Kolkata-class destroyer
File:INS Kolkata.jpg INS Kolkata
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Class overview | |
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Name | Kolkata class |
Builders | Mazagon Dock Limited |
Operators | Indian Navy |
Preceded by | Template:Sclass- |
Succeeded by | Template:Sclass- (building) |
In commission | 2014 - present |
Planned | 3 |
Building | 1[1] |
Completed | 2[2] |
Active | 1 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Stealth guided missile destroyer[3] |
Displacement | 7,400 t (7,300 long tons; 8,200 short tons) full load[4] |
Length | 163 m (535 ft) |
Beam | 17.4 m (57 ft) |
Draft | 6.5 m (21 ft) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | In excess of 30 knots (56 km/h) |
Range | 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
Crew | 325 |
Sensors and processing systems | |
Electronic warfare & decoys | Elbit Systems Deseaver MK II counter-measures systems and defensive aids suite |
Armament | list error: <br /> list (help) Anti-air missiles: 4 × 8-cell VLS, for a total of 32;[8][9] Anti-ship/Land-attack missiles: |
Aircraft carried | 2 × Sea King or HAL Dhruv helicopters |
Aviation facilities |
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The Kolkata class (Project 15A) are a class of stealth guided missile destroyers[3] constructed for the Indian Navy. The class comprises three ships – Kolkata, Kochi and Chennai, all of which are being built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in India, and are the largest destroyers to be operated by the Indian Navy. Due to delays in their construction, and a problem found during the sea trials, the initial commissioning date of the first ship of the class has been pushed back from 2010 to 2014.[12]
The destroyers are a follow-on of the Project 15 Template:Sclass-s, but are considerably more capable due to major improvements in the design, the addition of substantial land-attack capabilities, and the fitting-out of modern sensors and weapons systems.[13] The keel of the first P-15B ship was laid in October 2013.[14]
Development
In 1986, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) approved a follow-on class of the earlier Project 15 Delhi-class destroyers. The aim was that the follow-on class would incorporate a higher level of air-defence, land attack, anti-submarine and anti-ship capabilities than the preceding class. However, the Indian Navy did not initially take up the option.[11] By the year 2000, the Indian Navy had redesigned the follow-on Kolkata class to incorporate even higher levels of technology (including modern stealth characteristics) and in May of that year, approval for the construction was given. Concept and function for Project 15A was framed by the navy's Directorate of Naval Design, while the detailed design was developed by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL).[15][16][17]
Construction
Construction of three Kolkata-class ships was sanctioned by the Government of India in May 2000, and steel for the lead ship was cut in March 2003.[9] Construction began in September 2003 at Mazagon Docks, Mumbai, with an initial expectation that the first of the class would be handed over to the navy by 2010. However, since then the Kolkata class has suffered consecutive delays, slow construction procedures and technical problems which saw the first ship of the class enter service during mid 2014. The delays in the construction programme have been attributed to persistent design changes made by the Indian Navy to incorporate new weapons systems and sensors, failure by a Ukrainian shipyard to deliver the ship's propellers and shafts and the contract later being awarded to a Russian firm,[18] and finally the delay in the delivery of the Barak 8 anti-air missiles, which are still in the final stages of completion with Israel Aerospace Industries and the Defence Research and Development Organisation.[19]
The Kolkata class are the largest destroyers ever to be constructed at Mazagon Docks, and as of 2013, all three ships of the class have been launched and are being fitted out.[20] Technical problems were found during the sea trials of the lead ship Kolkata, which delayed the project by six months to early 2014.[12]
Design and description
The Kolkata class share similar dimensions to the previous Delhi class, however they have 2,363 modifications which include major upgrades in weaponry, sensors and helicopter systems.[21] With a standard displacement of 6,800 t (6,700 long tons; 7,500 short tons) and a full-load displacement of 7,400 t (7,300 long tons; 8,200 short tons), they are the largest destroyers ever operated by the Indian Navy.[4] Some media reports have even given a full-load displacement of 7,500 t (7,400 long tons; 8,300 short tons).[22][23] These are the first stealth destroyers being built by India and marked a significant development in India's shipbuilding technology. The ships would incorporate modern weapons and sensors, and will have an advanced information warfare suite, an auxiliary control system with a sophisticated power distribution architecture, and modular crew quarters.[24]
The class have a length of 163 m (535 ft), a beam of 17.4 m (57 ft) and a draught of 6.5 m (21 ft). The ship's power and propulsion features a standard Combined gas and gas system utilizing twin Zorya M36E gas turbine plants and four DT-59 reversible gas turbines. The class also features two KVM diesel engines. On-board Wartsila WCM-1000 generators and Kirloskar AC generators supply the ship's electricity. The two propellers are run via two RG-54 gearboxes. This configuration allows the ship to reach speeds in excess of 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph).[9][25] Aviation facilities include a large flight deck, which was re-designed to handle larger helicopters than the Delhi-class, and an enclosed hangar for up to two maritime helicopters.[9][21]
The primary radar sensor of the class is the EL/M-2248 MF-STAR multi-mission AESA.[5][26][27] It is also equipped with Thales LW-08 long range volume search radar and EL/M-2238 S-band STAR surveillance radar from Israel Aerospace Industries. A Nagin active towed array sonar and a bow-mounted sonar HUMSA-NG (hull-mounted sonar array - new generation) are carried for sub-surface surveillance. To protect against anti-ship missiles coming from multiple directions, the ship carries the Elbit Systems Deseaver MK-II decoy control and launching system.[9][21]
The ship's main air-defence armament is composed of two 4x8-cell vertical launching systems (VLS) allowing for up to 32 Barak 8 (medium-long range) air-defence missiles.[8] In addition, four AK-630 CIWS are fitted for close-in defence.[9]
The supersonic BrahMos anti-ship and land-attack missiles are the primary offensive armament of the Kolkata-class.[28] The BrahMos missiles are fitted into a 16-cell Universal Vertical Launcher Module (UVLM) allowing one missile per launch silo, and all 16 missiles can be fired in salvo.[29] Perhaps the most distinctive and noticeable armament of the Kolkata class is its 76 mm (3.0 in) naval gun located forward of the bridge. The 76 mm gun provides limited anti-shipping capability and anti-air capability in addition to its naval gun fire-support role for land based operations.[9] For anti-submarine warfare, the Kolkata-class are equipped with a torpedo launching system via four torpedo tubes and two RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers.[9][30] BEL's Electronic Modular Command & Control Applications (EMCCA) Mk4 provides combat management.[5]
Ships of the class
Initially in 2008, the total program cost with long-term spare parts was expected to cost ₹ 3,800 Crore (US $950 Million),[31] but the construction costs escalated about 225% , and by 2011, cost of the program became ₹ 11,662 Crore (about US $2.6 Billion at that time), with each ship costing ₹ 3,900 Crore (about US $870 million at that time).[32] The Defense Minister A. K. Antony cited the causes being the delay in supply of warship-grade steel by Russia, increase in costs of Russian specialists due to inflation during the build period, wage revision due from October 2003 and delay in finalisation of cost of weapons and sensors.[33][34]
Name | Pennant | Laid down | Launched | Sea trials | Commissioning | Homeport |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kolkata | D 63 | 27 September 2003 | 30 March 2006[35][36] | 2013 | 16 August 2014[37] | Mumbai |
Kochi | D 64 | 25 October 2005 | 18 September 2009[38] | 2014-15[39] | October 2015[40][41] | Karwar |
Chennai | D 65 | 21 February 2006 | 1 April 2010[42] | November 2015 | Late 2016[41] |
See also
- Future of the Indian Navy
- Project 17A-class frigate - A planned frigate class of the Indian Navy.
References
- ^ Parth Satam (10 April 2014). "INS Kochi to start sea trials in June". The Asian Age. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
- ^ a b Kolkata Class Guided Missile Destroyers - Naval Technology
- ^ a b "INS Kolkata". indiannavy.nic.in. Indian Navy. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- ^ a b c d "Country's most potent indigenous warship joins service this month". SP's Naval Forces. 8 June 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
- ^ "Bharat Electronics Ltd. awards LW08 contract to Thales". Thalesgroup.com. 2 July 2008. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- ^ "Indian Navy to get four new destroyers". dnaindia.com. 17 March 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- ^ a b Som, Vishnu (16 August 2014). "On INS Kolkata, PM is Only Partially Correct". NDTV. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
At the moment, she is designed to carry only 32 Barak surface-to-air missiles...
- ^ "Israeli navy equipping warships with new missile system: report". XinhuaNet. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ^ a b Kolkata-class destroyer GlobalSecurity.org
- ^ a b "Navy's ongoing hunt for heavy torpedoes leads to delay in modernisation process". India Today. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ Toshi Yoshihara; James Holmes. James R. Holmes (ed.). Strategy in the second nuclear age : power, ambition, and the ultimate weapon. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press. p. 143. ISBN 1589019288.
- ^ "Keel Laid For Yard 12704 (1st ship of P15 Bravo)" (PDF). mazagondock.gov.in. 12 October 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
- ^ Indian Navy: Global & Local - I (15 April 2008). "World-class warships at Indian prices". Business-standard.com. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- ^ "Mazagon Dock lays keel of destroyer". Hindu.com. 27 September 2003. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- ^ "Mazagon Dock Annual Report" (PDF). Mdlindia.com. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- ^ "Russia steps in to bail out sinking Project 15-A". Business-standard.com. 1 April 2009. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- ^ Business Standard (20 August 2012). "Kolkotta class ships delayed". Business-standard.com. Retrieved 20 August 2012.
{{cite web}}
:|author=
has generic name (help) - ^ "India's 3rd naval destroyer launched". IBN Live. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ a b c Shukla, Ajai (20 August 2012). "Dangerous consequences of warships built in India". Rediff News. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
- ^ "Navy gets its largest destroyer". The Hindu. 13 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ^ "Largest destroyer project of Navy hit by delay". Defence Express. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- ^ "INS Chennai adds to Naval might". Zee News. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ^ "Project 15-A destroyer, INS Kochi To be launched on 18 Sep 2009". PIB. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ^ "IAI Delivers First of MF-STAR Radar System to a Foreign Customer". Deagel. 26 October 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ "Indian Navy Receives First Israeli MR-STAR Radar". Naval Technology. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ "First test of BrahMos land-attack variant from the sea". India today. 5 March 2008. Retrieved 17 July 2013.
- ^ "BrahMos missile test-fired from warship INS Kolkata". The Times of India. 9 June 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
- ^ "Project 15-A Improved Delhi / VIshakhapattanam / DDGHM Kolkata". Global Security. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
- ^ Ajai Shukla (15 April 2008). "World-class warships at Indian prices". Business-standard.com. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- ^ Ajai Shukla (2 May 2014). "INS Kolkata, navy's most powerful warship, to be delivered next month". Business-standard. Retrieved 23 July 2014.
- ^ "Indian warships' costs escalate over 225%". StratPost. 5 September 2011. Retrieved 20 July 2013.
- ^ "Delay in Indigenous Warship Projects of Navy". Press Information Bureau. 3 August 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
- ^ Reagan Gavin Rasquinha, TNN, 1 Apr 2006, 08.44pm IST (1 April 2006). "Queen of the high seas - Bombay Times - City". The Times of India. Timesofindia.indiatimes.com. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "National : A lethal combination of stealth and strength". The Hindu. 1 April 2006. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- ^ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/PM-Modi-inducts-Indias-largest-indigenously-built-warship-INS-Kolkata/articleshow/40313665.cms
- ^ "Mazagon Docks to Launch INS Kochi on Friday". News.outlookindia.com. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
- ^ Parth Satam (10 April 2014). "INS Kochi to start sea trials in June". Asian Age. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
- ^ "Trials on, INS Kochi to be at sea in 5 months". Asian Age. Retrieved 20 February 2015.
- ^ a b Bedi, Rahul (18 May 2015). "Parliamentary committee castigates Indian Navy over flagship projects". IHS Jane's 360. Retrieved 25 May 2015.
- ^ "India's 3rd indigenous naval destroyer launched". Ibnlive.in.com. 3 February 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
External links
- Kolkata-class destroyer - Bharat Rakshak
- Aegis Vessels of the World - Kolkata-class - details on the specifications of the ship and recent images of INS Kolkata at sea.
- Video links