INS Talwar (F40)

INS Talwar INS Talwar (F40)
Career	Indian Navy
Name:	INS Talwar
Namesake:	"Sword"
Ordered:	17 November 1997
Builder:	Baltiysky Zavod
Laid down:	10 March 1999
Launched:	12 May 2000
Commissioned:	18 June 2003
Status:	in active service, as of 2024
General characteristics
Class and type:	Talwar class frigate
Displacement:	3,620 tons standard, 4,035 tons full load
Length:	124.8 metres (409 ft)
Beam:	15.2 metres (50 ft)
Draught:	4.5 metres (15 ft)
Propulsion:	2 x DS-71 cruise turbines; 9,000 hp forward and 1,500 bhp, 2 x DT-59 boost turbines; 19,500 hp forward and 4,500 bhp
Speed:	30 knots (56 km/h)
Range:	4,850 miles (7,810 km) at 14 knots (26 km/h), 1,600 miles (2,600 km) at 30 knots (56 km/h), Maximum sea endurance: 30 days
Complement:	180 (including 18 officers)
Sensors and processing systems:	Surface Search; 1 x 3Ts-25E Garpun-B radar at I-band frequency, 1 x MR-212/201-1 radar at I-band frequency, 1 x Kelvin Hughes Nucleus-2 6000A radar and 1 x Ladoga-ME-11356 inertial navigation and stabilisation suite Air/Surface Search; 1 x Fregat M2EM (NATO: Top Plate) 3D circular scan radar Sonar; BEL APSOH (Advanced Panoramic Sonar Hull) hull-mounted sonar
Armament:	1 x 8-cell KBSM 3S14E vertical missile launcher with Klub-N missiles, BrahMos ASCM, 1 x 3S-90 missile launcher with 9M317 missiles, 1 x 100mm A-190(E) main gun, 2 x Kashtan Air Defence Gun/Missile Systems, 1 x RBU-6000 ASW launcher with 212mm 90R anti-submarine missile or RGB-60 depth charges
Aircraft carried:	1 x Ka-28 Helix-A, Ka-31 Helix B or HAL Dhruv helicopter

INS Talwar (F40) is the lead ship of the Talwar class frigates of the Indian Navy. Its name means "Sword" in Hindi (see Talwar). It was built in Russia, and commissioned into the Indian Navy in 2003, after several defects uncovered during acceptance trials were fixed.

The Talwar has participated in various operations and exercises since her commissioning, including anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia. In May 2006, her anti-submarine sonar dome was damaged when the ship's anchor was dropped on it.

Design

Main article: Talwar class frigate

Talwar is the lead ship of her class of frigates. The Talwar class guided missile frigates are modified Krivak III class frigates built by Russia. These ships use stealth technologies and a special hull design to ensure a reduced radar cross section. Much of the equipment on the ship is Russian-made, but a significant number of systems of Indian origin have also been incorporated.

Construction

The Talwar was built by the Baltiyskiy shipyard. She was launched in May 2000. Delivery to the Indian Navy was scheduled for May 2002 after running, state and acceptance trials. Sea trials were completed in the Baltic Sea on 29 May 2002. Acceptance trials revealed a number of defects which needed to be rectified. The Talwar was finally handed over to the Indian Navy in St. Petersburg in a formal commissioning ceremony on 18 June 2003, after all problems were identified and remedied. INS Talwar arrived home at Mumbai's Naval Dockyard on 12 August 2003, after a long journey from St. Petersburg.

Acceptance Trials

Acceptance trials, carried out during June 2002, revealed several defects in the underwater hull and in the weapon systems including missiles. The Delivery Acceptance Team (DAT) appointed by the Indian defence ministry, recommended commissioning of the ship only after proving all weapon systems. According to media reports, the Shtil-1 SAM system had been unable to hit any airborne targets during trial firings. This was due to integration problems between the combat management and weapons systems. This resulted in the Indian Navy not taking delivery of the vessel. In July 2002, Government of Russia appointed an Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) for analysis of all problems connected with the delivery acceptance of missiles.

The Indian defence ministry sanctioned the expatriation of a crew of 28 officers and 225 sailors to Russia from 11 April to 10 June 2003 for the commissioning of the ship. The ship was finally commissioned on 18 June 2003. This needed extension of deputation of the crew by 35 to 38 days. The expenditure of Rs 6.24 crore on the crew from 11 April 2003 to 18 June 2003 was avoidable as training was already completed in July 2002.

Service History

The INS Talwar has been deployed to various parts of the Indian Ocean, making friendly visits at various ports. She has also participated in various exercises including Malabar 2008 with the US Navy, and with the French Navy.

2006 accident damaging sonar dome

In May 2006, the INS Talwar accidentally dropped its anchor on its own anti-submarine sonar dome and had to be rushed for repairs to restore its anti-submarine capabilities.

Anti-piracy measures off the Somali coast

On 28 May 2009, INS Talwar, while escorting three merchant vessels - Maud, Southern Independence and Aramis - about 225 nautical miles east of Aden around 10.20 GMT, received a distress signal from Maud about a skiff with eight armed persons on board approaching it at very high speed. The frigate immediately dispatched its Chetak helicopter armed with 7.62mm light machine guns which spotted pirates scrambling up a ladder hooked to MV Maud. The copter fired on the two pirates on the ladder and they fell into the sea. Simultaneously, the frigate sent its naval commandos on Prahar high-speed inflatables to intercept the skiff. Six prates were disarmed and their cache of Kalashnikov assault rifles, Katyushka rockets, a rocket launcher, flares and mobile phones were seized. Since the freighters were still in dangerous waters and needed escort, the frigate left the disarmed pirates to drift on the high seas after emptying their skiff's fuel tank and disabling it. The pirates were later arrested by warships from the global task force in the follow-up action.