Article Posted on : - Apr 18, 2013

Second Talwar-class frigate 'INS Tarkash.' An Indian Navy photo.

MOSCOW (BNS): The third and final Talwar-class guided missile frigate 'INS Trikand' has completed sea trials and is expected to be handed over to the Indian navy in June.

The trials were conducted in the Baltic Sea. The frigate being built by Yantar shipyard in Russia, carried out workup trials on 14 March and was cleared for final state trials on 4 April, a Ria Novosti report said.

INS Trikand effectively engaged a target flying at 50 metres above the sea level with its surface-to-air missile system during trials last week, the report quoting shipyard spokesman Sergei Mikhailov said.

The frigate will return to the shipyard for final inspection after completion of onboard training by the Indian crew, it said.

The Yantar shipyard was awarded a $1.6 billion contract in 2006 to build three modified Talwar class (also known as Krivak III class) guided missile frigates for the Indian Navy.

INS Trikand is the last in a series of three frigates that Russia is building for India. The first frigate, INS Teg, joined the Indian navy on 27 April 2012, and the second, INS Tarkash, arrived on 30 December.

The frigates are equipped with BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missiles, a Shtil surface-to-air missile system, two Kashtan air-defence gun/missile systems, 100-mm gun, two twin 533-mm torpedo launchers and an antisubmarine warfare (ASW) helicopter, according to the report.

The Talwar class frigates have been designed to accomplish a wide range of missions, primarily finding and eliminating enemy submarines and large surface ships.