VESSEL REVIEW | Imphal – New stealth destroyer for Indian Navy

The Indian Navy has commissioned a new guided-missile destroyer into service.

Named after the capital city of the state of Manipur, INS Imphal is the third ship to be built under the Project P-15B series of stealth destroyers, otherwise known as the Visakhapatnam-class. All four ships in the class were built at the Mumbai facilities of state-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL) to a design by the Indian Navy's own Warship Design Bureau. Missions include anti-air warfare (AAW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and anti-submarine warfare (ASW).

The Visakhapatnam-class ships were developed to be modified variants of the Indian Navy's Kolkata-class stealth guided-missile destroyers. The alterations were aimed at minimising costs and development time while retaining the general dimensions, displacement, and combat capability of the Kolkatas. Notable changes include an updated bridge layout to reduce radar signature and the placement of the main sonar equipment at the bow instead of further along the hull bottom.

Like its sisters, Imphal has a length of 163 metres, a beam of 17.4 metres, a draught of 6.5 metres, a displacement of 7,400 tonnes, and a crew complement of 50 officers and 250 enlisted personnel. Two Bergen 7,400kW diesel engines and two Zorya M36E gas turbines in a combined gas and gas (COGAG) configuration allow the ship to reach speeds of just over 33.5 knots and sail up to 8,000 nautical miles at a cruising speed of 18 knots. This capability also translates into a maximum operating endurance of 45 days, making extended-duration patrols possible.

The armament consists of 16 Brahmos anti-ship cruise missiles, 32 Barak 8ER surface-to-air missiles housed in vertical launch cells, an OTO Melara (now Leonardo) 76mm naval gun, twin 533mm torpedo launchers, anti-submarine rocket launchers, and four AK-630M 30mm close-in weapon systems for point defence against hostile missiles and airborne threats. Also fitted are two 12.7mm heavy machine guns on two OFT stabilised remote controlled mounts.

The aviation facilities include a flight deck and a hangar capable of accommodating up to two examples of either the HAL Dhruv utility helicopter or the Westland Sea King ASW helicopter. There is also onboard space for four rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) for at-sea interceptions and boardings. To provide additional protection from hostile missile attacks, the destroyer is fitted with two Kavach decoy launchers.

The electronics suite includes an Israel Aerospace Industries EL/M-2248 MF-STAR active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar capable of tracking airborne and surface targets up to 280 nautical miles away, a Thales LW-08 D-band surveillance and target acquisition radar that can also track aircraft and cruise missiles, a BEL HUMSA-NG sonar with both active and passive detection modes, a BEL Nagin active towed array sonar, and a DRDL Shakthi electronic warfare system to identify and jam hostile radars and guidance systems. Electrical power for the onboard systems is supplied by four generators driving Cummins KTA50G3 engines and a Kirloskar AC generator.

A total atmosphere control system (TACS) helps protect the crew in the event of nuclear fallout. The ship's air filters are also designed to continue supplying breathable air even after the onboard spaces have been exposed to nuclear, biological, and chemical contamination. To further improve survivability, MDL fitted the destroyer with multiple fire zones, distributional power systems, and battle damage control systems.

Among the enhancements in the accommodation spaces are ergonomic layouts to help improve crew comfort.