Name Rajput Succeeded by Delhi class Completed 5 | Operators Indian Navy Planned 5 | |
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Builders 61 Kommunara Shipbuilding Plant | ||
The Rajput-class guided-missile destroyers built for the Indian Navy are modified versions of Soviet Kashin-class destroyers. They are also known as Kashin-II class. The ships were built in the former Soviet Union after considerable Indian design modifications to the Kashin design. These included the replacement of the helicopter pad in the original design with a flight elevator, as well as major changes to the electronics and combat systems. Five units were built for export to India in the 1980s. All units are currently attached to the Eastern Naval Command.
Service history
The Rajput class inherited their anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare roles for aircraft carrier task-force defense against submarines, low-flying aircraft, and cruise missiles from the Kashin class. They were the first ships in the Indian Navy to deploy the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile systems. The systems were deployed during a mid-life refit of the ships. The missile system has four missiles in inclined bow mounted launchers replacing two SS-N-2D Styx AShM launchers in INS Rajput and eight cell VLS system replacing aft S-125M (NATO: SA-N-1) SAM launcher in INS Ranvir and INS Ranvijay. Ranvijay was deployed with an updated vertical launcher for the BrahMos missile. The Indian Navy is planning to upgrade the propulsion of the Rajput-class ships with indigenously developed Kaveri Marine Gas Turbine (KMGT) engine. The Gas Turbine Research Establishment of DRDO has been developing this engine which is currently in testing phase.