Article Posted on : - Sep 16, 2015

First Project 15A guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata. A file photo

NEW DELHI (PTI): India's latest stealth destroyer, INS Kochi, will be commissioned into the Navy later this month by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL), the new ship is part of the Kolkata-class (Project 15A) guided missile destroyers.

The first ship of the class, INS Kolkata, was commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014.

Parrikar is scheduled to commission the ship on September 30. Another ship of the class, INS Chennai, is currently under production.

These are the largest indigenously-built destroyer warships. The government had approved the construction of three Kolkata-class destroyers in May 2000.

Conceptualised by Indian Navy, Kolkata-class is a follow-on model of the Delhi-class destroyers and is fitted with modern weapons, including the BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missiles, and sensor systems.

The propulsion system of Delhi-class DDGs was also retained with minor upgrades. Most of the systems integrated in the ships are designed and built in India.

The destroyers are equipped with action information system and atmospheric control system.

The modern stealth destroyers will demonstrate superior anti-surface warfare and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

The Navy had in February this year successfully test-fired the BRAHMOS missile from INS Kolkata during Tropex exercise conducted in the Arabian Sea.

The 290-km range missile hit its target with pinpoint accuracy during this first-ever vertical launch.

INS Kolkata is also scheduled to fire a long-range surface-to-air missile (LR-SAM) later this year. Called Barak 8, the missile is being jointly developed by India and Israel.