Constructions of the series of frigates for India completed

Constructions of the series of frigates for India completed

Press release dated 19 April 2004

Today Baltiysky Zavod JSC has delivered to the Indian Navy the third P-1135.6 frigate, named "Tabar" ("Tabar" means "Battle Axe" in Sanskrit language).

The first two ships - "Talwar" ("Sword") and "Trishul" ("Trident") - were delivered to the Indian Navy in June 2003. With the signing of delivery and acceptance protocol for the third frigate M/S Baltiysky Zavod have concluded the construction of three ships as per the largest international order for construction of surface ships in the history of the Russian defense industry.

The solemn ceremony for delivery of INS Tabar to the IN was held in Baltiysk (Kaliningrad area). From the Indian Side the ceremony was attended by His Excellency Shri Krishnan Raghunath, Ambassador of India to Russian Federation; Vice Admiral Madanjit Singh, Flag Officer Commanding in Chief Western Naval Command; Naval Attache Commodore M.P. Muralidharan and other dignitaries.

The intergovernmental contract for construction of three P-1135.6 frigates between FSUE Rosoboronexport and the Ministry of Defense of India was signed in November 1997. The total contract price is abt. 1 billion US Dollars. The third frigate''s keel was laid at Baltiysky Zavod JSC on 26 May 2000. The ship was launched exactly one year thereafter - on 25 May 2001. In the end of 2003 - in the beginning of 2004 the Contractor''s Sea Trials (CST), State Committee Trials (SCT) and Delivery and Acceptance Trials (DATs) of INS Tabar were conducted in the area of Baltiysk Naval Base.

The P-1135.6 frigates built by Baltiysky Zavod JSC are the most advanced ships of this class worldwide. As of today such ships are equal to none. All frigates (corvettes in accordance with the Russian classification), currently deployed by NATO countries, are highly specialized ships. These ships are equipped with antiaircraft, antisubmarine or antimissile weapon systems. The P-1135.6 frigates are versatile by their designation and the weapons complement. The frigates have a tremendous fire power: they are equipped with 100-mm gun mount, Club-N ship-to-ship missile system, Shtil-1 air defense medium-range missile system, Kashtan air defense missile-gun system for the close range protection against anti-ship missiles, torpedo tubes and rocket mortars.

The main difficulty while designing the frigates for the Indian Navy was the development of the numerous weapons joint deployment system. As far as the scope of weapon systems is concerned, the ships can be compared to cruisers. In the course of construction the yard had to pay a significant attention to structural, painting and outfitting work. It is also to be mentioned that the Indian sailors are very exigent to the perfect presentation of naval symbols, such as colorful bas-reliefs and crests. The commissioning of three P-1135.6 state-of-the-art combat ships has been a significant advance for the Indian Navy in the path of achievement of the greater endurance of naval ships. India, which has got the fourth largest army in the world, is the biggest customer of the Russian defense industry. More than 85% of weapons and sensors currently deployed by the Indian Navy are of either Russian or Soviet make.