Kamorta-class

Summary

Description

The Kamorta-class corvettes, part of Project 28, are a notable addition to the Indian Navy as the first series of indigenously designed and built anti-submarine warfare stealth corvettes. The project commenced construction with the lead ship INS Kamorta in August 2005. There are four ships in the class: INS Kamorta, INS Kadmatt, INS Kiltan, and INS Kavaratti, which were commissioned between 2014 and 2020. These corvettes serve as replacements for previous naval vessels both by precedence and role and derive their names from the islands in the Lakshadweep archipelago.

The design of these vessels was internally developed, with a significant focus on stealth features, such as an 'X'-shaped hull to reduce detectability and special hull materials to minimize noise and vibration. They also sport a raft-mounted propulsion system and an infrared signature suppression system. For operations, numerous integrated systems are onboard, including the Total Atmospheric Control System (TACS) and Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), enhancing their combat resilience, even in nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare scenarios. The corvettes are driven by four diesel engines, enabling speeds above 25 knots, and accommodate 180 sailors and 13 officers.

Regarding armament, the ships are equipped with an OTO Melara 76 mm gun, anti-submarine rocket launchers, torpedo launchers, and AK-630M close-in weapon systems. There's also potential for integrating surface-to-air missiles, with plans for the VL-SRSAM. For surveillance and targeting, these corvettes feature advanced electronics and sensor systems including BEL Revathi radar, HUMSA-NG sonar, and BEL Lynx U1 fire-control radar.

The construction of these corvettes faced delays due to a policy emphasizing local sourcing, which elevated the complexity and sophistication of components. Nonetheless, these challenges fostered domestic expertise in warship construction. Crafted from DMR 249A steel and carbon fiber materials, the ships achieved approximately 90% indigenization. Later vessels in the class, INS Kiltan and INS Kavaratti, boast enhancements with composite material superstructures, contributing to lighter weight and improved stealth abilities.

The Kamorta-class has a history of international interest, with the Philippines Navy considering two units, selecting GRSE as the lowest bidder, but eventually disqualifying the company for not meeting financial capability requirements, favoring modified Korean Incheon-class frigates instead. Additionally, Brazil received a proposal from GRSE for an evolved Kamorta design, which ultimately was not successful, with the contract going to a MEKO-based design.

Technical specifications