Project 15A’s Guided Missile Destroyer ‘INS Chennai’ To Come Into Service On 21 November

Marking the completion of the Indian Navy’s crucial Project 15A, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar will commission the class’ last vessel “INS Chennai” into service on 21 November, an official said on Friday (18 November). Indigenously designed and constructed, the Kolkata-class guided missile destroyer has been built by Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai.

While INS Kolkata was the first ship in this class commissioned on 16 August 2014, the second was INS Kochi commissioned on 30 September 2015.

After her commissioning, INS Chennai will be placed under the operational and administrative control of the Western Naval Command. The ship will undergo certain additional sea trials of the ship-borne systems before being assigned to the Western Fleet and based in Mumbai.

Among the largest destroyers constructed in India, INS Chennai is 164m long with a displacement of over 7,500 tonnes, and sails at a top speed of over 30 knots (around 55km) per hour. Armed with supersonic surface-to-surface BrahMos missiles and Barak-8 Long Rang Surface-to-Air missiles, its undersea warfare capability includes indigenously developed anti-submarine weapons and sensors, prominently the hull-mounted sonar HUMSA-NG, heavyweight torpedo tube launchers, rocket launchers and towed array sonar capability.

For defence against enemy missiles, INS Chennai is fitted with 'Kavach' chaff decoy system and for protection from enemy torpedoes, has 'Mareech' torpedo decoy system, both developed in India. A potent platform capable of undertaking a variety of tasks and missions spanning the full spectrum of maritime warfare, she can carry and operated two multi-role helicopters.

INS Chennai is propelled by a powerful combined gas and propulsion plant consisting of four reversible gas turbines. Her very high level of automation with sophisticated digital networks on board includes ATM-based integrated ship data network, combat management systems, automatic power management system and auxiliary control system. The ship’s crest depicts the outline of the iconic Fort St. George of Chennai in the background, a part of the adjacent beach and a sloop on blue and white waves.

The crew of the ship abides by the Sanskrit motto 'Shatro Sanharaka', meaning Vanquisher of Enemies, epitomising the warrior spirit and strong resolve to prevail and succeed in combat.