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| INS Teg, sister ship to INS Trikand (File Photo) |
On June 29, 2013 Rosoboronexport, part of the Rostec State Corporation, handed over the Project 11356 frigate Trikand (Bow), built at Yantar Baltic Shipyard (part of the United Shipbuilding Corporation) to the Indian Navy.
During the handover ceremony, the Russian and Indian sides signed the Certificate of Acceptance transferring the ship to the Indian crew and the Indian Navy Flag was raised on board the ship.
Thus, Rosoboronexport has completed a 2006 contract for the construction of a second batch of three modernized Project 11356 frigates for the Indian Navy, armed with the BrahMos cruise missile system manufactured by a Russo-Indian joint venture. The first two ships of the batch – Tag (Saber) and Tarkash (Quiver) – were handed over to the customer in April and September 2012.
“Project 11356 frigates have been successfully serving with the Indian Navy for ten years. They have substantially enhanced the combat capabilities of the fleet and are capable of solving a wide range of tasks. Moreover, Russian developers keep ongoing efforts to improve them, - said Rosoboronexport Director General Anatoly Isaykin. – If there is interest, we are ready to quickly build an additional series of three or four ships of this project with an improved capability for our Indian partners.”
The frigate handover ceremony was attended by Mr. Ajai Malhotra, Ambassador of the Republic of India to the Russian Federation, Rabinder Dhowan, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff of India, Rosoboronexport Director General Anatoly Isaykin, USC President Vladimir Shmakov, acting Director General of Yantar Shipyard Dmitry Ermakov, as well as Russia’s FSMTC representatives.
The Project 11356 frigates are designed to fight against enemy surface ships and submarines and repel air attacks. Their displacement is 3600 tons, full speed - 30 knots, range - up to 4,800 miles. The armament mix of the frigates consists of the BrahMos anti-ship missile system with a range of 300 km, Shtil-1 SAM system, A-190E naval gun and AK-630M CIWS, anti-submarine weapons (RBU-6000 rocket launcher, torpedo tubes). The ship is capable of accommodating a Kamov Ka-28 or Ka-31 helicopter.
Over the 45-year period of military-technical cooperation in the naval area, the Soviet Union and then Russia have built more than 70 warships for India. Currently, Sevmash is completing testing of the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya for the Indian Navy. In addition, Russia is assisting India in equipping the Projects 15A and 15B destroyers, Project 17A frigates and Project 71 aircraft carrier, which are under construction at national shipyards in India, with Russian systems and equipment.