Shivalik class frigate
 INS Shivalik during trials |
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Shivalik class |
| Builders: | Mazagon Dock Limited, India |
| Operators: |  Indian Navy |
| Preceded by: | Talwar class frigate |
| Succeeded by: | Project 17A class frigate |
| Cost: |  2,600 crore (US$572 million)[1] |
| Planned: | 3[2] |
| Completed: | 3 |
| Active: | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Guided-missile frigate |
| Displacement: | 4,900 tonnes, standard[3] |
| Length: | 142.5 m (468 ft)[4] |
| Beam: | 16.9 m (55 ft) |
| Draught: | 4.5 m (15 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 2 x Pielstick 16 PA6 STC Diesel engines & 2 x GE LM2500+ boost turbines in CODOG configuration. |
| Speed: | 32 knots (59 km/h)[5] 22 knots (41 km/h) (Diesel Engines) |
| Complement: | 257 (35 officers) |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
1 x MR-760 Fregat M2EM 3-D radar 4 x MR-90 Orekh radar 1 x ELTA EL/M 2238 STAR 2 x ELTA EL/M 2221 STGR 1 x BEL APARNA HUMSA (Hull Mounted Sonar Array) ATAS/Thales Sintra towed array systems |
| Electronic warfare and decoys: |
BEL Ajanta electronic warfare suite |
| Armament: |
or 8× VLS launched BrahMos, anti-ship cruise missiles
1× 3.0 inch Otobreda, naval gun 2× AK-630CIWS
2× RBU-6000 (RPK-8)rocket launchers |
| Aircraft carried: | 2x HAL Dhruv or Sea King Mk.42B helicopters. |
The Shivalik class frigates or Project 17 class frigates are multi-role frigates with stealth features being built for the Indian Navy. They are the first warships being built in India with such features.[7] The lead vessel of the class was commissioned on April 29, 2010.[8]
The Shivalik class (Project 17 and Project 17A) will be the main frigates of the Indian Navy in the first half of the 21st century.[9] All ships of the class are being built by Mazagon Dock Limited. Currently 3 Shivalik class project 17 frigates have been completed while a further seven Shivalik class project 17A frigates are on order. It is understood that 2 more vessels were originally expected to be ordered, But this is no longer clear.[2]
The class and the lead vessel have been named for the Shivalik hills. Subsequent vessels in the class are also named for hill-ranges in India.
Contents |
[edit] Development history
The Indian Navy conceived Project 17 for design of stealthy frigates to be designed and built in India.[10][11] Three ships were approved by the government in 1997, followed by a Letter of Intent (LoI) to the ship's builders, Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in February 1998.
Basic design of Project 76 was done by the Navy's Directorate of Naval Design (DND),[12] with a detailed designed developed by MDL. The DND's design of the Shivalik class called for a "5000 ton stealth frigates (Project 17) incorporating advanced signature suppression and signature management features".[13]
The first three units were formally ordered by the Indian Navy in early 1999.[14]
Production commenced about two years later. Delays resulted from design inputs from the Naval Design Bureau (NDB) for the weapons suite, specification changes to the hull steel and delays in delivery of high-strength D-40S steel from Russia. To overcome the lack of steel supply, DRDO and Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) indigenously designed and developed the AB-grade steel required.[15][16]
Construction of the first P17 frigate commenced with plate cutting on 18 December 2000. The keel was laid on 11 July 2001 and the ship was launched on 18 April 2003. The other two units will then be delivered at regular intervals and subsequent units - twelve planned in all - will be built in progressively modified batches. The vessel is to be built through modular-construction in 172 modules.
[edit] Design
The P17 was conceived entirely by the Indian naval architects at DND circa 1994. The P17 predates that of the Talwar Class frigates by some years. The weapons integration on the P-17 was assisted by Russia's Severnoye Project Design Bureau.
The stealth frigates are designed to avoid detection by enemy radar through the principle of reducing the ship's radar signature. The ships are fitted with a mix of Indian, Russian and Western weaponry systems along with both air defence and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. They also carry two advanced helicopters. The total length of the ships are 142.5 meters while its breadth is 16.90 meters. The total displacement of the ships are 4,900 tons. They are powered by gas and diesel turbines. These warships are capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots.
The main features of the class are its stealth characteristics and the land-attack capability. The ships incorporate structural, thermal and acoustic stealth features.[17] They will be armed with the Klub anti-ship and BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. The vessels use 10 gigabit LAN for their network.[18]
Fire Control Systems (FCS) developed by DRDO and built by BEL will be used on the Shivalik class frigates.[19]
Shivalik design embodies many firsts in IN ships. Shivalik is the first Indian naval vessel to use a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) propulsion system. The CODOG gearboxes were designed and built by Elecon Engineering.[20]
The frigates feature an ATM-based Integrated Ship Data Network (AISDN) which serves as the foundation for the external and internal communication systems. The new Total Atmosphere Control System (TACS) for the ship’s air-conditioning and ventilation represent a major advance from the systems used on previous Indian naval vessels.[21]
There has also been an increased emphasis on crew comfort in this class of ships with more spacious accommodation being provided for the crew. Also, the INS Shivalik is the first ship in the Indian Navy with a chapati-maker and a dosa-maker on board.[22]
The living areas equipped with state-of-the-art modular furnishings were custom-designed for the Shivalik. Furnishings were manufactured in India by the marine division of Godrej. Shivalik is India’s first warship with a separate cabin for women officers. While similar in most respects to the men’s cabins, the significant difference is in having an attached bathroom and extra wardrobe space.[23]
[edit] Ships
INS Shivalik, was launched on 18 April 2003, and commissioned on 29 April 2010. It was delayed by a couple of months due to political issues raised by the Obama administration over the matter of American-built engines being used on board.
INS Satpura was launched on 4 June 2004, and commissioned into service on 20 August 2011.
One more ship, INS Sahyadri, is also under construction at Mazagon dock.[24] These are expected to be finished and delivered by 2012.
| Name | Pennant | Laid down | Launched | Sea trials | Commissioning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| INS Shivalik | F47 | 11 July 2001 | 18 April 2003 | February 2009 | 29 April 2010 [25][26] |
| INS Satpura | F48 | 31 October 2002 | 4 June 2004[4] | 2010–2011 | 20 August 2011 [27][28] |
| INS Sahyadri | F49 | 30 September 2003[10] | 27 May 2005 | 2010 | Early 2012 |
[edit] Gallery
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The Captain's Integrated Versatile Console System (IVCS) aboard the INS Shivalik
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Launch of INS Satpura
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INS Sahyadri being fitted out at Mazagon Docks.
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INS Sahyadri front view.
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INS Shivalik
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INS Shivalik before commissioning
[edit] See also
- Project 17A class frigate - improved Shivalik class frigates
[edit] References
- ^ Ajai Shukla, World-class warships at Indian prices, Business Standard, 15 April 2008.
- ^ http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/shivalik-class-friga/
- ^ a b Cdr. A.K. Lambhate, "Stealth is Wealth", Sainik Samachar, Vol. 51, No. 14, 16–31 July 2004, Ministry of Defence (India).
- ^ Monica Chadha, India trials stealth frigate, BBC, 18 April 2003
- ^ http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/shivalik-class-friga/
- ^ Riding the waves
- ^ "India commissions its first stealth warship". The Times Of India. 29 April 2010. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-commissions-its-first-stealth-warship/articleshow/5871678.cms.
- ^ "Capital Cruisers", Sainik Samachar, Ministry of Defence (India), 15 March 2004. Adm. Madhvendra Singh, Chief of Naval Staff: "These would be the future ships of the Indian Navy and will be of the Shivalik class".
- ^ a b 2003-04 Annual Report of the Ministry of Defence, India.
- ^ MoD - Report on Major Activities, 2002-05 (doc), Ministry of Defence (India).
- ^ MoD Reports - 2009[dead link]
- ^ "Project 17 (Shivalik) Class". Surface Fleet, Active Ships, Project 17 (Shivalik) Class. Bharat-rakshak.com. http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NAVY/Ships/Active/190-Project-17.html. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
- ^ M. Natrajan - Knack for Knowledge, report from Ministry of Defence (India) 1 June 2008.
- ^ Suranjan Pal and William Selvamurthy, Capacity-Building in Defence Science and Technology: A Perspective from the DRDO[dead link], Strategic Analysis, Vol.32, No.2, March 2008 (Google cache).
- ^ "Warship Building Prowess", FORCE, January 2008, (forceindia.net).
- ^ CMC Uplifts Network Infrastructure for Indian Navy
- ^ Indigenous fire control systems for naval ships[dead link]
- ^ Anandan, S.; Martin, K. A. (2011-12-30). "Navy floats out first Indigenous Aircraft Carrier". Chennai, India: The Hindu. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2758985.ece.
- ^ The P-17 frigates, heralds a paradigm shift in the design
- ^ "Eat dosa, sink enemy". http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100422/jsp/nation/story_12366830.jsp. Retrieved 2010-12-09.
- ^ Business Standard. "On board the Shivalik". Business-standard.com. http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/on-boardshivalik/352430/%20. Retrieved 2011-12-28.
- ^ "First stealth warship launched". The Hindu. Apr 19, 2003. http://hindu.com/2003/04/19/stories/2003041905530100.htm. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
- ^ Why Shivalik-class frigates matter to India
- ^ First indigenous Shivalik class frigate to be inducted in April
- ^ "India to boost 'blue-water' warfare punch with two new stealth frigates". The Times Of India. 25 May 2011. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-to-boost-blue-water-warfare-punch-with-two-new-stealth-frigates/articleshow/8562255.cms. Retrieved 2011-05-25.
- ^ INS Satpura delivered to Indian Navy
[edit] External links
- Project 17 frigate @ Bharat-rakshak.com[dead link]
- Image of INS Shivalik launch
- Novenco Pdf document
- Global Security - Shivalik Class Frigates
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