Rundown of new Russia-India naval projects

This article gives a complete rundown of the latest Indo-Russian projects that came to surface, no pun intended, after the 2nd International Naval & Defence Show (IMDS-2005) that was held in St Petersburg, just recently. Including information on India's next-gen Project 28 (P-28) ASW corvette to be deisgned and built by GSRE.


1. Foremost among them, the design of the P-28. Supposedly 6-8 of these will be inducted, and plate-cutting has already started on the first, but the design and armament were not public knowlege until now.

The Russian Severnoye Design Bureau confirmed that the P-28 will be derived from from the Russian Project 20382 design, in an MKI-like project, where the platform will be Russian, and most major systems will be Indian.

The P-28s will each displace 1,800 tonnes, are 94 m in length, 13m in beam, and 3.5 m in draught. Its CODAG propulsion system, comprising twin gas turbines, twin diesel engines and twin diesel generators will drive two-shaft, controllable-pitch propellers. The corvette will have a maximum speed of 27 Knots, range of 4,000nm, endurance of 15 days and a crew compliment of 85. The helicopter deck will be able to house either the dipping sonar-equipped Ka-28PL or Naval HAL Dhruv.

The armaments package will comprise one eight-cell vertical launched Klub-N 220km-range supersonic anti-ship cruise missiles, one OTOBreda 76/62 main gun, twin 12-barrelled RBU-6000 ASW mortar launchers, twin ILAS triple-tube torpedo launchers for launching Franco-Italian MU-90 lightweight torpedoes, and one 16-cell Israeli Barak-1 VLS anti-missile defence system. The Barak Weapon System seems to be the favored missile, over the Shtil, in newer IN ships.





The P-28 will look derived from the above, picture the most noticeable differences of course being the AK-630s replaced by Barak, the Kashtan by the Klub VLS, addition of BrahMos, etc. It would be a very clean and stealthy looking ship. There is speculation that the P-28 will have the aft helo deck with a hangar as well, as IN likes multi-helo capability for its new ships, especially ASW platforms. Most likely these would consist of two indigenous HAL Dhruv ASWs, as they are a capable but smaller platform than the Ka-28 and the Seakings.


2. The BrahMos supersonic multirole cruise missile (MRCM) will definitely be installed on each of the IN's three Project 15A Bangalore class guided-missile destroyers in 16-cell VL silos.

It is also now being installed in twin inclined quad launchers and in an eight-cell vertical launch silo (again, 16 launcers) on the 5 Rajput class (modified Kashin II) DDGs.


^ BrahMos fitted on INS Rajput

...and will also be installed in 8-cell VL silos the IN's three Project 17 guided-missile frigates, all of which have already been launched and are now being fitted out by Mazagon Docks Ltd.


4. Furthermore, India looks pretty much set to get at least two Akula-II class subs. This article is one of many track-2/3 sources that confirm the deal. (That defense reporter in particular has had an impeccable record of reporting in advance Indian military developments that are confirmed later.)

Already it is admitted by both governments that 300 Indian naval officers and their families have gone to Russian nuclear submarine schools. 300 officers suggests 4 Akula crews (2 on, 2 off duty rotations.)

Meanwhile, this article confirms that a Russian Akula-I class submarine will participate in the Russia-India exercises this fall.


5. There are also rumors from reputable sources (this other defense reporter being the other most highly respected/accurate one) saying that the Indian indigenous submarine project ATV is almost ready, and was built with Russian help.

The leasing/buying of Akula-IIs would likely train crews and augment force levels as the ATV goes into serial production in the 5-8 year timeframe. My own gut feeling is the Akulas would likely be leased (not bought) until the 5-6 forecasted ATV submarines will be constructed, in the next 10-15 ys.


Cheers,
Raj

[edit on 28-9-2005 by rajkhalsa2004]