INS Tushil is a Talwar-class frigate of the Indian Navy. It is the seventh ship of the Talwar-class frigates and the first of the third batch of the class frigates ordered by the Indian Navy. She was built by the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia. The ship is to be commissioned into the Indian Navy service in early December 2024.[3]

History
India
NameINS Tushil
NamesakeSanskrit word for Protector Shield
Ordered29 October 2018
BuilderYantar Shipyard
Laid down13 July 2013 (as Butakov)
Launched28 October 2021
Commissionedearly December 2024 (scheduled)
StatusSea trials
General characteristics
Class and typeTalwar-class frigate
Displacement
  • 3,620 long tons (3,678 t) standard
  • 4,035 long tons (4,100 t) full load
Length124.8 m (409 ft 5 in)
Beam15.2 m (49 ft 10 in)
Draught4.5 m (14 ft 9 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 × DS-71 cruise turbines (9,000 shp))[1]
  • 2 × DT-59 boost turbines (19,500 shp)[1]
Speed30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range
  • 4,850 nmi (8,980 km; 5,580 mi) at 14 kn (26 km/h; 16 mph)
  • 1,600 nmi (3,000 km; 1,800 mi) at 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Complement180 (18 officers)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 × 3Ts-25E Garpun-B surface search radar
  • 1 × MR-212/201-1 navigation radar
  • 1 × Kelvin Hughes Nucleus-2 6000A radar
  • 1 × Ladoga-ME-11356 intertial navigation and stabilisation
  • 1 × Fregat M2EM 3D circular scan radar
  • 1 × Ratep JSC 5P-10E Puma fire-control system
  • 1 × 3R14N-11356 fire-control system FCS
  • 4 × MR-90 Orekh
  • BEL HUMSA (Hull Mounted Sonar Array)[2]
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • 1 × TK-25E-5 EWS
  • 1 × PK-10 ship-borne decoy launching systems
  • 4 × KT-216 decoy launchers
Armament
  • Anti-air missiles:
  • 24 × Shtil-1 medium range missiles
  • 8 × Igla-1E (SA-16)
  • Anti-ship/Land-attack missiles:
  • 8 × VLS launched BrahMos, anti-ship cruise missiles
  • Guns:
  • 1 × 100 mm A-190E, naval gun
  • 2 × AK-630 CIWS
  • Anti-submarine warfare:
  • 2 × double 533 mm torpedo tubes
  • 1 × RBU-6000 (RPK-8) rocket launcher
Aircraft carried1 × Ka-28 Helix-A, Ka-31 Helix B or HAL Dhruv helicopter

History

edit

In September 2016, it was reported that India would acquire additional two Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates from Russia and remaining two will be built in India.[4] These frigates would be based on the Talwar class and were to be commissioned into the Russian Navy, but after the Ukrainian Conflict, Ukraine refused to supply any more engines for the Russian ships. By then, only two of the six have been commissioned by Russia.[5] In August 2017, the Indian Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by the then Defence Minister Arun Jaitley, cleared a proposal of 490 crore (equivalent to 687 crore or US$82 million in 2023) to buy two gas turbines from Zorya-Mashproekt in Ukraine for the Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates being built in Russia.[6][7]

In October 2018, Indian Ministry of Defence signed a deal for 8,000 crore (equivalent to 110 billion or US$1.3 billion in 2023) for procuring two Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates, Admiral Butakov (renamed INS Tushil) and Admiral Istomin (renamed INS Tamala).[8][9][10] The two frigates were scheduled to be delivered to Indian Navy by 2022.[11][12]

Construction

edit

INS Tushil was laid down on 13 July 2013 as Admiral Butakov.[13][14] She was launched on 28 October 2021 by Smt Datla Vidya Varma, the wife of the Indian ambassador to Russia, D. Bala Venkatesh Varma. The ship was officially named Tushil during the launching ceremony.[15][16]

On 11 March 2024, reports emerged that INS Tushil, being built by Yantar Shipyard has started sea trials. The initial Pennant number was spotted as 435.[17][18] In April 2024, a report suggested that INS Tushil will be delivered to India in September 2024 followed by INS Tamala the follow-on ship of the same batch on February 2025. The timeline is on track as of July 2024.[19][20][21] As of July 2024, to conduct acceptance trials for the two frigates being built in Yantar shipyard, a team of around 200 personnel of the Indian Navy are in Russia.[22]

As of 11 November 2024, INS Tushil is to be delivered to India by the end of the month. The frigate is to be handed over to the Indian crew of over 200 officers and sailors at Kaliningrad Shipyard. The ship will later be commissioned by Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in early December 2024 during a formal visit to Russia. The latter INS Tamal is to be delivered in early 2025.[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Wertheim, Eric (2007). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World: Their Ships, Aircraft, and Systems (15th ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. p. 294. ISBN 978-1-59114-955-2.
  2. ^ "Advanced Active cum Passive Integrated Sonar System". BEL. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Russia to deliver first of two missile frigates by month-end". The Times of India. 11 November 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  4. ^ "India, Russia discuss $4bn deal for 4 stealth frigates". The Times of India. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2016.
  5. ^ Novichkov, Nikolai (4 August 2016). "India to acquire three Admiral Grigorovich-class frigates from Russia". janes.com. Retrieved 26 October 2016.
  6. ^ "Defence ministry approves acquisition of six Apache attack helicopters for Indian Army". Firstpost. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  7. ^ "Defence ministry clears proposal to buy six Apache attack helicopters for Indian Army". The Financial Express. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 17 August 2017.
  8. ^ Pubby, Manu (29 October 2018). "India inks $950 million deal for Russian frigates". The Economic Times.
  9. ^ "India, Russia sign $500 million navy deal for 2 stealth frigates". Hindustan Times. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  10. ^ "Russia to deliver first of two missile frigates by month-end". The Times of India. 11 November 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  11. ^ "India signs USD950 million deal for two Russian-built frigates". 29 October 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  12. ^ "India, Russia Sign $950 Million Deal For 2 Guided-Missile Frigates". 29 October 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  13. ^ "В Индии заложили еще один фрегат проекта 11356" (in Russian). Flotprom. 21 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Russia Lays Down New Frigate for Black Sea Fleet". RIA Novosti. 13 July 2013. Archived from the original on 5 October 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
  15. ^ @indiannavy (29 October 2021). "7th ship of P1135.6 class #Tushil" (Tweet). Retrieved 11 November 2024 – via Twitter.
  16. ^ "Russia's Yantar Shipyard Launches 7th Talwar-Class Frigate For India". Naval News. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  17. ^ Dangwal, Ashish (11 March 2024). "Indian Navy's Stealth Frigate 'Quietly' Begins Sea Trials In Russia; Ukraine War Fails To Deter Moscow, Delhi". Latest Asian, Middle-East, EurAsian, Indian News. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  18. ^ "INS Tushil (Talwar-class Frigate) has begun sea trials in Russia". 11 March 2024. Retrieved 11 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Russia-Made Warships Set to Join India's Navy, Despite Sanctions". Hindustan Times. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
  20. ^ "Delayed Due To War, 2 Navy Warships Being Built In Russia Likely To Be Commissioned By Year End". NDTV.com. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  21. ^ "Stealth frigates from Russia to be delivered in September 2024, February 2025". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  22. ^ "India to finally get its new stealth frigate 'Tushil', crew of about 200 carrying out acceptance trials". ThePrint. 17 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.