INS Kochi
INS Kochi (D64) is the second ship of the Kolkata-class stealth guided-missile destroyers built under the code name Project 15A for the Indian Navy. She was constructed by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) in Mumbai. After undergoing extensive sea trials, she was commissioned to Indian Navy service on 30 September 2015.[13][14]
Commissioning ceremony of INS Kochi at Mazagon Dock Limited, Mumbai. | |
History | |
---|---|
India | |
Name | Kochi |
Namesake | Kochi |
Operator | Indian Navy |
Builder | Mazagon Dock Limited |
Laid down | 25 October 2005 |
Launched | 18 September 2009 |
Commissioned | 30 September 2015 |
In service | in active service |
Motto | Jahi Shatrun Mahabaho(Sanskrit) "Oh mighty armed one… conquer the enemy"[1] |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Kolkata-class destroyer |
Displacement | 7,500 t (7,400 long tons; 8,300 short tons) full load[2][3][4][5] |
Length | 163 m (535 ft) |
Beam | 17.4 m (57 ft) |
Speed | In excess of 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph) |
Sensors and processing systems | |
Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
Armament | |
Aircraft carried | 2 × Sea King or HAL Dhruv helicopters |
Aviation facilities | Dual Enclosed hangar |
Construction
The keel of Kochi was laid on 25 October 2005. In keeping with the tradition of the Navy, the warship was launched by Madhulika Verma, wife of Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, at 11.20 a.m. 18 September 2009 from the Mazagon Dock in Mumbai.[15] For the first time, Mazagon Docks used a "pontoon assisted" launching method in collaboration with the Russian firm Baltiysky Zavod. Under this method, pontoons are welded to the hull, which give buoyancy and helps overcome tidal constraints. Mazagon plans to use this method for all future ship launches, as the process makes it possible to launch ships with much higher weight.
Weapon trials
On 1 November 2015, the Navy successfully test-fired the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from Kochi. The missile hit its target, a decommissioned ship called INS Alleppey, with almost pinpoint accuracy during this first-ever vertical launch from the 7,500-tonne Kochi.[16]
On 16 May and 29 November 2017, the Navy successfully test fired the Barak 8 missiles from Kochi.[17][18]
Cooperative Engagement Capability through Joint Taskforce Coordination (JTC) mode
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.[19][20][21][22]
Design
At the time of its commissioning, INS Kochi was the largest India-made warship.[23] The warship is designed by the Navy's in-house organisation, Directorate of Naval Design. It has displacement of 7,500 tons and it is 164 metres (538 ft) in length and 17 metres (56 ft) at the beam and is propelled by four gas turbines and designed to achieve speeds in excess of 30 knots (56 km/h). The ship has built with advanced stealth features which have been achieved through shaping of hull and use of radar-transparent deck fittings. A bow mounted sonar dome, the second of its kind in an indigenous naval platform, has been introduced to enhance sonar acoustic performance. The ship has a complement of about 40 officers and 350 sailors.[14]
Naval exercises
INS Kochi participated in the 'Zayed Talwar 2021' bilateral exercise with the United Arab Emirates Navy's Baynunah-class guided missile corvette UAES Al-Dhafra on 7 August 2021, off the coast of Abu Dhabi. The ships undertook tactical manoeuvres, Over the Horizon Targeting, Search and Rescue and Electronic Warfare exercises, with extensive use of helicopters.[24][25] Less than a week later, Kochi arrived at Al Jubail for the Indian Navy's maiden naval exercise with the Royal Saudi Navy, 'Al-Mohed Al-Hindi'. The drill was meant for deeper understanding of each other’s operational practices.[26][27][28]
See also
- INS Kolkata - Sister ship and first of the class.
- INS Chennai - Sister ship and third of the class.
References
- "INS Kochi | Indian Navy". www.indiannavy.nic.in. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
- "INS Kolkata". indiannavy.nic.in. Indian Navy. Archived from the original on 16 June 2015. Retrieved 28 April 2015.
- INS Kolkata: embarquement immédiat. l'express. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
- "Navy gets its largest destroyer". The Hindu. 13 July 2014. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- "Largest destroyer project of Navy hit by delay". Defence Express. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
- "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.
- "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.
- "Virtual tour of INS Kolkata (Hindi)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
- 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.
- "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.
- 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.
- Kolkata-class destroyer Archived 4 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine GlobalSecurity.org
- "INS Kochi stealth guided missile destroyer commissioned". The Economic Times. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- "INS Kochi | Indian Navy". www.indiannavy.nic.in. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
- "India launches warship 'INS Kochi'". The Times of India. 18 September 2009. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2009.
- "BrahMos missile tested successfully from latest stealth destroyer INS Kochi". PTI. The Times of India. 1 November 2015. Retrieved 1 November 2015.
- "Indian Navy conducts successful MRSAM firing from INS Kochi - Mysuru Today". Mysuru Today. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
- "Navy successfully test fires MR-SAM from INS Kochi". www.oneindia.com. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
- "Press Information Bureau".
- "Indian Navy Demonstrates 'MRSAM 'Cooperative Engagement' Capability". 17 May 2019.
- "Indian Navy completes MRSAM first cooperative engagement firing test". 20 May 2019.
- "Janes | Latest defence and security news".
- "INS Kochi: 10 things to know". The Times of India. 30 September 2015. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
- Press Release (8 August 2021). "Indian Navy - United Arab Emirates Navy Bilateral Exercise "Zayed Talwar 2021"". Indian Navy. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- Sarkar, Shankhyaneel (8 August 2021). "India, UAE carry out naval exercise; deepen military cooperation". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- Press Release (12 August 2021). "Maiden Al-Mohed Al-Hindi Exercise set to begin between Indian Navy and Saudi Arabia Navy". Indian Navy. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- Times News Network (13 August 2021). "India boosts Gulf ties with Saudi drill". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- Bhaduri, Aditi (21 August 2021). "India Must Partner with Saudi Arabia to Deal with Afghanistan Crisis". The Quint. Retrieved 21 August 2021.