Godavari (Type 16) Class

Image © Mrityunjoy MazumdarImage © Mrityunjoy MazumdarImage © Mrityunjoy MazumdarAn excellent shot of INS Godavari taken from the bow. Image © Indian NavyPersonnel transfer from the INS Ganga to another vessel. Image © Indian NavyINS Gomati firing a OSA-M (SA-N-4) surface-to-air missile. Image © Indian NavyWith the Indian Naval Flag flying high, personnel from the deck of INS Viraat watch INS Ganga. Image © Indian NavyA shot of INS Ganga taken from astern. A Sea King Mk.42B lies parked on the helicopter deck. Image © Indian Navy-A line drawing of the Godavari Class frigatesINS Godavari, sailing past the Statue of Liberty in New York. Circa 1986. The vessel arrived here for the International Fleet Review. Image © Indian NavyA shot of INS Godavari taken from above. Note the Chetak helicopter on the helo deck. Image © Indian NavyA side shot of INS Godavari at International Fleet Review 2001. Image © Simon Watson 

Vessel Type: Guided Missile Frigate.

Names & Pennant Numbers with commission dates:
INS Godavari F20 (10 December 1983)
INS Ganga F22 (30 December 1985)
INS Gomati F21 (16 April 1988)

Structure: The Type 16 Class frigates are a modification of the original Leander Class design with an indigenous content of 72% and a larger hull.

Displacement: 3600 tons standard.
...................3850 tons full load.

Dimensions: Length - 126.4 metres.
................Beam - 14.5 metres.
................Draught - 4.5 metres.

Main Machinery: Two turbines with 30,000 hp motors, two 550 psi boilers and two shafts.

Maximum Speed: 27 knots.

Maximum Range: 4500 miles at 12 knots.

Complement: 313 (incl. 40 Officers & 13 Aircrew).

Radar: Air; One Signaal radar at D-band frequency (range - 145n miles; 264 km)
.........Air/Surface; One MR-310U Angara (NATO: Head Net-C) radar at E-band frequency (range - 70n miles; 128 km).
.........Navigation/Helo Ctrl; Two Signaal ZW06 or Don Kay radars at I-band frequency.
.........Fire Control; Refer to 'Weapons' sub-section.

Sonar: The Bharat APSOH; hull mounted and provides active panoramic search & attack with medium frequency. The vessels also have a Fathoms Oceanic VDS (Variable Depth Sonar) and Type 162M sonar, which provides bottom classification with high frequency. INS Ganga has a Thomson Sintra DSBV 62; passive towed array sonar with very low frequency.

Weapons: Four P-20M (SS-N-2D Styx) AShMs, fitted in single-tube launchers, with active radar (Mod 1) or infra-red (Mod 2) homing to 45n miles; 83 km at 0.9 Mach. Becomes a sea skimmer at the end of run. Has a 513 kg warhead.

INS Ganga and INS Gomati have been refitted with the Israeli Barak SAM system, with fire control provided by an EL/M-2221 STGR radar. The latter vessel was first sighted with the Barak in December 2002 and the system was reportedly operational by March 2003. It is probable that INS Godavari also has the Barak system, but that is yet to be confirmed through official channels. Prior to the fitment of the Barak system, these vessels had a single vertical launcher with the OSA-M (SA-N-4) SAM with SAR homing to 8n miles; 15 km at Mach 2.5, with a service ceiling of 3048 meters and a 50 kg warhead. A total of 20 OSA-M missiles were carried on board and they had a limited SSM capability. Fire control was provided by a single MPZ-310 (NATO: Pop Group) radar at F/H/I-band frequency, which has since been removed from the vessels that feature the Barak system.

Two 57mm (twin) guns at 90º elevation, 120 rds/min to 4.4n miles; 8 km, for use against ship- and shore-based targets. Fire control is provided by a single MR-103 (NATO: Muff Cob) radar at G/H-band frequency. In the CIWS role, the vessels are fitted with four AK-230 30mm gunmounts with 85º elevation and 500 rounds/min to 2.7n miles; 5 km with fire control provided by two MR-123 (NATO: Drum Tilt) radars at H/I-band frequency.

Features six 324mm ILAS 3 (2 triple) torpedo tubes, which fire the Whitehead A244S anti-submarine torpedo which has active/passive homing to 3.8n miles; 7 km at 33 knots with a 34 kg shaped charged warhead. INS Godavari has tube modifications for the Indian NST 58 version of A244S.

Weapons Control: MR 301 MFCS and MR 103 GFCS.

Combat Data System: Selenia IPN-10 action data automation and a Immarsat communications (JRC) system.

Helicopters: Two Sea King Mk.42B or a combination of one Sea King Mk.42B and one HAL Chetak. Usually one helicopter is carried with more than one air crew. French Samahé helicopter landing equipment is fitted. The Naval ALH can also be embarked.

Countermeasures: Selenia INS-3 (Bharat Ajanta and Elettronica TQN-2) intercept and jammer is used for ESM/ECM purposes. Two chaff/flares are used as decoys. Will have the 'Super Barricade' decoys in due course. Also has a Graesby G738 towed torpedo decoy.

Comments: The superstructure is steel, though INS Godavari shows signs of poor welding. INS Gomati is the first Indian Navy vessel to have digital electronics in her combat data system. The ships have a unique mixture of Indian, Russian and Western weapon systems, which initially led to some compatibility problems.