Indian Navy commissioned Kamorta class ASW corvette INS Kavaratti (P31) with a ceremony held at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam on 22nd October. The ceremony hosted many senior officers including Indian Navy Chief.
The event marks the formal commissioning into the navy of the last of the four ASW Corvettes, indigenously designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house organisation, Directorate of Naval Design and constructed by GRSE.
Named after the capital of the Lakshadweep group of islands, INS Kavaratti has been constructed using high-grade DMR 249A steel produced in India. The sleek and magnificent ship spans 109 meters in length, 14 meters in breadth with a displacement of 3,300 tonnes and can rightfully be regarded as one of the most potent Anti-Submarine Warships to have been constructed in India. The complete superstructure of the ship has been built using composite material.
Having completed sea trials of all her equipment, Kavaratti has been commissioned as a fully combat-ready platform providing a boost to the ASW capability of the Indian Navy. The ship is manned by a team comprising 12 officers and 134 sailors with Commander Sandeep Singh at the helm as her first Commanding Officer. The ship would be an integral part of the Eastern Fleet under the ENC.
Courtesy : Indian Navy
Kavaratti is India’s one of the first ship to have a superstructure of carbon fibre composite material that has been integrated with its main hull resulting in lower top weight and maintenance costs and improved stealth features. The ship is 109 metres long and 12.8 metres broad and is highly maneuverable with a top speed of 25 knots. It has a displacement of 3,300 tonnes and a range of about 3,450 nautical miles at 18 knots. It is powered by 4 diesel engines that generate a combined power of 3000 kW and propelled by a main unit of four 3,888 kW diesel engines at 1,050 rpm.
Kavaratti is to be armed with a range of indigenously developed cutting-edge weapons and sensors, including “a medium-range gun, torpedo tube launchers, rocket launchers and a close-in weapon system”. The ship will also contain an integrated communication system and an electronic warfare system.
