Actually I had a disagreement with @Penguin over this long back, the design lineage (as Penguin had stated) is more or less derived from the Delhi class ships (I disputed that back then, although with more complete pictures sprouting up since then I had to defer to the accuracy of his statement), needless to say, that the design changes in terms of meeting lower signature requirements might lend the vessel some semblance to the 45s but that's more coincidental than anything else.
On a side note, I really hope that the folks at the NDB will incorporate flush decks and integrated masts on the 15Bs and 17As, more importantly perhaps an universal VLS for AShM/LACMs and SAMs, If not the latter (universal VLS) then at least attempt to fit in more munitions either way.
The newest french concoction FREMM is a great example. A modular ship for all needs.
Most of the discussions here WRT "Stealth" aspects of Warships are simply a "red-herring". So please do not fall prey to that also. If "Stealth Warship" meant that a Warship can just disappear from Radar Screens; that will just not happen. Even a significant reduction in Radar Signature is very hard to achieve with conventional hull and top-side shapes. More effort goes into ECCMS now.
Consequently it is the reduction of other "signatures" most notably IR and Acoustic signatures which are more critical; and that is where the most amount of work is being attempted.
The misconception of disappearing has to be addressed time and again. Even hollywood was smart enough when portraying stealth ships (ala Tomorrow never dies 1997) that at talked of signature being weak for radar.
All the hull shaping and smooth exterior does is reduce the range at which the ship can be detected by traditional EM measures(SAR might still pick it up at greater ranges).
Then IR takes over, then acoustic.. and so on.
At this point the FREMM is the only frigate to have true IR reduction measures( with the Daring and Horizon classes in second). I dont see such efforts made as such in Kolkata but the Karmota shows that promise.
Last edited: