneet Chadha, VSM is a serving flag officer of the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Additional Director General of the National Cadet Corps. He previously served as the Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area (FOTNA) and as the Deputy Commandant of the Indian Naval Academy. As the last commanding officer of the aircraft carrier INS Viraat (R22), he decommissioned the carrier in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ravi Kumar Dhingra</span> Indian Navy Admiral

Rear Admiral Ravi Kumar Dhingra, VSM is a serving Flag officer in the Indian Navy. He currently serves as the Flag Officer Commanding Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Naval Area. A submariner, he earlier served as the Commodore Commanding Submarines (West).

References

  1. ↑ "Indian Naval Bases". Global Security. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  2. ↑ "INS Virbahu - Home of the Dolphins". The Indian Submariner. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 "INS Virbahu". Indian Navy. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  4. ↑ Hiranandani, G. M. (2008). Transition to Eminence: The Indian Navy 1976-1990. Lancer Publishers.

17°41′58.9″N83°16′14.3″E / 17.699694°N 83.270639°E / 17.699694; 83.270639

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.