INS Visakhapatnam: Things you need to know about Navy's most powerful destroyer

Mumbai, April 20: Indian Navy's latest destroyer warship, INS Visakhapatnam the first of stealth destroyers under the P15-B project, was launched in Mumbai on Monday.

The warship was launched by Minu Dhowan, wife of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R K Dhowan. Admiral Dhowan and senior officials of the Navy and Mazagaon Docks Limited were present on the occasion.

Visakhapatnam is the follow-on of P15A-Kolkota class destroyers, with enhanced features. It will be inducted into the Indian Navy in July 2018.

Four ships of this class are being built in a Rs. 29,340 crore project. While the first ship will be named INS Visakhapatnam, reports say that two of the three remaining ships may be called INS Paradip and INS Marmagoa.

Following the some of the features of INS Visakhapatnam:

• The ship is 163-m long ship and is being propelled by four gas turbines. It is designed to achieve a speed of over 30 knots at a displacement of approx 7300 tons.
• It will also be carrying 8 BrahMos missiles.
• The warship has got enhanced capability to operate in nuclear, biological and chemical atmosphere.
• At 7,300 tonnes, the ship will be the largest destroyer commissioned by the Indian Navy.
• It is a stealth destroyer and is 65 per cent indigenous vessel. It has a number of weapon systems which have been made at home.
• The AK-630 Close-In Weapon System will be fitted on the bow or front side of the ship.
• It will be equipped with the Israeli Multi Function Surveillance Threat Alert Radar (MF-STAR) which will provide targeting information to 32 Barak 8 long-range surface to air missiles onboard the warship. This is being co-developed by India and Israel.
• The ship will be fitted with four 30 mm rapid-fire guns to provide close-in-defence capability while an MR gun will enable her to provide effective naval gunfire support.

OneIndia News