Abhay (Pauk II) Class

INS Akshay mid-sea on Catamaran - en route to Alibaug, the Gateway to Mandva Jetty in Mumbai on 07 May 2007. Image © Aakash VakilINS Abhay. Circa late-1980s. Image © Indian NavyThe Officers & Sailors of INS Agray man the rails as part of the mobile column making its way past the President's Ship during the review of the international fleet. Image © PH1 (NAO) Chris Desmond, USNCrew of INS Ajay cheer 'Jai' thrice, as the President of India reviews her during International Fleet Review 2001 at Mumbai. Image © Mrityunjoy Mazumdar 

Vessel Type: 1241PE ASW Corvette.

Names & Pennant Numbers with commission dates:
INS Abhay P33 (10 March 1989)
INS Ajay P34 (24 January 1990)
INS Akshay P35 (10 December 1990)
INS Agray P36 (30 January 1991) - in repair

Structure: Has a longer superstructure than the Pauk I Class, has larger torpedo tubes and improved electronics.

Displacement: 485 tons full load.

Dimensions: Length - 56 metres.
.................Beam - 10.2 metres.
.................Draft - 3.3 metres.

Main Machinery: Two diesel motors with 16,184 hp and 2 shafts. Another report states four engines.

Maximum Speed: 28 knots. 32 knots according to Jane's.

Maximum Range: 2400 miles at 14 knots.

Complement: 97 (incl. 7 officers). Jane's lists 32 (incl. 6 officers).

Radar: Air/Surface; One MR 352 Pozitiv-E (NATO: Cross Dome) radar at E/F band frequency.
.........Navigation; One Pechora radar at I-band frequency.
.........Fire Control; Refer to 'Weapons' sub-section.

Sonar: One Rat Tail VDS sonar (on transom); active/passive attack with high frequency.

Weapons: One quad launcher of the Strela-2M (SA-N-5) SAM, manual aiming with infra-red homing to 3.2n miles; 6 km at Mach 1.5 with a 1.5 kg warhead. Maximum altitude is at 2500 metres (8000 feet). Fire control is provided by a single MR-123 (NATO: Bass Tilt) radar at H/I-band frequency.

One AK-76/60 76mm gun with 85º elevation with 120 rds/min to 8.1n miles; 15 km. Also fitted with a 30mm gun with 3000 rounds a minute to 2 km.

Four 533mm (2 twin) torpedo tubes. Use the SET-65E; anti-submarine, active & passive homing torpedo to 8.1n miles; 15 km at 40 knots with a 205 kg warhead.

Two RBU 1200 five-tubed fixed with range of 1200 meters.

Countermeasures: Two PK-16 chaff launchers are used as decoys.

Comments:

Agray P36 has been converted into a trials ship for new EW and other unspecified systems. The Positiv-E radome as well as torpedoes have been removed.

Modified Pauk II Class built in Russia for export. Original order was placed in late 1983, but completion of the first vessel was delayed by lack of funds and the orders for the others was not reinstated until 1987. A fifth of the class was cancelled. Classified as ASW vessels, their names are associated with former coastal patrol craft. All based at Mumbai as the 23 Patrol Vessel Squadron. The first two vessels were commissioned at Poti, Russia and INS Agray was commissioned at Riga, Russia.

On 06 February 2004, INS Agray suffered significant damage to its hull during a regular operational exercise in the Arabian Sea. None of the ship's personnel aboard were injured, however the accident resulted in flooding of the ship's engine room. Naval ships and aircraft in the vicinity were deployed to assist INS Agray and all personnel on board were safely evacuated. The cause of the accident is unknown, but unconfirmed reports state it was a torpedo misfire.