Article Posted on : - Nov 11, 2009

INS Trishul is one of the Talwar class guided missile frigates deployed in the Indian Navy. Image credit: Indian Navy

KALININGRAD (BNS): Russia’s Yantar shipyard, which is building three Talwar class guided missile frigates for India, is planning to float out the first one by the end of this month, a company spokesman has said.

“The first frigate in the series is expected to float out at the end of November,” Sergei Mikhailov said on Tuesday.

However, the sea trials for the vessel will start in 2010, he said, while expressing optimism that the shipyard would be able to deliver all three vessels to India by 2011-2012.

“Floating out does not mean that the sea trials will start right away. We still have to carry out post-construction work. The trials will start in 2010,” the official was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

The Project 11356 modified Krivak III class (also known as Talwar class) guided missile frigates are being built for Indian Navy under a $1.6 billion contract signed in July, 2006.

Russia has already built and delivered three such ships – INS Talwar, INS Trishul, and INS Tabar – to Indian Navy.

The three new ships under construction have been named by President Pratibha Patil as INS Teg, INS Tarkash, and INS Trikand.

The frigates are designed to accomplishing a wide range of maritime missions, primarily hunting down and destroying large surface ships and submarines.

The new frigates would be fitted with BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missiles instead of the 3M-54E Klub-N anti-ship missiles installed in the previous three frigates.

Besides, each new vessel would also be equipped with 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.