Indian Navy's 3rd Talwar class frigate to be launched Wednesday

(BNS, Brahmand): Russia’s Yantar shipyard will float out Indian Navy’s third Talwar-class guided missile frigate, INS Trikand, on Wednesday.

The new class of warship, being built at the Baltic Shipyard in Kaliningrad, under Project 11356, will be launched in the presence of high level Indian and Russian defence and other officials, according to Rus Navy.

The Yantar shipyard was awarded a $1.6 billion contract in 2006 to build three modified Talwar class (known as Krivak III class in Russia) guided missile frigates for the Indian Navy.

It had floated out the first warship, INS Teg, in November 2009. The vessel entered sea trials in March this year. The second vessel – INS Tarkash – was launched in June, 2010.

The new class of frigates has been designed to accomplish a wide range of missions, primarily finding and eliminating enemy submarines and large surface ships.

With a displacement of 4,000 tons and speeds of 30 knots, the new frigate will be armed with BRAHMOS supersonic cruise missiles.

Each warship will also be equipped with a 100-mm gun, a Shtil air defence system, two Kashtan air defence gun/missile systems, two twin 533-mm torpedo tubes, and an anti-submarine warfare helicopter.

Russia expects to deliver all three frigates to the Indian Navy in 2011-2012.

Indian Navy presently operates three Talwar class frigates – INS Talwar, INS Tabar and INS Trishul – which were handed over to it by Russia in 2003-2004 under a 1997 contract.