INS Virbahu is an

Indian Navy The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates si ...

submarine base of the Eastern Naval Command located near

Visakhapatnam , image_alt = , image_caption = From top, left to right: Visakhapatnam aerial view, Vizag seaport, Simhachalam Temple, Aerial view of Rushikonda Beach, Beach road, Novotel Visakhapatnam, INS Kursura submarine museu ...

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...

History

INS Virbahu was commissioned as the shore support base for submarines on 19 May 1971. With the commissioning of INS Virbahu 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. Thereafter, with the induction of the Sindhughosh class submarines, the 11th Submarine Squadron was created. As two Submarine Squadrons were based at Visakhapatnam, comprising eight submarines, the scope of responsibility of the Commanding Officer, INS Virbahu, increased many fold. The submarines were thus placed under the operational 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 Apr 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) 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 als ...

in Jun 1997. Initially all training, maintenance, operational and logistic matters pertaining to submarines were dealt by Virbahu. As the Arm expanded, the training role was taken over by

INS Satavahana 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 Under ...

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.

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 as applicable. INS Virbahu is the seat of the

(COMCOS (W)). The COMCOS is also the commanding officer of the base.

References

{{coord, 17, 41, 58.9, N, 83, 16, 14.3, E, scale:10000_region:IN, display=title Indian Navy bases, Virbahu

History

Objective

See also

References