INS Surat (D69)

Surat maiden sea trial
History
India
NameSurat
NamesakeSurat
OperatorIndian Navy
BuilderMazagon Dock Limited
Yard number12707
Laid down19 July 2018
Launched17 May 2022
CommissionedEst. 2024
IdentificationPennant number: D69
StatusSea trials
General characteristics
TypeGuided missile destroyer
Displacement7,400 t (7,300 long tons; 8,200 short tons)[1]
Length163 m (535 ft)
Beam17.4 m (57 ft)
Draft6.5 m (21 ft)
Propulsion
SpeedIn excess of 30 knots (56 km/h)
Range8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)[3]
Endurance45 days
Boats & landing
craft carried
4 x RHIB
Crew300 (50 officers + 250 sailors)
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × HAL Dhruv (or) Sea King Mk. 42B
Aviation facilitiesEnclosed helicopter hangar and flight deck capable of accommodating two multi-role helicopters.
NotesModified derivative of the Kolkata-class destroyer.[4]

INS Surat is the fourth and last ship of the Visakhapatnam-class stealth guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy.

Initially, the ship was speculated to be named after port city Porbandar but later it was changed to Surat. The other warships of this class are INS Visakhapatnam, INS Mormugao, INS Imphal.[5]

Construction

[edit]

The keel of Surat was laid down in 2018. Built at two different geographical locations using the block construction methodology involving hull construction and joining at MDL. Successor of P-15A destroyers, P-15B destroyers are the next generation of stealth guided missile destroyers.[6]

Surat was launched on 17 May 2022 by Mazagon Dock Limited.[7] On 18 June 2024, Surat begun her sea trials and shall be commissioned in the latter half of 2024.[8] The ship is to be commissioned by December 2024.[9]

Ship badge

[edit]

On 6 November 2023, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Bhupendra Patel, unveiled the crest of Surat. The crest depicts the lighthouse at Hazira of Surat which is situated at the southern entrance of the Gulf of Khambhat and was built in 1836 as one of the first lighthouses in India. The state animal of Gujarat, the Asiatic Lion is also depicted in the crest of the ship.[10]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "INS Visakhapatnam', First Ship of Project 15B launched". indiannavy.nic.in. Indian Navy (News). Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  2. ^ "Project 15B Guided Missile Destroyers, Mazagon Dock Limited".
  3. ^ Shukla, Ajay (21 April 2015). "INS Visakhapatnam shows growing Indian ability to build warships economically". Business Standard. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Project 15B Guided Missile Destroyers".
  5. ^ @ANI (16 November 2021). "Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will formally Commission INS Vishakhapatnam on Nov 21 in Mumbai: Navy Vice Admiral SN Ghormade" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  6. ^ "Time to Make-for-World, Says Rajnath as Indian Navy Launches Indigenous Warships in Mumbai". MSN. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Raksha Mantri launches two indigenous frontline warships - Surat (Guided Missile Destroyer) & Udaygiri (Stealth Frigate) - in Mumbai". PIB. 17 May 2022.
  8. ^ @indiannavy (17 June 2024). "#Surat will be the next major combatant to join the #IndianNavy's arsenal. The ship commenced her maiden sea trials prior induction..." (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  9. ^ @Sputnik_India (20 September 2024). "#Surat will be the next major combatant to join the #IndianNavy's arsenal. The ship commenced her maiden sea trials prior induction..." (Tweet). Retrieved 20 September 2024 – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ "CREST UNVEILING CEREMONY SURAT INDIAN NAVY'S PROJECT 15B WARSHIP". pib.gov.in. 6 November 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2024.