Arnala-class corvette

Class overview
Name: Arnala-class corvettes
Operators:  Indian Navy
Preceded by: Bathurst class
Succeeded by: Abhay class
In commission: 1968–2003
Planned: 11
Completed: 11
Lost: 1
Retired: 10
General characteristics
Type: Anti-submarine corvete
Displacement:
  • 950 tons (standard)
  • 1,150 tons (full load)
Length: 81.8 m (268 ft 4 in)
Beam: 9.2 m (30 ft 2 in)
Draught: 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
Propulsion:
  • 2 shaft CODAG,
  • 2 gas turbines - 30,000 hp
  • 1 diesel - 6,000 hp (4,500 kW)
Speed: 30 knots (56 km/h)
Range:
  • 4,870 nmi (9,020 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h)
  • 450 nmi (830 km) at 30 knots (56 km/h)
Complement: 90
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Radar: Don-2, Slim Net, Hawk Screech
  • Sonar: Herkules hull-mounted & dipping active sonar
Armament:
  • 4 76mm guns (2 × 2)
  • 4 RBU 6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers
  • 3 533mm torpedo tubes
  • Depth charges, mines

Arnala class was an Indian designation for the Petya III-class vessels of the Indian Navy.[1]

Although these vessels were classified as frigates in the Soviet Navy, they were classified by the Indian Navy as anti-submarine corvettes due to their role and smaller size. Vessels of the class were named for Indian islands.

Vessels

The corvettes of this class constituted the 31st Patrol Vessel Squadron of the Eastern Naval Command and the 32nd Patrol Vessel Squadron of the Western Naval Command.[2]

Name Pennant Builder Commissioned Decommissioned Fate
INS Arnala P68 29 June 1972 9 April 1999
INS Androth P69 30 June 1972 9 April 1999
INS Anjadip P73 23 December 1972 13 December 2003
INS Andaman P74 28 December 1973 Storm 22 August 1990
INS Amini P75 12 December 1974 16 September 2002
INS Kamorta P77 21 November 1968 31 October 1991
INS Kadmatt P78 23 December 1968 30 November 1992
INS Kiltan P79 30 October 1969 30 June 1987
INS Kavaratti P80 23 December 1969 31 July 1986
INS Katchall P81 23 December 1969 31 December 1988
INS Amindivi P83 1986-88

Operational history

INS Kiltan (P79) and INS Katchall (P81) were part of the task force for Operation Trident during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.[3][4]

The hulls of this class were of relatively inferior quality, requiring the vessels to undergo major refit every 5 years. The Indian Navy constructed the Naval Dockyard at Visakhapatnam, primarily to service Russian vessels. But given the lack of engineering support from Russia there were inordinate delays in completing the servicing facility. This resulted in considerable delay of the second refit for INS Andaman (P74), which was in poor repair and subsequently was lost at sea in storm conditions, 140 miles (230 km) east of Visakhapatnam on 21 August 1990.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "P68 Arnala Class". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  2. ↑ "Petya II Class". Bharat Rakshak. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  3. ↑ "Trident, Grandslam and Python: Attacks on Karachi".
  4. ↑ Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani. Transition to Triumph: History of the Indian Navy, 1965-1975. Lancer Publishers & Distributors. p. 187. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
  5. ↑ Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani. Transition to Eminence: The Indian Navy 1976-1990. Lancer Publishers & Distributors. p. 243. Retrieved 2012-05-16.
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