Article Posted on : - Jan 12, 2010

Indian Navy's INS Teg was made waterborne on November 27, 2009. Yantar Shipyard photo

MOSCOW (BNS): After floating out INS Teg – the first Talwar class guided missile frigate in November last, Russia now aims to float out the other two vessels it is building for Indian Navy by the end of this year.

The Yantar shipyard, which is constructing the new frigates, will float out INS Tarkash and INS Trikand by 2010-end, a shipyard spokesperson was quoted by RIA Novosti as saying on Monday.

Russia is building the vessels for India as per a $1.6 billion contract signed in July 2006.

INS Teg became waterborne on November 27, 2009. Its sea trials are expected to start this year after which it will be handed over to Indian Navy by 2011-12.

The new class of missile frigates is designed to accomplish a wide range of maritime missions, primarily hunting down and destroying large surface ships and submarines.

They would be equipped with BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missiles. Each new vessel would feature a 100-mm gun, a Shtil air defense system, two Kashtan air defense gun/missile systems, two twin 533-mm torpedo tubes, and an anti-submarine warfare helicopter.

Indian Navy is presently operating the Russian-made INS Talwar, INS Trishul, and INS Tabar missile frigates.