The Indian Navy has received the second of three Talwar-class warships, INS Tarkash (F46), at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, India.
Delivery follows a $1.6bn contract awarded to Russia in July 2006 to build three additional project 1135.6 Talwar-class frigates, INS Teg (F45), INS Tarkash (F46), and INS Trikand (F50).
Commissioned in November 2012, the Yantar Shipyard-built INS Tarkash features a Trebovaniye-M combat information and control system, as well as a Ladoga-ME-11356 inertial navigation and stabilisation suite.
The modified version of the Krivak III-class frigates are 126m-long, capable of cruising at a maximum speed of 30k and can accommodate a crew of 313.
Featuring an advanced combat suite, INS Tarkash will be armed with Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles, eight-cell 3S14E vertical missile launcher for 3M-54E Klub-N anti-ship missiles, as well as two Kashtan Air Defence close-in weapon systems.
Powered by combined gas turbine propulsion systems, the frigate is also fitted with an AK-190 100mm naval gun, Shtil-1 medium-range surface-to-air missile system and two Kashtan air defence gun/missile systems.
Integrated with TK-25E-5 integrated electronic warfare suite, the Talwar frigates have been designed to detect and eliminate enemy submarines and large surface ships, while supporting a naval forces during air, surface and sub-surface missions.
The first ship of the class, INS Teg, was deployed in June 2012, while INS Trikhand, the third stealth frigate, is scheduled to be delivered to the Indian Navy by mid-2013.
The three additional frigates will be deployed with existing warships of the same class, INS Talwar (sword), INS Trishul (trident) and INS Tabar (axe), to support operations for the Indian Navy.
Image: INS Tarkash arrives at Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, India. Photo: courtesy of the Indian Navy.
