The ''Visakhapatnam''-class destroyers, also classified as the P-15 ''Bravo'' class, or simply P-15B, is a class of guided-missile destroyers currently being built for the

Indian Navy The Indian Navy (IN) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Navy, maritime and Amphibious warfare, amphibious branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of the Naval Staff (India), Chief ...

. The ''Visakhapatnam'' class is an upgraded derivative of its predecessor, the , with improved features of stealth, automation and ordnance. Designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB), a total of four ships are being built by

Mazagon Dock Limited Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) (IAST: ''Majhagānv Dawk Shipbuilders Limiṭeḍ''), formerly called Mazagon Dock Limited, is a company with shipyards situated in Mazagaon, Mumbai. It manufactures warships and submarines for the Indian ...

(MDL), under the Make in India initiative. The first vessel of the class, was commissioned on 21 November 2021. The final ship of the class, INS Surat, was commissioned on 15 January 2025.

Design

Development

The

destroyer In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, maneuverable, long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy, or carrier battle group and defend them against a wide range of general threats. They were conceived i ...

s were designed by the Warship Design Bureau, a branch of the Navy responsible for designing the service's

warship A warship or combatant ship is a naval ship that is used for naval warfare. Usually they belong to the navy branch of the armed forces of a nation, though they have also been operated by individuals, cooperatives and corporations. As well as b ...

s, several among them including the s - India's first indigenously designed nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, - India's first indigenously designed

aircraft carrier An aircraft carrier is a warship that serves as a seagoing airbase, equipped with a full-length flight deck and hangar facilities for supporting, arming, deploying and recovering carrier-based aircraft, shipborne aircraft. Typically it is the ...

, and the s. The destroyer was designed under the codename Project 15B. The project was initiated to develop a class of destroyers that are more advanced than the ''Kolkata''-class destroyers (P-15A), but with only several, yet incremental alterations. This was done to minimize its development costs and time. The design plans of the four vessels were completed by the WDB in mid-2013.

Comparison to the ''Kolkata''-class destroyers

The P-15B is a derivative of the ''Kolkata''-class destroyers (P-15A), a class of three stealth guided-missile destroyers, which currently serve as the IN's frontline destroyers; both classes feature several differences, with regard to their respective designs. Some of the known changes are as follows :- * Observed as one of the most distinctive features, the P-15B and the P-15A feature different

bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...

layouts; the P-15B's bridge was designed to minimize the vessel's radar cross-section (RCS) and enhance resilience. * Unlike the P-15A, the P-15B features a "rail-less" helicopter traversing system meant for securing the vessel's helicopter, in the event of adverse weather conditions. * The P-15B features a network-centric layout, equipped with a Ship Data Network (SDN), an Automatic Power Management System (APMS), as well as a Combat Management System (CMS).

Features

*The destroyers are equipped with a "Total Atmosphere Control System" (TAC), which allows them to operate in regions of

nuclear fallout Nuclear fallout is residual radioactive material that is created by the reactions producing a nuclear explosion. It is initially present in the mushroom cloud, radioactive cloud created by the explosion, and "falls out" of the cloud as it is ...

. Additionally, the destroyers are also equipped with nuclear, biological and chemical warfare (NBC) protective equipment, with its entire requirement of air being filtered through NBC filters. *An estimated 72% of the destroyers' components are indigenously sourced, as compared to 59% for the ''Kolkata''-class destroyers and 42% for the s. *The destroyers feature multiple fire zones, battle damage control systems and distributional power systems for improved survivability and reliability in emergent conditions. *The destroyers feature ergonomically designed accommodations based on modular concepts, which ensures a significant amount of crew comfort.

Naming

In accordance with naval traditions, the P-15B destroyers were christened after major Indian cities with historical and cultural connections, namely,

Visakhapatnam Visakhapatnam (; List of renamed places in India, formerly known as Vizagapatam, and also referred to as Vizag, Visakha, and Waltair) is the largest and most populous metropolitan city in the States and union territories of India, Indian stat ...

, Mormugao,

Imphal Imphal (; , ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Manipur. The metropolitan centre of the city contains the ruins of Kangla Palace (officially known as Kangla Fort), the royal seat of the former Kingdom of Manipur, surrounded by a ...

and

Surat Surat (Gujarati Language, Gujarati: ) is a city in the western Indian States and territories of India, state of Gujarat. The word Surat directly translates to ''face'' in Urdu, Gujarati language, Gujarati and Hindi. Located on the banks of t ...

- representing the Indian states of

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (ISO 15919, ISO: , , AP) is a States and union territories of India, state on the East Coast of India, east coast of southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, seventh-largest state and th ...

, Goa,

Manipur Manipur () is a state in northeastern India with Imphal as its capital. It borders the Indian states of Assam to the west, Mizoram to the south, and Nagaland to the north and shares the international border with Myanmar, specifically t ...

and

Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...

. Notably, INS ''Imphal'' and INS ''Mormugao'' were the first two destroyers to be christened as namesakes of important cities from the regions of Northeastern India and Goa, respectively.

Instrumentation

Armament

*Anti-surface warfare For its anti-surface warfare (ASuW) capabilities, the class features sixteen

Brahmos The BrahMos (also designated as PJ-10)anti-ship cruise missiles, capable of speeds of up to Mach 3. Manufactured by BrahMos Aerospace. The BrahMos is widely regarded as one of the most formidable anti-ship missiles currently in service, given the missile's extreme versatility and maneuverability. Additionally, the vessels of the class are equipped with one

OTO Melara 76 mm The OTO Melara 76 mm gun, marketed as the OTO 76/62 Gun Mount, is a naval autocannon built and designed by the Italian Defense contractor, defence company OTO Melara. It is based on the OTO Melara 76/62C and evolved toward 76/62 SR and 76/ ...

naval gun Naval artillery is artillery mounted on a warship, originally used only for naval warfare and then subsequently used for more specialized roles in surface warfare such as naval gunfire support (NGFS) and anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) engagements. T ...

manufactured by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited at their Haridwar facility. Originally, the IN had planned to install the Mk-45 naval gun, manufactured by BAE; however, this plan was scrapped in 2021, on account of financial constraints. *Anti-air warfare As part of its anti-air warfare (AAW) capabilities, the class features thirty-two Barak 8

surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM), also known as a ground-to-air missile (GTAM) or surface-to-air guided weapon (SAGW), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of anti-ai ...

s, with sixteen missiles present in four "2 x 4" VLS configurations - with two placed at the bow and two placed aft. The launchers were manufactured by Bharat Electronics at their

Bangalore Bengaluru, also known as Bangalore (List of renamed places in India#Karnataka, its official name until 1 November 2014), is the Capital city, capital and largest city of the southern States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kar ...

facility. The Barak 8, also classified as the LR-SAM, is designed to neutralize various aerial threats, including fighter aircraft, helicopters, anti-ship missiles, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles and

unmanned aerial vehicle An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or unmanned aircraft system (UAS), commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft with no human pilot, crew, or passengers onboard, but rather is controlled remotely or is autonomous.De Gruyter Handbook of Dron ...

s (UAV); the new variant is expected to feature a range of about . For point defense, the vessels are equipped with four AK-630M close-in weapon systems (CIWS), with two systems on either side of the

superstructure A superstructure is an upward extension of an existing structure above a baseline. This term is applied to various kinds of physical structures such as buildings, bridges, or ships. Aboard ships and large boats On water craft, the superstruct ...

. *Anti-submarine warfare For its

anti-submarine warfare Anti-submarine warfare (ASW, or in the older form A/S) is a branch of underwater warfare that uses surface warships, aircraft, submarines, or other platforms, to find, track, and deter, damage, or destroy enemy submarines. Such operations ar ...

(ASW) capabilities, the class features two twin torpedo launchers, designed to launch heavyweight

torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, such ...

es - such as the Varunastra heavyweight torpedo, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). The class also features two RBU-6000 (RPK-8) anti-submarine rocket launchers, capable of firing ASW projectiles to depths of up to . Both the RBU-6000 and torpedo tubes were manufactured by Larsen & Toubro's

Mumbai Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial capital and the most populous city proper of India with an estimated population of 12 ...

facility. *Aviation facilities As part of its aviation facilities, the class is equipped with a flight deck and an enclosed aviation

hangar A hangar is a building or structure designed to hold aircraft or spacecraft. Hangars are built of metal, wood, or concrete. The word ''hangar'' comes from Middle French ''hanghart'' ("enclosure near a house"), of Germanic origin, from Frankish ...

, capable of two medium-sized helicopters – primarily the HAL Dhruv, or the Westland Sea King Mk. 42B. Additionally, the ships are equipped with a "rail-less" helicopter traversing system, meant for securing the helicopter in case of adverse weather conditions at sea. *Decoys As for the class' defensive abilities, each destroyer is equipped with two Kavach anti-missile decoy systems for neutralizing incoming aerial threats at short ranges.

Sensors

*Radar The class features the IAI EL/M-2248 MF-STAR

S band The S band is a designation by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for a part of the microwave band of the electromagnetic spectrum covering frequencies from 2 to 4 gigahertz (GHz). Thus it crosses the conventiona ...

active electronically scanned array An active electronically scanned array (AESA) is a type of phased array antenna, which is a computer-controlled antenna array in which the beam of radio waves can be electronically steered to point in different directions without moving the a ...

radar Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...

, as its primary radar suite. The EL/M-2248 is a multi-function, phased-array radar system featuring an azimuth of 360^o, with the capability to track both aerial and surface targets - at a range of over . The class further features the

Thales Thales of Miletus ( ; ; ) was an Ancient Greek philosophy, Ancient Greek Pre-Socratic philosophy, pre-Socratic Philosophy, philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. Thales was one of the Seven Sages of Greece, Seven Sages, founding figure ...

( BEL RAWL-02) as its secondary radar suite. The LW-08 is a solid-state, two-dimensional, long-range D band surveillance radar, meant for providing target acquisition against aerial and surface threats. It is capable of operating in a cluttered electronic environment, equipped with an instrumental range of , with the capability to track both

cruise missile A cruise missile is an unmanned self-propelled guided missile that sustains flight through aerodynamic lift for most of its flight path. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large payload over long distances with high precision. Modern cru ...

s and

fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft (early on also ''pursuit aircraft'') are military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air supremacy, air superiority of the battlespace. Domina ...

. *Sonar The class is equipped with the BEL HUMSA-NG

sonar Sonar (sound navigation and ranging or sonic navigation and ranging) is a technique that uses sound propagation (usually underwater, as in submarine navigation) to navigate, measure distances ( ranging), communicate with or detect objects o ...

, a hull-mounted "active cum passive" integrated sonar system developed by the DRDO. The HUMSA-NG is capable of detecting, classifying and tracking sub-surface targets in both active and passive modes, with the capability to simultaneously track up to eight targets. The destroyers are also equipped with the BEL ''Nagin'' active towed array sonar. *Electronic warfare For electronic warfare (EW), the destroyers are equipped with the DRDL ''Shakti'' EW suite, designed to provide Indian warships an electronic layer of defence against modern radars and anti-ship missiles. ''Shakthi'' is equipped with wideband electronic support measures (ESM) and

electronic countermeasure An electronic countermeasure (ECM) is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar, or other detection systems, like infrared (IR) or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting info ...

s (ECM), meant for intercepting, classifying and jamming both conventional and modern radars. Additionally, the suite is also equipped with an in-build radar fingerprinting and data recording replay feature for post-mission analysis and evaluation.

History

Background

In March 2009, the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the arms-procurement wing of India's

Ministry of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...

, approved the procurement of four 6,800 t destroyers, to be built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL). Designed as a "follow-on" project to the ''Kolkata''-class destroyers, the new destroyers were envisaged to feature only incremental changes to the former, in order to minimize developmental time and costs. At the time of the project's approval, the four new destroyers were envisaged to be more cheaper than other destroyer classes being built at the time, namely, the s, the ''Daring''-class destroyers and the s. No competitive bidding was conducted for the development of the vessels, since MDL was the only Indian shipyard at the time with the capability to build destroyers. The contract for the construction of the four warships was signed on 28 January 2011, at an estimated cost of .

Construction

The

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element of a watercraft, important for stability. On some sailboats, it may have a fluid dynamics, hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose as well. The keel laying, laying of the keel is often ...

of the first vessel, INS ''Visakhapatnam'', was laid by MDL in October 2013 and the ship was launched on 20 April 2015, in a ceremony attended by then-Indian naval chief Robin K. Dhowan. Originally slated to enter service in 2018, the delivery of the vessel was delayed by three years, owing to delays in the supply of the vessel's sensors and ordnance. In July 2019, a minor fire broke aboard the unfinished-''Visakhapatnam'', leaving one contract worker dead and another two injured. Irrespectively, the fire was noted to have not caused any hindrance to the vessel's construction schedule; the shipyard's construction activities subsequently resumed without delay. ''Visakhapatnam'' completed its basin trials in December 2020 and subsequently proceeded for its sea trials in 2021. Initially scheduled to be delivered in April 2021, the vessel was delivered on October 28, owing to delays caused by the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. On 21 November 2021, ''Visakhapatnam'' was commissioned into the IN. The second vessel of the class, ''Mormugao'', was laid in June 2015 and launched in September of that year. Completing its basin trials in early-December 2021, the destroyer proceeded on its maiden sea sortie on 19 December, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of Goa Liberation Day. ''Mormugao'' was delivered to the IN almost a year later, on 24 November 2022 and was commissioned on 18 December 2022. Construction work on the third vessel, INS ''Imphal'', began with the laying of its keel in May 2017; the hull was later launched on 20 April 2019, in a ceremony attended by then-Indian naval chief Sunil Lanba, and commenced sea trials on 28 April 2023. The ship was delivered to the Indian Navy on 20 October 2023, and was commissioned on 26 December 2023. Construction on the final vessel of the class, INS ''Surat'', began in July 2018; the hull was subsequently launched 17 May 2022, in a ceremony coinciding with the launch of , a ''Nilgiri''-class frigate. On 18 June 2024, ''Surat'' begun her sea trials and shall be commissioned in the latter half of 2024. ''Surat'' was commissioned on 15 January 2025.

Operational history

Indian Navy launhing BrahMos-Operation Sindoor

On 11 January 2022, only two months after its commissioning, ''Visakhapatnam'' successfully test-fired an upgraded variant of the BrahMos anti-ship missile, which was subsequently followed by another successful test-fire on 18 February. The destroyer later took part in the 12th edition of the IN's "Presidential Fleet Review" on 21 February 2022, an event which was attended by Indian president Ram Nath Kovind and Indian naval chief R. Hari Kumar. On 14 May 2023, INS Mormugao successfully fired BrahMos Supersonic cruise missile. It successfully carried out the engagement of a sea-skimming supersonic target with its MRSAM missile on 23 May 2023.

Ships in the class

Gallery

References

External links

''Kolkata''-class destroyer – Bharat Rakshak

– details on the specifications of the ship and recent images of INS ''Kolkata'' at sea. {{DEFAULTSORT:Visakhapatnam-class destroyer Destroyer classes Destroyers of the Indian Navy Ships built in India