Moscow: Russia launched the second of three
stealth frigates for the Indian Navy under USD 1.6 billion
deal inked in July 2006.
The launching ceremony of the missile frigate Tarkash
(Quiver) in Russia`s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, was
attended by senior Russian and Indian naval officials,
state-owned Yantar shipyard said in a release.
The first of three Project 11356 (modified Krivak III)
frigates, named the Teg (Sword), was launched in last
November.
The third frigate, Trikand (Bow) is due to be delivered
in 2011-12.
The new frigates, also known as Talwar class, will be
armed with eight BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.
They will be also equipped with a 100-mm gun, a Shtil
surface-to-air missile system, two Kashtan air-defence
gun/missile systems, two twin 533-mm torpedo launchers, and an
antisubmarine warfare (ASW) helicopter.
Earlier, Russia`s Baltiisky Zavod shipyard had built
three stealth frigates of the same class - INS Talwar, INS
Trishul and INS Tabar.
Continuing the tradition of the Indian Navy to name naval
ships of the same class with same letter in the beginning,
President Pratibha Patil during her Russia visit last
September had christened the new frigates as the Teg, the
Tarkash and the Trikand at various stages of completion at
Yantar Shipyard.
PTI
