ELECTIONS '98
COMMENTARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ARCHIVES

Navy to acquire three Russian frigates

The Indian navy will acquire three state-of-the-art Krivak-class frigates from Russia while at the same time manufacturing four Kora-class Corvettes and three Brahmaputra-class frigates at Calcutta's Garden Reach Shipyard.

In an informal chat with reporters on board INS Sukanya in Bombay after commissioning of T-80 Super Dvora fast attack craft, built in collaboration with Ramta of Israel and Goa Shipyard Limited, flag officer commanding-in-chief of Western Naval Command, Vice-Admiral Madhavendra Singh stated that these ships will be acquired in the span of next four years.

He further stressed on the need to have more coastal surveillance aircraft in light of increased insurgency and smuggling activities. For this, he stated that the Coast Guard and the Navy should have an integrated command to face the challenges posed by the subversive elements, insurgents and smugglers, who try to sneak into the Indian territory for illegal activities.

Vice-Admiral Singh said to counter such elements, the navy already has considerable Dornier aircraft, but at the same time about half-a-dozen more are required. The Coast Guard uses the Dornier aircraft extensively as it is good aircraft for surveillance activities and controlling air spills. He added that there was also need to have more night-vision and intelligence equipment to counter such activities in the coastal areas of the country.

Pointing out that the navy has long-term indigenisation programme, he stated that India should have a state-of-the-art submarine building plan. This will add to Indian navy's three-dimensional capabilities.

The Indian navy is committed to enhance its capabilities to combat anti-subversive activities and protect the country's economic interests at sea, he said.

Vice-Admiral Singh said the high speed craft, with displacement of 60 tonnes and 26 metre long and acquired under a transfer of technology arrangement with the Israel Aircraft Industries, will enhance the navy's capability of coastal defence.

He said since the navy is in the process of nation building, "we cannot afford to ignore the happenings in our waters close to the shores". "To tackle the insurgency effectively, we are in need of small and powerful combatant boats like T-80," he said.

The vice-admiral said at present, the navy plans to induct only two fast attack small craft and the Goa Shipyard Limited is in the process of manufacturing the second craft and is likely to be commissioned by August-September 1998.

Vice-Admiral Singh said the T-80, which is the fastest of its kind, has been built at the cost of Rs 190 million and small craft like the T-80 will help the navy to tackle the problems in peacetime along the coast and island territories. He also stressed the need to strengthen the naval forces in the coastal areas.

Rear-Admiral B R Menon, VSM, chairman and managing director of Goa Shipyard, said the T-80 craft is a result of successive evolution of a design which has proven its undiluted capability in various tactical deployments by various navies in the world. It is a battle proven design, built to customer requirement, he added.

The craft is designed to carry state-of-the-art electro-optic detection system and armament, and can accurately destroy small high-speed vessels and engage in light shore defence, he added.

Describing the T-80 as the first of its class belonging to the navy, Rear-Admiral Menon said the craft is also the first of the Super Dvora class built to Lloyds specification with redesigned bridge and other systems. The craft incorporates the most modern structural, hydrodynamic and propulsion features. The propulsion system options provide the craft with excellent shallow water capability, including beaching, exceptional manoeuvring and survivability, high-speed stability and excellent sea-keeping.

Vice-Admiral Singh said the Dvora attack craft are in use in quite a few navies and have been found extremely useful as high- speed interceptor craft.

T-80 has a crew of two officers and ten sailors commanded by Lieutenant Srinivas Maddula and is propelled by two MTU engines of 1,680 KW each, coupled with articulated surface drive and surface piercing propellers. This combination is aided by the fact that the entire hull construction is of aluminium and enables the craft to achieve a sustained speed in excess of 45 km under normal weather conditions.

The ship has got adequate endurance to patrol off harbours and be deployed along the coasts of Maharashtra and Gujarat for anti-insurgency operations as well as for prevention of smuggling and landing of illegal arms. The attack craft is highly manoeuvrable and can operate in shallow waters and creeks which makes it suitable for tasks like induction and de-induction of special forces.

It is also useful for search and rescue operations and will be able to rescue mariners and fishermen in distress.

The main armament fit for T-80 consists of 20 mm guns with a very high rate of fire. It carries LMGs and other arms for close range engagements. The forward gun is optronically controlled with facilities for remote control firing. The craft is fitted with a state-of-the-art surveillance radar and efficient communication systems.

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report