INS Chennai (D65) during an exercise in the Indian Ocean.
History
India
NameChennai
NamesakeChennai
OperatorIndian Navy
BuilderMazagon Dock Limited
Laid downFebruary 2006
Launched1 April 2010[1]
Completed12 November 2015
Commissioned21 Nov 2016[2][3][4]
MottoShatro Sanharaka ("Vanquisher of Enemies")[5]
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class and typeKolkata-class destroyer
Displacement7,500 t (7,400 long tons; 8,300 short tons) full load[6][7][8][9]
Length163 m (535 ft)
Beam17.4 m (57 ft)
SpeedIn excess of 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × Sea King or HAL Dhruv helicopter
Aviation facilitiesDual Enclosed hangar

INS Chennai (D65) is the third and last ship of the Kolkata-class stealth guided missile destroyers of the Indian Navy.[17] She was constructed by the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) at Mumbai. On 17 April 2017, INS Chennai was dedicated to the city of Chennai in presence of then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, K. Palaniswamy.[18]

INS Chennai has on her seal a Bull symbolising the Jallikattu festival celebrated in Tamil Nadu from where the ship associates its heritage.

Construction

She was laid down in February 2006, and was launched on 2 April 2010 by the then Defence Minister AK Antony's wife Elizabeth Antony at a function in Mumbai, and was commissioned on 21 November 2016 by the Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.[2][19] INS Chennai is the first naval ship named after Chennai, capital city of the state of Tamil Nadu, India.[20] Captain C. R. Praveen Nair was the commissioning commanding officer.[21]

Features

The India-designed ship is designed to have state of the art weapons and sensors, stealth features, an advanced action information system, a comprehensive auxiliary control system, world class modular living spaces, sophisticated power distribution system and a host of other advanced features. These ships integrate many new features and involve design changes that ensure a far more advanced weapons platforms compared to the earlier Project 15 ships.

The ship's air defence capability, designed to counter the threat of enemy aircraft and anti-ship cruise missiles, revolve around the vertical launch, long range surface-to-air missile system, co-developed by DRDO.

Four AK-630 rapid-fire guns will provide the ship with close-in-defence capability while an MR gun will enable her to provide effective naval gunfire support.

India-developed twin tube torpedo launchers and rocket launchers will add punch to the ship's anti-submarine capability.

INS Chennai is designed to carry the supersonic BrahMos surface-to-surface missile system. The system enables the ship to engage shore-based and naval surface targets at long range making it a lethal platform for strike against enemy targets.

Service History

INS Chennai, along with INS Sunayna was sent to the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in June 2019 to protect Indian shipping interests amid tensions in the Strait of Hormuz.[22]

Cooperative Engagement Capability

On 15 May 2019, INS Chennai along with INS Kochi participated in the maiden cooperative engagement firing through the employment of the full Joint Taskforce Coordination (JTC) mode which implements the MRSAM / Barak 8 'Cooperative Engagement' operating mode.[23][24][25][26]

2023-24 Anti-piracy patrols

Against the backdrop of the increasing attacks on commercial ships transiting the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea by the end of 2023, the Indian Navy stated on December 31 2023 that it had substantially enhanced maritime surveillance efforts in Central and North Arabian Sea by deploying the P-8I Neptune MPA and the SeaGuardian drones.[27] Following attacks on two merchant vessels, MV Ruen and MV Chem Pluto, anti piracy patrols were enhanced with a naval task force. MV Ruen was hijacked (later rescued by INS Kolkata), while MV Chem Pluto sustained drone hits and made it into Indian waters. The Indian Navy deployed a large flotilla of destroyers to safeguard international security including INS Kolkata, INS Kochi, INS Mormugao, INS Chennai and INS Visakhapatnam.[28] The INS Kolkata is deployed in the Red Sea, INS Kochi is deployed by the south of Yemen's Socotra Island, INS Mormugao is in the west Arabian Sea with INS Chennai in the central Arabian Sea. INS Visakhapatnam was also moved to patrol the north Arabian Sea.[29]

On 4 January 2024, the cargo vessel MV Lila Norfolk sailing from Port Du Aco in Brazil and bound for Khalifa Bin Salman in Bahrain was hijacked by pirates 460 nautical miles east of Somalia. It had sent a message indicating boarding by around five to six unknown armed personnel. Of the 21 crew members, 15 were Indian and the other 6 hailed from the Philippines.[30] INS Chennai was deployed to render assistance while a maritime patrol aircraft overflew the vessel the next morning and established contact with the vessel.[31][32][33] On 5 January 2024, after providing warnings, the MARCOS commandos from the INS Chennai boarded the ship to rescue all crew members. The pirates had abandoned ship prior to the boarding.[34]

Following a lengthy patrol, Chennai returned to the Port of Chennai on February 16 to participate in exercise MILAN 2024.[35][36]

Gallery

  • INS Chennai (D65) with JMSDF JS Kaga during JIMEX 2020.
    INS Chennai (D65) with JMSDF JS Kaga during JIMEX 2020.
  • INS Chennai (D65) with JS Ikazuchi (DD-107) during JIMEX 2020.
    INS Chennai (D65) with JS Ikazuchi (DD-107) during JIMEX 2020.
  • INS Chennai (D65) fires its weapons during Malabar 2020.
    INS Chennai (D65) fires its weapons during Malabar 2020.
  • INS Chennai (D65) with JS Ikazuchi during JIMEX 2020.
    INS Chennai (D65) with JS Ikazuchi during JIMEX 2020.
  • INS Chennai (D65) with JS Ikazuchi.
    INS Chennai (D65) with JS Ikazuchi.
  • INS Chennai (D65) with JS Ikazuchi during JIMEX 2020 - Top view.
    INS Chennai (D65) with JS Ikazuchi during JIMEX 2020 - Top view.
  • INS Chennai steams alongside the USS Princeton (CG-59) in the North Arabian Sea during Malabar 2020 exercise.
    INS Chennai steams alongside the USS Princeton (CG-59) in the North Arabian Sea during Malabar 2020 exercise.

See also

References

  1. ^ "India's 3rd indigenous naval destroyer launched". CNN-News18. 1 April 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Guided Missile Destroyer INS Chennai Joins the Indian Navy" (Press release). Indian Navy. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  3. ^ "Largest-ever 'Made-in-India' warship INS Chennai commissioned". The Times of India. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  4. ^ "Project 15A to end with commissioning of INS Chennai on Monday". Business Standard. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 18 November 2016.
  5. ^ "Indigenous INS Chennai will be commissioned on Monday". The Sunday Guardian Live. 22 November 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2016.
  6. ^ "INS Kolkata". indiannavy.nic.in. Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 16 June 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
  7. ^ INS Kolkata: embarquement immédiat. l'express. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  8. ^ "Navy gets its largest destroyer". The Hindu. 13 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  9. ^ "Largest destroyer project of Navy hit by delay". Defence Express. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  10. ^ a b "Country's most potent indigenous warship joins service this month". SP's Naval Forces. 8 June 2014. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2014.
  11. ^ "Bharat Electronics Ltd. awards LW08 contract to Thales". Thalesgroup.com. 2 July 2008. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 2 April 2010.
  12. ^ "Virtual tour of INS Kolkata (Hindi)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021.
  13. ^ "Indian Navy successfully test fires Long Range Barak 8 missile from INS Kolkata". Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  14. ^ Bedi, Rahul (29 September 2015). "India commissions second Kolkata-class destroyer". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2015.
  15. ^ Kolkata-class destroyer Archived 4 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine GlobalSecurity.org
  16. ^ a b Som, Vishnu (29 September 2015). "Inside India's New and Deadliest Warship". NDTV. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  17. ^ "Kolkata Class Guided Missile Destroyers, India". Naval Technology. Retrieved 15 June 2013.
  18. ^ "Naval ship dedicated to Chennai city". The Times of India. Press Trust of India. 17 April 2017.
  19. ^ "Warship INS Chennai commissioned by Indian Navy". SSB Interview Tips. Retrieved 21 November 2016.
  20. ^ "Project 15-A destroyer, INS Kochi To be launched on 18 Sep 2009". PIB. Retrieved 16 June 2013.
  21. ^ "Capt Praveen Nair commands INS Chennai; many desi systems on board". English.Mathrubhumi. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  22. ^ "India warships sent to strategic Gulf waters: Navy".
  23. ^ "Press Information Bureau".
  24. ^ "Indian Navy Demonstrates 'MRSAM 'Cooperative Engagement' Capability". 17 May 2019.
  25. ^ "Indian Navy completes MRSAM first cooperative engagement firing test". 20 May 2019.
  26. ^ "Janes | Latest defence and security news".
  27. ^ Peri, Dinakar (31 December 2023). "Attacks on ships: Indian Navy enhances surveillance in Arabian Sea". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  28. ^ "Indian Navy deploys warships and surveillance aircraft to enhance maritime security - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Indian Navy deploys warships and surveillance aircraft to enhance maritime security - The New Indian Express". www.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  30. ^ "Indian Navy thwarts hijack attempt, rescues 21 crew members, including 15 Indians". The Times of India. 5 January 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  31. ^ "INS Chennai moving towards hijacked vessel off Somalia coast; 15 Indians aboard". Hindustan Times. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  32. ^ "Navy sends INS Chennai to assist vessel hijacked in Arabian Sea, 15 Indians aboard". The Indian Express. 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  33. ^ Peri, Dinakar (5 January 2024). "Indian Navy responds to hijack attempt of a Liberian-flagged vessel in Arabian Sea, deploys INS Chennai". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  34. ^ https://www.rediff.com/news/report/indian-navy-commandos-board-hijacked-ship-clear-it-of-hijackers/20240105.htm
  35. ^ "INS Chennai to visit Chennai". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  36. ^ "Warship returns from Somalia to Chennai port after anti-piracy ops". The Times of India. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
Categories