Yantar shipyard to launch second frigate for India in June

21.06.2010 Yantar shipyard (Kaliningrad) will launch second frigate for Indian Navy late June; high-ranking Russian and Indian civilian and military officials will be invited to the ceremony, reported RIA Novosti citing the shipyard's representative.

"The ship will be launched on June 23. By now, our shipwrights have completed insulating works and hull painting of the second frigate. Previously, basic hardware had been loaded on the ship, propulsion system had been planted, and constructive filling of compartments had been finished. The frigate named Tarkash (stands for "Quiver") is ready to be launched", said the interviewee.

According to him, this conforms to general schedule of the order.

Tarkash is the second out of three Project 11356 frigates being built by order of Indian Navy. The contract was tied in 2006 in Delhi and is evaluated about $1.5 bln. Three frigates are named Teg (stands for "Saber"), Tarkash (stands for "Quiver"), and Trikand (stands for "Bow"). Supposedly, the whole series of three ships (the first has been already launched) will be delivered to the orderer in 2011-2012.

"Top-ranking Russian and Indian civilian and military officials are expected to attend the launching ceremony. Among them are Vice Admiral Dalip Kumar Dewan, Deputy Chief of Staff, Indian Navy; Surei Kumar Grewal, Indian Naval Attaché to Russia; Roman Trotsenko, president of United Shipbuilding Corporation; Viktor Chirkov, Baltic Fleet Commander; Georgy Boos, Governor of Kaliningrad region", said the shipyard's spokesman.

According to him, while launching of the frigate Indian delegation will pray and then the ship will be given a name.

"The ship's Indian and Russian "godmothers" will crack a coconut and break a bottle of champagne on the bow", explained the interviewee.

Modern frigate is a multipurpose warship with intermediate displacement designed for engagement against surface ships and submarines in ocean and sea zones, and also for repelling aerial attacks.

Basic characteristics of a Project 11356 frigate: length is 125 meters; beam is 15 meters; extreme draft is 7 meters; total displacement is 4,000 tons; fuel range at 14 knots is 5,000 miles; full speed is 32 knots.

The ships will be armed with 8 supersonic antiship cruise missiles BrahMos and 24 VLS SAM Shtil. Artillery arms will include 100-mm gun mount and two Kashtan missile/gun antiaircraft systems. The frigates will be also equipped with ASW helicopter and 533-mm torpedo tubes.

Yantar shipyard was established after WW2 in 1945 on the facilities of Konigsberg's branch of German yard Schichau. The shipyard is specialized in building of various warships and civil vessels with launching weight up to 10,000 tons; and also in ship-repair works. Totally, the yard has built over 100 large and about 400 small ships, and repaired over 430 vessels.