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To be ready for technological warfare and in a bid to build a blue-water navy capable of operating across oceans, India today commissioned the first multi-role frigate with stealth features, INS Shivalik, which is largest in its class in the world.
Defence Minister A K Antony on Thursday commissioned INS Shivalik, the first of the three new stealth frigates for the Indian Navy, at Mumbais Naval dockyard.
The ship has been built at Mumbais Mazagaon Docks Ltd as a part of the Indian Navys Project 17. The Navy will get as many as ten more stealth warships in next 9-10 years.
According to MDL Chairman and Managing Director, Vice Admiral (Retd) HS Malhi: Nowhere in the world ship of this size has been incorporated with stealth features. It is a 6000 tonne ship and is the largest stealth frigate in the world.
The hard to detect warships will form a crucial component of the Indian Navy. It is equipped with a mix of Indian, Russian, Israeli and Western weapons and sensors. A 250-member crew including 35 officers will man INS Shivalik.
The new design features give the ship enhanced operational capabilities in terms of survivability, stealth, sea keeping, ship handling and weapons.
The Shivalik-class vessels are being built entirely in India and have Klub anti-ship missiles, Shtil surface-to-air missiles, Barak air and missile defence systems and RBU 6000 anti-submarine warfare rockets.
Shivalik is also equipped with state-of-the-art defence against nuclear, biological and chemical attacks.
The Atmospheric Control System filters controls the temperature and humidity of the air coming into the ship at all times, including the air being used by the engines. It removes any radioactive, chemical or biological impurities, thereby protecting the crew and the systems even during a nuclear, biological or chemical attack, said Vice Admiral Malhi.
The total indigenous efforts account for over 60 percent of ship cost. It also has stealth features against radar and heat seekers and through technical means its underwater signatures have also been reduced.
The cost of building each Shivalik class frigate will be close to Rs 2,800 crore. The construction of the ship has been done under the massive modernisation that the Indian Navy is undertaking to increase its fleet strength.
The other two frigates of this class are named Satpura and Sahyadri. While construction of INS Shivalik was launched in 2002, Satpura and Sahyadri were started in 2004 and 2005, respectively.
The second of these ships is expected to be commissioned by the end of this year, and the other in the series in 2011.
The follow-on of the Shivalik class would be of Project 17 Alpha, under which a total of seven ships will be built.
Copyright Asian News International (ANI)
The Defence Minister Shri AK Antony today called upon the Indian Industry to give their best in developing the countrys ship building programmes. Commissioning INS Shivalik, the first of three new stealth frigates for the Indian Navy in Mumbai, he said, over the years there has been a distinct shift in our policy from a Buyers Navy to a Builders Navy.
He said the ship building industry has to modernize itself through indigenous efforts and minimize its dependence on imports. We must continue with our efforts to transform and modernize our shipyards, so that they can not only meet the domestic demands but also achieve latest international standards in quality construction. We must be able to produce quality ships in a shorter time frame at competitive costs. I strongly urge all the participants of the Indian industry to give their best in developing our ship building programmes.
He said time and again history has taught us to maintain a strong and vigilant navy. Our maritime heritage dates back to the ancient times. Though we have come a long way in re-establishing our capabilities on the high seas since our independence, we still have a lot to achieve before we can consider ourselves a really potent naval force. History has time and again held out lessons in maintaining a strong and an eternally vigilant Navy, the Defence Minister said.
Shri Antony said the security situation in and around our immediate neighbourhood poses several security related challenges. He reiterated that we have to maintain high levels of operational readiness at all times.
Shri Antony described the commissioning as a red letter day for the Indian Navy, our Armed Forces, the ship building industry and the entire nation. He said Indias long coastline and ever expanding exclusive economic zone make it imperative to defend our main land as well as maintain the sea lanes of communication. With the commissioning of the stealth frigate, he expressed confidence that the maritime interest will further secure.
INS Shivalik and the follow-on-ships of the Shivalik class (namely, Satpura and Sahyadiri) have been conceived and designed by Indian Navy design teams. The Shivalik class will be the mainstay frigates of the Indian Navy in the first half of the 21st century.
The incorporation of numerous new design features aboard INS Shivalik effectively reduces the probability of her being detected at sea. The in-built structural, thermal and acoustic stealth features augment the potent capability of the ship to address threats in all dimensions of maritime warfare.
The weapon-sensor fit of the Shivalik is controlled through a Combat Management System called CMS-17, designed and developed by the Indian Navy and manufactured by Bharat Electronics (Ghaziabad). The system allows the seamless integration of the ships systems as well as with the weapons and sensors of other Fleet ships, thus enabling the concept of Co-operative Engagement Capability (CES). With her ability to detect and engage surface, air and sub-surface assets of the enemy at extended ranges, this ship represents very significant combat-potential.
With modern LM 2500 Gas Turbine propelling her to speeds in excess of 30 knots (or over 55 kmph), the ship is a true greyhound upon the seas. The ships electric power is provided by four Diesel Alternators, which together produce 4 Mega-Watts of power enough to light-up a small town. The power generation and distribution on board is controlled through an Automated Power Management System (APMS), which enables the optimal use of electricity at all times. The two Multi-Role helicopters that would be embarked on Shivalik will provide for enhanced surveillance and attack capability.
The Shivalik is also equipped with a proven defense against Nuclear, Biological and Chemical attack. The state-of-the art Total Atmospheric Control System (TACS) ensures filtration of the air going into the ship at all times. In addition, it ensures the complete removal of radioactive, chemical or biological impurities, thereby protecting the crew and shipborne systems even when operating in areas contaminated by nuclear, biological or chemical agents.
The ships domestic requirements of fresh water are met through two Reverse Osmosis plants, while a fully automated galley, ensures that the crew can be fed Indian, Continental and Asian meals, including freshly baked bread and home-made ice cream.
The accommodation arrangements for the 35 officers and over 250 crew members of the Shivalik has been provided by M/s Godrej, whose advance ergonomic design ensures crew comfort and space management.
Among those present at todays ceremony included the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Nirmal Verma, the Defence Secretary Shri Pradeep Kumar, the Secretary Defence Production Shri RK Singh, the Chairman and Managing Director of Mazagon Dock Limited Rear Admiral (Retd) HS Malhi, Defence Attaches and Consul Generals of different Countries.
New Recruit
World-class warships at Indian prices
In contrast, Indias tiny navy took the far-sighted decision to build, rather than buy, its fleet. Today, the army and the air force are playing catch-up; latecomers to indigenisation, they are struggling with a technological leapfrog; attempting cutting-edge platforms like the Arjun tank and the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) without having first designed simpler weaponry.
The first big DGND triumph came in the late 1990s, with the muscular 6,700-tonne Delhi class destroyers. Later this year, when INS Shivalik the first of three 4,800-tonne stealth frigates sails out of Mumbais Mazagon Docks Ltd (MDL) to join the Indian Navy, it will feature in defence journals as one of the worlds cutting-edge warships.
India hasnt just learned to build world-class warships; it has also learned to make them incredibly cheaply. The three Project 17 stealth frigates being built at MDL INS Shivalik, INS Satpura and INS Sahyadri will each cost Rs 2,600 crore (US $650 million).
The three Project 15-A Kolkata-class destroyers, bigger and more heavily armed warships, will each cost the navy Rs 3,800 crore (US $950 million), including the cost of long-term spare parts.
How does that compare with buying a warship in the global market? Ask Australia, which is buying three destroyers from Spanish shipyard, Navantia.
The three 6,250-tonne destroyers, fitted with the hot-selling Aegis radar and fire control system, will set Australia back by Rs 32,000 crore (US $8 billion). At about Rs 11,000 crore per destroyer, that is almost three times the cost India is paying for its Kolkata-class destroyers.
Despite paying a fraction of the cost, says Admiral Badhwar, the Kolkata class is the more powerful battleship. He points out: Other than (the Aegis radar), the Australian warship doesnt have much . We have got much more packed into the Kolkata-class destroyer.
With 37 major warships being inducted over the next 5-7 years, the 500 designers in the DGND will have their hands full, saving India an estimated Rs 2,00,000 crore (US $50 billion) when compared with the cost of acquiring those 37 warships from the international market.
lo sab log muh meetha karo..............for shivalik
lo sab log muh meetha karo..............for shivalik