The Indian Navy is all set to acquire three more Talwar class (Krivack) frigates from Russia as a part of the plan and we hope the Scorpene deal, CBI and War Room Leak inquiry and arrests, do not dampen the procurement and acquisition process. The Russians are aware India’s coffers are better equipped to pay in FFE with $150b reserves and so escalation is steep as steel and aluminum prices are up world wide. The Navy had been pressing for acquisition of three repeat frigates of Project 1135.6 (Talwar class). Two Russian shipbuilders, Mezhprombank's Severnaya Verf of St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad Yantar were jockeying for the contract, now reportedly escalated to $1.6b.

In 2004 St. Petersburg Baltic Works had delivered three exceptionally potent, extremely well constructed frigates with KA-31 AEW helicopter, navy’s first electronic scanning Fregat air surveillance radar and 16 vertical launched Klub missiles at around $1 billion. Defence Minsiter Ivanov had resolved that Yantar will supply the ships, and the contract could be negotiated and signed soon. INS Trishul the second of the class under guarantee had suffered some collision damage with a merchant ship off Mumbai, whilst entering harbour at night, and was repaired with the assistance of Rosboronservice in India, which now stocks spares and carries out guarantee repairs.

Details of the Talwar class are given below and the ships are world class even in construction and surprisingly ships built in Russia are cheaper with faster delivery.

PROJECT 1135.6 FRIGATE OF INS TALWAR CLASS

Mission

Project 11356 Frigate is designed to destroy enemy surface ships, submarines and air attack assets. It can operate autonomously, within task forces in maritime theaters of war, as an escort ship in convoys, etc. It has limited Link capabilities and IN can fit out satellite based systems.

Features

• Improved seaworthiness thanks to roll stabilization, with UK6-1 roll stabilizer; which makes it a very sea worthy fighting machine.

• Reduced secondary radar, interface and electromagnetic signatures due to special design layout measures; called stealth features.

• Low underwater noise and interference with the organic sonar system

• Operations in a wide range of climatic conditions.

Main Propulsion Plant

Two-shaft gas-turbine plant, developing max 28,000hp power on each shaft at ambient temperature of + 15°C, managed by Burya-1356 control system.

Electric Power

Four Wartsila 800kw WCM800/5 type diesel generators supplying 3-phase AC/380V/50Hz with Angara-11356 control system.

Armament & Equipment

• Klub-N anti-ship missile system –– (one 3s-14E eight-tube under deck launcher, eight 3m–54TE ASMs in transport launch containers) with 3R-14N–11356 fire control system loading facilities.

• Shtil-1 medium–range multi channel air defence missile system (24 Missiles )

• 100mm AK-190E versatile gun mount (500rounds ) with 5 p –10E fire control system.

• Kashtan close-in air defence gun/missile system comprising one 3R-86-1E command and control module and two 3R87-Ecombat modules (649m311-1E missiles, 6,000 rounds), as well as two missile storage/reloading systems.

• RBU-600 12-tube saw mortar 94890Rmissiles or RGB-60 depth bombs)

• Two 533mm DTA-5311536 twin torpedo tubes (4 set-65E/53-65KE torpedoes)

• Ka-28 Ka-31 helicopter (provided with hanger and a helipad)

• Four KT-216 launchers of pk-10 close range decoy dispending station (120 decoy rounds). Navy is indigenousing the chaff to be filled by OFB in Rockets.

Electronic equipment

• Frigate M2EM air/ surface surveillance radar

• 3Ts-25E targeted acquisition radar

• MR-212/201-1 short-range navigation radar

Sonars

• MGK-335 EM–03 sonar system or Indian systems Humsa and Humvad

• Sonar with Vinyekta–EM towed array

• The above assets can be substituted with MGK-335EM–02 system.

Navigation Equipment  

• Ladoga–ME 11356 inertial navigation and stabilisation system

• Induction log

• Dead–reckoning and plotting system

• Two magnetic compasses

• Navigation echo sounder

Note:

On 2^nd March during President Bush’s visit, the India–US Framework for Maritime Security Cooperation was discussed. It commits the two nations to a comprehensive cooperation in ensuring a secure maritime domain, and Gen Jeffrey Kohler from the Pentagon visited from 9^th March to progress the transfer of USS Trenton and other issues. The media has already reported that Rear Admiral Robin Dhowan, ACNS (Plans) will be in Washington in mid April to facilitate the fixed price transfer.

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