A concept representation of Project-18 class destroyer | |
Class overview | |
---|---|
Name | Project-18 class |
Operators | Indian Navy |
Preceded by | Visakhapatnam class |
Planned | 8-10 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Stealth guided-missile destroyer |
Displacement | 10,000 tonnes (9,800 long tons; 11,000 short tons) |
Propulsion | IEP (expected) |
Armament |
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The Next Generation Destroyers (NGD), also unofficially known as Project-18 destroyer (P-18), are a class of planned stealth guided-missile destroyers to be built for the Indian Navy (IN). The class will be a follow-on for Visakhapatnam-class destroyer which is in service. The class is a part of Next Generation series of future frontline surface combatants of the Indian Navy which includes Project 17B-class frigate or Next Generation Frigates (NGF) and Next Generation Corvettes (NGC). [2] [3] [4]
In December 2023, the Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh revealed that a class of advanced Next Generation Destroyers (NGD) or Project 18 destroyers is being designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB). As of then, the design and contract signing for construction was expected to be completed by 5 years. The delivery was to be completed within 5-10 years of contract signing. The ships will have a displacement of 10,000 tonnes (9,800 long tons ; 11,000 short tons ). The leading contenders for the deal were Mazagon Dockyard Limited (MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE). [2] [5] [6] The project, worth over $10 billion, includes a total of 8-10 ships are to be built in two phases. MDL has also floated a tender to construct a floating dry dock near Nhava Sheva port for ₹ 3,000 crore (equivalent to ₹32 billionorUS$380 million in 2023) in 2022. This will assist them for the construction of these warships. Reports also suggested that the ships will feature an indigenous S-band primary fire control radar developed by DRDO. This will replace EL/M-2248 MF-STAR radars used on previous ships. They will also feature advanced indigenous weapon systems and an Integrated electric propulsion (IEP). [7] [8]
The Kolkata-class destroyers, also known Project 15A or Project 15 Alpha, are a class of stealth guided-missile destroyers constructed for the Indian Navy. The class comprises three ships – Kolkata, Kochi and Chennai, all of which were built by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in India, and are the largest destroyers to be operated by the Indian Navy. Due to delays in construction and sea trials, the initial commissioning date of the first ship of the class was pushed back from 2010 to 2014.
The Talwar-class frigates or Project 11356 are a class of stealth guided missile frigates designed and built by Russia for the Indian Navy. The Talwar-class guided missile frigates are the improved versions of the Krivak III-class frigates used by the Russian Coast Guard. The design has been further developed as the Admiral Grigorovich-class frigate for the Russian Navy. Six ships were built in two batches between 1999 and 2013.
A stealth ship is a ship that employs stealth technology construction techniques in an effort to make it harder to detect by one or more of radar, visual, sonar, and infrared methods.
INS Kolkata is the lead ship of the Kolkata-class stealth guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy. Named after the Indian city of Kolkata, she was constructed at Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) and was handed over to the navy on 10 July 2014 after completing her sea trials. The ship was officially commissioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a ceremony held on 16 August 2014.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), formerly called Mazagon Dock Limited, is a shipyard situated in Mazagaon, Mumbai. It manufactures warships and submarines for the Indian Navy and offshore platforms and associated support vessels for offshore oil drilling. It also builds tankers, cargo bulk carriers, passenger ships and ferries.
The Shivalik class or Project 17 class is a class of multi-role frigates in service with the Indian Navy. They are the first warships designed with low observability features built in India. They were designed to have better stealth features and land-attack capabilities than the preceding Talwar-class frigates. A total of three ships were built between 2000 and 2010, and all three were in commission by 2012.
INS Shivalik (F47) is the lead ship of her class of stealth multi-role frigates built for the Indian Navy. She is the first stealth warship built by India. She was built at the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) located in Mumbai. Construction of the vessel began in 2001 and was completed by 2009. She underwent sea trials from thereon before being commissioned on 29 April 2010.
The Nilgiri-class frigates, formally classified as the Project-17 Alpha frigates (P-17A), are a series of stealth guided-missile frigates currently being built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) for the Indian Navy (IN).
INS Kochi (D64) is the second ship of the Kolkata-class stealth guided-missile destroyers built under the code name Project 15A for the Indian Navy. She was constructed by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. After undergoing extensive sea trials, she was commissioned to Indian Navy service on 30 September 2015.
INS Chennai (D65) is the third and last ship of the Kolkata-class stealth guided missile destroyers of the Indian Navy. She was constructed by the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) at Mumbai. On 17 April 2017, INS Chennai was dedicated to the city of Chennai in presence of then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, K. Palaniswamy.
The Indian Navy has been focusing on developing indigenous platforms, systems, sensors and weapons as part of the nation's modernisation and expansion of its maritime forces. As of November 2023, the Indian Navy had 67 vessels of various types under construction including destroyers, frigates, corvettes, conventional-powered and nuclear-powered submarines and various other ships. It plans to build up to a total of 200 vessels and 500 aircraft by 2050. According to the Chief of the Naval Staff's statement in December 2020, India has transformed from a buyer's navy to a builder's navy.
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 Visakhapatnam class is an upgraded derivative of its predecessor, the Kolkata class, with improved features of stealth, automation and ordnance.
Next Generation Missile Vessels (NGMVs) are a planned class of anti-surface warfare corvettes for the Indian Navy. Under this programme the Indian Navy intends to acquire six advanced missile vessels. Ships in this class will be armed with Anti-ship missile or Land-attack missile like BrahMos. Ships under this class will feature advanced stealth features like a low radar cross section (RCS), infrared, acoustic and magnetic signatures.
INS Mormugao is the second ship of the Visakhapatnam-class stealth guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy. She was built at Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL), and was launched on 17 September 2016. The ship was commissioned on 18 December 2022. She is named after the port city of Mormugao in Goa.
INS Surat is the fourth and last ship of the Visakhapatnam-class stealth guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy.
INS Udaygiri is the Indian Navy's third ship of the Nilgiri-class stealth-guided missile frigates.
INS Taragiri is the Indian Navy's fifth ship of the Nilgiri-class stealth-guided missile frigates, formally classified as the Project-17 Alpha Frigates(P-17A). It is being built by Mazagon Shipyard Dock Limited for the Indian Navy.
The Project-17 Bravo frigates (P-17B) or Next Generation Frigates (NGF) are a class of planned stealth guided-missile frigates to be built for the Indian Navy (IN). The class will be a follow-on for Nilgiri-class frigates which is under construction. The class is a part of Next Generation series of future frontline surface combatants of the Indian Navy which includes Next Generation Destroyers (NGD) or Project 18-class destroyer and Next Generation Corvettes (NGC).