Russia starts building new missile frigate for Indian Navy

KALININGRAD-RUSSIA: The Yantar Shipyard in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad was slated to launch Wednesday construction of the third Krivak-class frigate for the Indian Navy under a second contract, the company said. Russia previously built three Krivak-class frigates - INS Talwar, INS Trishul and INS Tabar - for India and delivered them all by the end of 2004. In July 2006, India and Russia had signed a contract for the purchase of three additional Project 11356 Krivak IV-class guided missile frigates for the Indian Navy. A company spokesman said work on the first two frigates was progressing as per schedule as part of the second contract. All three ships will be delivered to India by 2012. They will feature the BrahMos supersonic anti-ship cruise missile system instead of the Club-N/3M54TE missile system, which was installed on the previous frigates. The Krivak-class frigate has deadweight of 4,000 tonnes and speed of 30 knots, and is capable of accomplishing a wide range of missions in the sea, primarily hunting down and destroying large surface ships and submarines.