INDIA

Shivalik frigate due to start sea trials

The Indian Navy is about to start sea trials of the lead ship in its program for up to seven Shivalik class stealth frigates, built by Mazagon Docks Ltd. (MDL). The 5,600t frigates are powered by two French Pielstick diesel engines and two General Electric LM 2500 gas turbines, giving a maximum speed of more than 30kts.

     Three of the Project 17 Shivalik class frigates have been ordered to date, at a cost of Rupees 8,000 crore (US$1.6 billion). In addition to the Shivalik, they are the INS Satpura and INS Sahyadri, scheduled for completion in 2009 and 2010, respectively.

      Each frigate is equipped with an indigenously-developed ATN-based Integrated Services Digital Network (AISDN), linking all of its systems, sensors and weapons systems, and a Computer-Aided Action Information Organisation (CAIO) that includes a decision support system.

     The foremast mounts a Russian MR-760 Fregat M2EM 3-D air search radar and two MR-90 Orekh  target illumination radars (NATO designation: Front Dome). Also fitted are: a Contraves TMX tracker; a Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) Active and Passive Radar for Navigation and Attack (APARNA); a BEL RAWL02 (Thales Nederland LW08 Long Range Volume Search Radar); a BEL HUMSA hull mounted sonar array; an ATAS/Thales Sintra towed array sonar; and a BEL Ajanta Bomber Electronic Warfare (EW) suite.

       Armament includes: two Westland Sea King Mk42 Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) helicopters; an Oto Melara 76mm Super Rapid gun; Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Barak Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs); eight BrahMos supersonic, 290km-range cruise missiles; Raduga URPK-3/4 Metel (SS-N-14 Silex) Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) missiles; two triple launchers for DTA-53-956 ASW torpedoes; and two RBU-6000 (RPK-8) ASW rocket launchers.