Anti Submarine Warfare Corvette Kavaratti: Features

Anti Submarine Warfare Corvette Kavaratti: Features

Question : The Fourth Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) Corvette of Project-28, named ‘Kavaratti’, was recently launched. Discuss its features.

• The Anti Submarine Warfare Corvette named Kavaratti was launched by Smt. Manita Singh

• This ship highlights the Indian Navy’s efforts to move from “Buyers Navy” to “Builders Navy”

• The submarines have been designed indigenously by the Directorate of Naval Design at New Delhi

• They are the creation of acclaimed Navy designers

• These 4 ships of Project 28 have been constructed using high grade steel namely DMR249A which is produced in India

• Each ship has a displacement of 3300 tonnes

• The ASW Corvettes span 109.1 meters in length and 13. 7 meters in the beam

• The ships are propelled by 4 diesel engines to attain speeds of more than 25 knots and have endurance of greater than 3000 NM

• P-28 Corvettes are one of their kind with unique features such as :

- Rail-less Helo Traversing System,
- Foldable Hangar Door,
- Use of Personnel Locator System and
- Use of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) Superstructure integrated with the Steel Hull in the third and fourth ships of the Class.

• For the first time, these features have been included in the submarine

• These ships also possess common raft mounted Gear Box and Diesel engines resulting in extremely low radiated underwater noise

• This is complemented with an efficient propeller with extremely high cavitation inception speed

• The P-28 Ships also have numerous other features such as:

- Total Atmospheric Control System/TACs
- Integrated Platform Management System/IPMS
- Integrated Bridge System
- Battle Damage Control System

• Enhanced stealth features are possessed by these ships namely:

- Low Radar Cross Section (RCS) signature through full beam superstructure,
- Inclined ship sides and reduced Infra Red (IR) signature
- Use of ‘Infra Red Suppression System (IRSS) device for cooling the Engine and Diesel Alternator exhausts.

• The ships can also carry as well as operate one multiple role helicopter

Facts and Stats

• ASW Corvettes also incorporate new design concepts for:

- Improving survivability
- Sea Keeping
- Stealth and manoeuvring

• Kavaratti also has array of state of the art sensors and weapons including:

- Medium Range Gun: From M/s Bharat Heavy Electrical Ltd/BHEL Torpedo Tube Launchers as well as Rocket Launchers: From M/s Larsen & Tuobro /L&T,

- Close-In Weapon System: From M/s Gun and Shell Factory and Chaff System: From M/s Machine Tool Prototype Factory

• The ships have significant indigenous content and are a testament to the excellence of naval builders in India