Kolkata-class

Summary

Description

The Kolkata class destroyers, known as Project 15A, are a set of stealth guided-missile destroyers built for the Indian Navy. These modern warships are the result of a follow-on project from the preceding Delhi-class destroyers, featuring substantial upgrades in their capabilities. With the construction helmed by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in India, the class consists of three ships: Kolkata, Kochi, and Chennai, which are the largest destroyers to be active in the Indian naval fleet. Initially planned to be commissioned in 2010, the first ship of the class was commissioned in 2014 due to construction and sea trial delays.

Design-wise, the Kolkata class maintains similar dimensions to the Delhi class but boasts 2,363 modifications including significant enhancements in weaponry, sensors, and helicopter systems. Marking India's first foray into building stealth destroyers, these vessels come equipped with an advanced information warfare suite, a sophisticated power distribution framework, and modular crew quarters. Asserting their presence, they have a standard displacement of around 6,800 tons, making them the most sizable destroyers operated by the Indian Navy. The ships feature a potent gas turbine propulsion system allowing speeds exceeding 30 knots, and tailored aviation facilities, including a sizable flight deck and hangar to accommodate up to two larger maritime helicopters.

In terms of armament, the destroyers are outfitted with the EL/M-2248 MF-STAR AESA primary radar and Thales LW-08 long-range search radar, focusing on modern network-centric warfare. With the Cooperative Engagement Capability, the ships can operate an integrated wide-area air defense system. Their primary air-defence firepower comes from the vertically launched Barak-8 / MRSAM air defense missiles. For offense, they deploy the supersonic BrahMos anti-ship and land-attack missiles within a 16-cell Universal Vertical Launcher Module. Additionally, a 76 mm naval gun, hull-mounted sonar for sub-surface surveillance, and anti-submarine weaponry including torpedo tubes and rocket launchers solidify their combat scope. The onboard combat management system, refined through millions of lines of code, enables real-time decision-making support for responding to threats.

The project's development was sanctioned by the Indian government in 2000, based on enhancing combat abilities beyond the Delhi-class destroyers. The detailed design was managed by MDL. Between initial estimates in 2008 and revised calculations in 2011, the program's cost inflated significantly due to factors including delays in the arrival of raw materials and changes made to accomodate new weapons and sensors.

Technical specifications