Rajput-class destroyer

INS Ranvijay (D55)
Class overview
Name: Rajput
Builders: 61 Kommunara Shipbuilding Plant
Operators:  Indian Navy
Succeeded by: Delhi class
Planned: 5
Completed: 5
Active: 5
General characteristics
Type: Guided missile destroyer
Displacement: 4,974 tonnes full load[1]
Length: 147 m (482 ft)
Beam: 15.8 m (52 ft)
Draught: 5 m (16 ft)
Propulsion: 4 x gas turbine engines; 2 shafts, 72,000 hp (54,000 kW)
Speed: 35 knots (65 km/h)
Range:
  • 4,000 mi (6,400 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
  • 2,600 miles (4,200 km) at 30 knots (56 km/h)
Complement: 320 (including 35 officers)
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Navigation: 2 x Volga (NATO: Don Kay) radar at I-band frequency,
  • Air: 1 x MP-500 Kliver (NATO: Big Net-A) radar at C-band or 1 x Bharat RAWL (Dutch Signaal LW08) radar at D-band (installed on INS Ranjit),
  • Air/Surface: 1 x MR-310U Angara (NATO: Head Net-C) radar at E-band, replaced by 1 x EL/M-2238 STAR[2]
  • Communication: Inmarsat,
  • Sonar: 1 x hull mounted Vycheda MG-311 (NATO: Wolf Paw) sonar replaced with Bharat HUMSA during MLR, 1 x Vyega MG-325 (NATO: Mare Tail) variable depth sonar
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 x Ka-28 in last two ships and HAL Chetak helicopter in first three ships

The Rajput-class guided-missile destroyers built for the Indian Navy are modified versions of Soviet Kashin-class destroyers. They are also known as Kashin-II class. The ships were built in the former Soviet Union after considerable Indian design modifications to the Kashin design. These included the replacement of the helicopter pad in the original design with a flight elevator, as well as major changes to the electronics and combat systems. Five units were built for export to India in the 1980s. All units are currently attached to the Eastern Naval Command.

Service history

The Rajput class inherited their anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare roles for aircraft carrier task-force defense against submarines, low-flying aircraft, and cruise missiles from the Kashin class. They were the first ships in the Indian Navy to deploy the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile systems. The systems were deployed during a mid-life refit of the ships. The missile system has four missiles in inclined bow mounted launchers replacing two SS-N-2D Styx AShM launchers in INS Rajput and eight cell VLS system replacing aft S-125M (NATO: SA-N-1) SAM launcher in INS Ranvir and INS Ranvijay.[3] Ranvijay was deployed with an updated vertical launcher for the BrahMos missile.[4] The Indian Navy is planning to upgrade the propulsion of the Rajput-class ships with indigenously developed Kaveri Marine Gas Turbine (KMGT) engine. The Gas Turbine Research Establishment of DRDO has been developing this engine which is currently in testing phase.[5]

Ships of the class

Name Pennant Builder Homeport Commissioned Status
INS Rajput D51 61 Kommunara Shipbuilding Plant Visakhapatnam 30 September 1980 Active
INS Rana D52 Visakhapatnam 28 June 1982 Active
INS Ranjit D53 Visakhapatnam 24 November 1983 Active
INS Ranvir D54 Visakhapatnam 28 October 1986 Active
INS Ranvijay D55 Visakhapatnam 15 January 1988 Active

References

  1. ↑ Rajput class
  2. ↑ Friedman, Norman (2006). The Naval Institute guide to world naval weapon systems (5th ed.). Annapolis, Md: Naval Institute. p. 243. ISBN 1557502625.
  3. ↑ Indian Navy: INS Rajput, 8 Other Warships To Deploy Brahmos Cruise Missiles
  4. ↑ BrahMos all set to cruise into Kerala
  5. ↑ Modified Kaveri Engine to Propel Indian Navy Rajput Class Ships
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