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. == Objective ==