INS Cuddalore (M69) was a modified Natya-class minesweeper of the Pondicherry class ships that were in service with the Indian Navy.

History
India
NameINS Cuddalore
NamesakeCuddalore
Commissioned29 October 1987
Decommissioned23 March 2018
IdentificationM69
General characteristics
Class and typePondicherry-class minesweeper
Displacement877 long tons (891 t) full load
Length61 m (200 ft 2 in)
Beam10.2 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draft2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Propulsion2 × M-503B diesels, 2 shafts, 5,000 bhp (3,700 kW)
Speed16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range
  • 4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
  • 3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement10 officers, 72 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Sonar:
  • MG-69/79 High frequency, hull mounted, active mine detection
  • Radar:
  • Don 2 I-band air/surface
  • 2 × Square Head - High Pole B IFF
  • MR-104 Drum Tilt H/I-band fire control
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • Minesweeping:
  • AT-2 acoustic sweep
  • GKT-2 contact sweep
  • TEM-3 magnetic sweep
Armament
  • 4 × 30 mm (2×2) guns
  • 4 × 25 mm (2×2) AA
  • 2 × RBU 1200 5-tubed ASW rocket
  • 10 mines
  • 2 × 16 SA-N-5 SAM Grail missiles

Construction and commissioning

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Cuddalore was built by the Sredne-Nevskiy Shipyard at Saint Petersburg, Russia. Except for the addition of surface-to-air missiles.[1][2] Cuddalore was commissioned on 29 October 1987 at Riga (erstwhile USSR). Her commissioning commanding officer was Rear Admiral PK Nair.[3]

Service history

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Cuddalore was based at Indian Navy's Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam and was operationally under the authority of the Naval Officer-in-Charge Andhra Pradesh region. She was the senior ship of the 21st Mine Counter measures (MCM) Squadron.[4] Cuddalore was adjudged as the "best ship" at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC)’s annual flotilla awards ceremony for the year 2015–16.[5]

Decommissioning

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Cuddalore was decommissioned on 23 March 2018 at the naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "GSL gets defence ministry's nod to build 12 minesweepers". The Times of India. 1 March 2015. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  2. ^ "Seagoing Minesweepers". Russian Ships. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  3. ^ "Navy decommissions INS Konkan, Cannanore, Cuddalore ships". Telangana Today. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  4. ^ "INS Cuddalore celebrates 25th anniversary in ENC". news.webindia123.com. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  5. ^ "Two ships awarded at annual Eastern Naval Command Flotilla fest". Deccan Chronicle. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Navy decommissions 3 minesweepers". The Economic Times. 24 March 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.