Trinkat Class

The Tarmugli in rough seas. This vessel was transferred to the Seychelles Coast Guard on 23 February 2005 and was renamed as the SCG Topaz. Image © GRSE LtdINS Tillanchang patrolling the Andaman Islands. This vessel was transferred to the Maldives on 16 April 2006 and was renamed as the Huravee. Image © Indian NavyINS Trinkat at her commissioning on 28 September 2000. Notice the 30mm Medak gun. Image © Sainik Samachar

Vessel Type: Fast Patrol Vessel.

Names & pennant numbers with commission dates:
INS Trinkat T61; Commissioned - 28 September 2000.
INS Tarasa T63; Commissioned - 24 August 2001.

Transfers to other Navies: INS Tarmugli T64 was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 04 March 2002. She was transferred to the Seychelles Coast Guard on 23 February 2005 and was renamed as the SCG Topaz. INS Tillanchang T62 was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 17 March 2001. She was transferred to Maldives' National Security Service (NSS) on 16 April 2006. The vessel has been renamed as the Huravee, after a  Maldivian hero and freedom fighter. As part of the transfer, technical and material assistance will be performed by the Indian Navy [IN] for Maldives over a period of three years. The IN has also stationed a team of personnel for a preliminary period and on-the-job training of the Maldivian crew.

Displacement: 260 tons full load.

Dimensions: Length - 46 metres.
.................Beam - 7.5 metres.
.................Draft - 3.9 metres.

Main Machinery: Two 3500 h.p. engines (MTU 398 or MTU 596), monitored by a MTU MCS-5 machinery control system. Three 80 kW diesel generators are also installed.

Maximum Speed: 27 - 30 knots.

Maximum Range: 2000 nautical miles at 12 knots.

Complement: 33 (including 4 officers).

Weapons: One 2A42 30mm Medak gun - a navalised variant of the BMP-2 turret.

Weapons Control: Not Known.

Radar: Not Known.

Comments: The Trinkat Class of vessels are meant for anti-poaching and counter-insurgency operations in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and are capable of detection & destruction of fast-moving small surface craft and policing for anti-smuggling, fisheries protection and also search and rescue operations. The vessels are named after islands in the Lakshwadeep and Andaman & Nicobar group.

Super Dvora II

Image © Mrityunjoy MazumdarFAC T-80 conducting high-speed sea trials off the Mumbai coast. Image © Sandeep UnnithanFAC T-83 lies docked at port. The Oerlikon 20mm gun can be clearly seen. Image © Indian NavyA naval officer (centre) stands guard on the deck of the newly-commissioned FAC T-84 in Chennai on 19 April 2004. This is a high-speed fast-attack craft for anti-smuggling, surveillance, counter-insurgency and other operations. Image © Agence France-Presse [AFP] 

Vessel Type: Fast Patrol Vessel.

Pennant Numbers with commission dates:
FAC T-80 (24 June 1998)
FAC T-81 (06 June 1999)
FAC T-82 (09 October 2003)
FAC T-83 (27 November 2003)
FAC T-84 (19 April 2004)

Future Commissions: FAC T-85 (2006)
............................FAC T-86 (2006)

Displacement: 60 tons full load.

Dimensions: Length - 25.4 metres. (incl. ASD platform)
.................Beam - 5.67 metres.
.................Draught - 1.1 metres.

Main Machinery: Two diesel engines with 4570 hp and two Arneson ASD-16 articulating surface drives.

Maximum Speed: 45 knots.

Maximum Range: 700 miles at 42 knots.

Complement: 10 (incl. 1 officer).

Weapons: One Oerlikon 20mm gun and two 12.7mm MGs.

Weapons Control: Elop MSIS optronic low-light-level surveillance and weapons direction device, which enables the vessel to accurately destroy small high-speed crafts and engage light shore defence. Goa SY Ltd. states that the Super Dvoras are fitted the Mk.20 naval stabilized gun system.

Radar: Surface; Koden, I-band.

Comments: The first two XFAC (Extra Fast Attack Craft) were ordered from Ramta, IAI on 02 December 1996. Two more being built at the Goa SY. This is the latest version of an Israeli fast patrol craft, also acquired by the Sri Lankan Navy. An additional 15 are projected, some possibly for the Coast Guard. XFAC is designed for putting to sea in the shortest possible time for day-night coastal surveillance and reconnaissance, co-ordinated sea-air search & rescue (SAR) operations, beach insertion and/or extraction of commando forces and high speed interception of small, manoeuvrable intruder craft over territorial waters. XFAC incorporates the most modern structural, hydro-dynamic and propulsion features and a proven combat record in all aspects. The ASD propulsion system provides the XFAC with the excellent shallow water capability, including beaching, exceptional manoeuvring & survivability, high redundancy, rapid acceleration and de-acceleration, high stability and excellent sea-keeping qualities.

Aditya Class

Image © Mrityunjoy MazumdarImage © Mrityunjoy MazumdarA rough sketch of the INS Aditya. Image © Ian Sturton

Vessel Type: Replenishment & Repair Ship.

Name & Pennant Number with commission date:
INS Aditya A59 (03 April 2000)

Structure: A modified Bremer-Vulkan Deepak Class design with a different compartment layout and more accommodation. The accommodation and bridge superstructure are towards the stern with the helicopter platform right aft.  Fitted with six 70-person GRP lifeboats to SOLAS standards that feature internal release system. The vessel features an eight-bed sickbay.

Displacement: 24,612 tons full load.

Dimensions: Length -172 metres.
................Beam - 23 metres.
................Draft - 7.5 metres.

Measurement: 17,000 dwt.

Main Machinery: Two ECR MAN B&W 16V 40/45 diesel engines with 23,972 hp sustained and 1 shaft. The engines were assembled by the Taratola unit of GRSE (Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers). Also has three 500 kW generators and two 1500 kW power take-off shaft generators.

Maximum Speed: 20 knots.

Maximum Range: 10,000 miles at 16 knots.

Complement: 191 + 6 aircrew (incl. 3 pilots from No.321 Squadron).

Cargo Capacity: 2250 m3 water.
......................2170 m3 ammunition & stores.
......................14,200 m3 diesel and avcat (aviation kerosene).

The ship can carry 12,000 tons of liquid cargo, comprising LSHSD, FFO, AVCAT, distilled & fresh water and 5000 tons of solid cargo. Features a Hallapa deck and Canadian Hepburn RAS (Replenishment At Sea) equipment. Also has a 2 ton heavy jackstay and a 20 ton crane.

Radar: Navigation; Not Known.

Weapons: A shoulder-held Igla-M (SA-N-10) SAM launcher is carried on board with 24 missiles. The missile has a range of 5 km with a 2 kg HE warhead and uses infra-red (IR) homing for guidance. The vessel is also fitted with a trio of 2A42 30mm Medak guns, which are mounted on BMP-2 turrets, adapted for naval use.

Helicopters: One HAL Chetak (from No.321 Sqn) or Sea King Mk.42B.

Comments: Ordered in July 1987 to a Bremer-Vulcan design, GRSE Yard Number 3008. INS Aditya is a fully air-conditioned and lengthened version of the original Deepak Class, but with a multipurpose workshop and with four RAS (Replenishment At Sea) stations alongside. Building progress was very slow and the vessel was plagued by propulsion problems, during her sea trials in September 1999. The aim of the commissioning crew is to carry out 201 unreps a year and as of 17 February 2001, she had achieved 189 unreps and 5 dockets and so it looks like she will set a new standard for number of unreps in the Indian Navy. The vessel is based at Vizag and Her motto is Sustenance for Victory and Beyond. Her commissioning crew included:

• Commanding Officer (CO) - Captain Vimal Narayan
• Executive Officer (XO) - Commander K C M Giri
• Engineering Officer (EO) - Commander Vivek Chawla
• Electrical Officer (LO) - Commander S D Murthy
• Logistics Officer - Lieutenant Commander R Bhatnagar
• Medical Officer - Surgical Lieutenant Commander V V Prabhakar
• DLO - Lieutenant Commander K C P Reddy
• SEO - Lieutenant Commander B P Singh
• GO & NBCDO - Lieutenant Commander Gaurav Tankha
• BO - Lieutenant Commander P C Dwivedi
• NO - Lieutenant Commander Manish Sharma
• SCO - Lieutenant Nishant Kumar
• SWO - Lieutenant M K Biswas
• REO - Lieutenant Nagesh Moorthy
• WKO - Lieutenant Hrishikesh Atre
• WKO - Lieutenant Himadri Bose

Delhi (Type 15) Class

Image © Mrityunjoy MazumdarImage © Mrityunjoy MazumdarImage © Mrityunjoy MazumdarImage © Mrityunjoy MazumdarA pair of Kh-35 Urans are fired simultaneously from their KT-184 launchers. Image © Indian Navy via Kapil ChandniINS Mumbai fires two of her Kh-35 Urans during a naval exercise. Image © Indian Navy via Kapil ChandniThe Kh-35 Uran AShM, right after exiting the KT-184 launcher. Notice the fins on the missile are still folded. Image © India Defence ConsultantsAn amidship shot of INS Mysore reveals the vertical missile launchers for the Barak SAM system. Image © B Harry / ACIG.org, 27 March 2005A close-up shot of INS Mysore reveals the 3S-90 launcher which fires the 9M38M1 SAM, two KT-184 launchers which house the Kh-35 Uran AShM and a pair of RBU-6000 AS rocket launchers. Image © B Harry / ACIG.orgINS Mysore arriving for the International Naval Review {INR} which was held in July 2000 in New York harbour. Image © Jane's Info GroupA close-up shot of INS Delhi reveals her two massive exhausts. Image © Jane's Info GroupINS Delhi is ready for the evening celebrations at Langkawi. Image © Guy Toremans @ LIMA '98 in Langkawi, MalaysiaA side shot of INS Mysore clearly illustrates her clean lines. Image © Simon WatsonINS Delhi and INS Mysore sail together in the Arabian Sea. Image © Sandeep UnnithanA top view shot of INS Delhi. She will turn eight years old on 15 November 2005. Image © Vayu Aerospace ReviewINS Delhi firing a 3M-24E AShM during a naval exercise in the Arabian Sea. Image © Sandeep UnnithanA rough sketch of the Delhi Class destroyer.INS Mysore at the International Naval Review in New York, July 2000. Image © Captain Barbara Kiely, USNRINS Delhi entering Doha harbour in Qatar with the tricolour flying high on 15 August 2007, India's 60th Independence Day. Indian Navy ships are on a 40-day deployment to the countries of West Asia. Image © PRO, Indian NavyA shot of INS Delhi, in all her glory, taken from the bow. Image © Indian Navy

Vessel Type: Guided Missile Destroyer.

Names & Pennant Numbers with commission dates:
INS Delhi D61 (15 November 1997)
INS Mysore D60 (02 June 1999)
INS Mumbai D62; Ordered - 30 March 1992, Laid Down - 12 December 1992
........................Launched - 20 March 1995, Commissioned - 22 January 2001

Structure: The Delhi Class design, for which Russia's Severnoye Design Bureau (SDB) acted as a consultant, are hybrids of Western and Russian technology - incorporating elements of the Sovremenny Class destroyer and the Rajput Class (Kashin-II) destroyer with the locally-designed Godavari Class frigate, including the frigate's most unique aspect, namely the large dual helicopter hangar for two Sea King Mk.42B helicopters. The huge missile blast deflectors, installed behind the KT-184 launchers, on INS Delhi indicate an original intention to arm these destroyers with the supersonic 3M-80 (SS-N-22) AShM which was later deemed too costly. INS Mysore and INS Mumbai lack these blast deflectors.

Displacement: 6700 - 6900 tons full load.

Dimensions: Length - 163 metres.
................Beam - 17 metres.
................Draught - 6.5 metres.

Main Machinery: The vessels are powered by two Ukrainian Zorya Production Association M36E (E for Export) gas turbine plants that produce over 64,000 hp. The M36E gas turbine plant comprise four DT-59 reversible gas turbines grouped in two pairs, driving two propellers through two RG-54 gearboxes. There are four separate Russian-made gas turbine generators, two in each engine room. Fresh air for the turbines is drawn through two large stacks, one after the bridge superstructure, and one aft.

Maximum Speed: 32+ knots.

Economical Speed: 14 - 18 knots.

Maximum Range: 5000 miles.

Complement: 360 (incl. 40 Officers).

Radar: Air Surveillance; One MR-775 Fregat MAE (NATO: Half Plate) planar array radar.

Surface Surveillance; One Bharat RAWL (Dutch Signaal LW08) radar, operating at D-band frequency. INS Mysore also has SRA-01 IFF equipment atop the radar antenna.

Navigation; Three MR-212/201 navigation radars, operating at I-band, are mounted on the foremast. JRC SATCOM (Satellite Communication) equipment is standard on these vessels. INS Mumbai can be visually differentiated from INS Mysore by it's cylindrical SATCOM antenna.

Fire Control; Refer to 'Weapons' sub-section.

Sonar: The first two vessels in the series - INS Delhi and INS Mysore - have a Bharat APSOH (Advanced Panoramic Sonar Hull) hull-mounted sonar, which provides active search with medium frequency and a Garden Reach Model 15-750 variable depth sonar, also known as HUMVAAD, which is mounted in a Canadian Indal-designed 'fish' deployed from a ramp in the transom. INS Mumbai features more advanced sonar systems, namely a Thales ATAS (Advanced Towed Array Sonar) system and a Bharat HUMSA (Hull Mounted Sonar Array) system.

Weapons: Sixteen 3M-24E (Kh-35 Uran or NATO: SS-N-25 Switchblade) AShMs, housed in four quadruple KT-184 launchers, angled at 30º, two on either side of the bridge superstructure. Equivalent to the Harpoon Block 1C AShM, these missiles have active radar homing (ARH) out to a range of 130 km at 0.9 Mach, with a 145 kg warhead. All 16 missiles can be ripple-fired in 2-3 second intervals. The Delhi Class will be retrofitted with the GLONASS-steered, land-attack 3M24E1 Uranium AShM at a later date. The 3M24E1 AShM - export variant of the 3M24M1 - has more fuel, which extends range to 250 km.

Fire control for the missiles, is provided by a Garpun-Bal FC (NATO: Plank Shave) radar, mounted atop the bridge. This radar combines active and passive channels and in the active target designation mode, it operates in X-band (I/J-band) and can handle up to 150 targets at ranges between 35 - 45 km, although it is possible to obtain ranges of more than 180 km in wave-guide propagation conditions. The passive channel operates in the ESM mode searching for pulse and CW signals, and accurately identifying the bearing of hostile emitters from a built-in classification library of up to 1000 signatures. The maximum range of the passive channel is over 100 km depending on the frequency.

In the air defence role, a pair of 3S-90 launchers - one installed forward of the bridge and the other atop the dual helicopter hangar - are fitted with the Shtil SAM system. The Shtil system comprises of the 9M38M1 (SA-N-7, navalised SA-11) missile and 24 such missiles are carried in a below-decks magazine. The launchers elevate up to 70º but have a limited firing arc of 30º within the centreline. The launcher groups require a crew of 20 men and weigh about 50 tons. Target tracking data is provided by the MR-775 Fregat MAE planar array radar which can engage up to 12 targets at ranges of 32 km. Target illumination and semi-active homing is provided via six MR-90 Orekh (NATO: Front Dome) illuminators, four mounted forward and two aft.

The 9M38M1 SAM, designated as Kashmir by the Indian Navy, is armed with a 70 kg high-explosive warhead, has a maximum speed of Mach 3 (830 m/s) and can manoeuvre up to 20 g. The missile can handle target aircrafts traveling at 420 to 830 m/s and incoming missiles moving at 330 to 830 m/s. The reaction time is 16 to 19 seconds and the advertised kill percentage is 81 to 96% for a two-missile salvo. Ranges against aircraft are 3 km to 32 km with altitudes from 15 metres to 15 km. Ranges against incoming missiles are 3.5 km to 12 km with altitudes from 10 metres to 10 km. The missile probably has a secondary anti-ship capability.

One 100mm AK-100 single-barrelled, water-cooled gun, for use against ship and shore targets. The AK-100 can engage aerial and surface targets at a rate of fire of 30 to 50 rds/min and the turret can traverse through an arc of 220º. Fire control for the gun is provided by the T91E radar, a part of the MR-145 or MR-184 (NATO: Kite Screech) fire control radar system along with a turret mounted Kondensor optical sight. Each shell weighs 16 kg.

Four multi-barrelled 30mm AK-630 Gatling guns, two on either beam, to shoot down incoming anti-ship missiles, at 3000 rounds per minute to 2.5 km. Fire control is provided by two MR-123-02 (NATO: Bass Tilt) directors at the H/I/J-band frequency incorporating EO sensors (including laser rangefinder attachments) along with a manual backup sight for each pair of guns. Each gun can throw up a defensive wall of lead at 5500 to 6000 rounds per minute out to about 2.5 to 5 km. Unlike Western CIWS like Phalanx or Goalkeeper, this is not a closed loop system.

INS Delhi and INS Mysore have been refitted with the Barak SAM system and the pair of MR-123-02 (NATO: Bass Tilt) directors have been replaced by two EL/M-2221 STGR radars, in addition to deckhouse modifications. Two of the four AK-630 guns aboard INS Delhi and INS Mysore have been removed, to place vertical launchers for the Barak system. As of July 2005, INS Mumbai has not been fitted with the Barak system and still has its original equipment fit.

Five 533mm PTA 533 quintuple torpedo tube launchers are fitted amidships. The launchers are of modular construction and can fire different types of heavyweight torpedoes such as wire guided or wake homing types. The Delhi Class destroyers are armed with the SET-65E; anti-submarine, active & passive homing torpedo to 8.1n miles; 15 km at 40 knots with a 205 kg warhead and the Type 53-65; passive wake homing torpedo to 10.3n miles; 19 km at 45 knots with a 305 kg warhead.

Anti-submarine armament comprises of two 12 barrelled RBU-6000 AS rocket launchers mounted in front of the bridge. These weapons are controlled by the Purga ASW fire control system. The RBU-6000 fires RGB-60 depth charge rockets to engage submarines at depths of 500 metres at a maximum range of 6000 metres The system may carry up to 192 rockets, each with a 31 kg warhead. It is likely that the new RE-91 ASW rockets could be retrofitted to these vessels in due course. They use the same RBU launcher complex.

The vessels reportedly have the capability to fire the SS-N-15 or the SS-N-16 AShM. The former can be fired from 533mm torpedo tubes, while the latter needs a 650mm torpedo tube due to its large size. It is not known if these vessels are fitted with 650mm torpedo tubes.

Helicopter Capacity: Depending on operation requirements, two Sea King Mk.42B anti-ship/submarine helicopters can be embarked. The HAL Chetak or the HAL Dhruv, can also be used in combination with the Sea King Mk.42B. The 500 m2 flight deck with dual hangars has a 'Harpoon' type helicopter haul down system and two traversing tracks, each leading to a hangar compartment. This is very likely the French Samahé system. The ship is fitted with an integrated platform management system, possibly of French origin.

The Sea King Mk.42B is equipped with a surface search radar, dunking sonar and can carry two Sea Eagle AShMs or a combination of depth charges and AS-244 anti-submarine torpedoes. The helicopter can fly 400 km around the vessel and is equipped with a data link to download target data to the combat information centre, based on the indigenous Bharat Shikari (Hunter) combat data system, in the operations room. The combat data system, which is a derivative of the Italian IPN series of combat data systems, integrates Western, Russian and Indian systems, thus representing a remarkable technical achievement in system integration skills.

Countermeasures: The EW (Electronic Warfare) suite comprises of the Bharat Ajanta-II EW suite, along with the TQN-2 jamming system from the Italian company, Ellectronica. It is probable that the system is based on Israeli equipment, similar to the ones fitted on INS Viraat, and works in conjunction with the Russian PK-2 decoy launcher system. This employs two ZIF-121 launchers mounted on either side of the rear funnel stack atop the helo hanger and the Tertsiya fire control system. The PK-2 is employed in the confusion and distraction modes using chaff, IR and visual-optical decoy rounds. Confusion mode is used to confuse incoming missiles while distraction mode is used when enemy missiles are searching for and locking on the ship. Each launcher has 100 decoy rounds. Stern mounted noise generating torpedo decoys are also used.

Comments: The Delhi Class are the largest warships ever to be built in India and primarily act as command and control platforms for task groups and as screening escorts for the aircraft carriers. INS Mumbai, is more advanced than the other two vessels in the Delhi Class though minor modifications are already taking place on INS Delhi and INS Mysore. These vessels are well suited for power projection roles in the Indian Ocean Region and are fully fitted with flag facilities. The Delhi Class is also capable of operating in a NBC environment and Radar-Cross-Section reduction is presumed to be minimal, to the extent that some sharp angles have been flattened.