Russia to complete second missile frigate for India early next year

Moscow, Oct 17 (UNI) The Yantar shipyard in Russia's Baltic enclave of Kaliningrad today said it would complete the construction of the second of three missile frigates for the Indian Navy by March 2009.

The shipyard told RIA Novosti news agency the second Project 11356 frigate was more than 50 per cent complete.

India and Russia signed 1.6 billion dollar contract for the construction of three Project 11356 Krivak IV-class guided missile frigates for the Indian Navy in July 2006.

The final vessel will be delivered to India by 2011-12.

All of the frigates will be armed with the BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missile system instead of the Klub-N/3M54TE missile system, which was installed on previous frigates.

Russia previously built three Krivak-class frigates - INS Talwar, INS Trishul and INS Tabar - for India, and delivered them all in 2004.

The Krivak-class frigate has deadweight of 4,000 metric tons and a speed of 30 knots, and is capable of accomplishing a wide range of maritime missions, primarily hunting down and destroying large surface ships and submarines.

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