INS Rajput (D51)

INS Rajput was a guided-missile destroyer and the lead ship of the Rajput class of the Indian Navy. It was commissioned on 4 May 1980. It was the first destroyer of the Indian Navy. It was built by the erstwhile USSR. Commodore (later Vice Admiral) Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani was her first commanding officer.

For other ships with the same name, see INS Rajput (D141).

INS Rajput
History
India
NameRajput
NamesakeRajput
Builder61 Kommunara Shipbuilding Plant
Commissioned4 May 1980
Decommissioned21 May 2021
IdentificationPennant number: D51
MottoRaaj Karega Rajput
StatusDecommissioned
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeRajput-class destroyer
Displacement
  • 3,950 tons standard,
  • 4,974 tons full load
Length142 m (465 ft 11 in)
Beam15.8 m (51 ft 10 in)
Draught5 m (16 ft 5 in)
Propulsion4 x gas turbine engines; 2 shafts, 72,000 hp (54,000 kW)
Speed35 knots (65 km/h; 40 mph)
Range
  • 4,000 mi (6,400 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
  • 2,600 miles (4,200 km) at 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Complement320 (including 35 officers)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Navigation: 2 x Volga (NATO: Don Kay) radar at I-band frequency,
  • Air: 1 x MP-500 Kliver (NATO: Big Net-A) radar at C-band,
  • Air/Surface: 1 x MR-310U Angara (NATO: Head Net-C) radar at E-band, replaced by 1 x EL/M-2238 STAR[1]
  • Communication: Inmarsat,
  • Sonar: 1 x hull mounted Vycheda MG-311 (NATO: Wolf Paw) sonar replaced with Bharat HUMSA during MLR, 1 x Vyega MG-325 (NATO: Mare Tail) variable depth sonar
Armament
Aircraft carried1 x HAL Chetak helicopter
INS Rajput firing a BrahMos missile

Rajput served as a trial platform for the BrahMos cruise missile. The 4 P-20M inclined single launchers (2 port and 2 starboard) were replaced by 8 boxed launchers (4 port and 4 starboard) with each having ability to carry one BrahMos cruise missile. A new variant of the Prithvi-III missile was test fired from Rajput on March 2007.[2] She is capable of attacking land targets, as well as fulfilling anti-aircraft and anti-submarine roles as a taskforce or carrier escort.[3] Rajput tracked the Dhanush ballistic missile during a successful test in 2005.[4]

The ship was decommissioned from service on 21 May 2021 at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam.[5][6] She has participated in several important missions over the years, including Operation Aman off the coast of Sri Lanka to assist the Indian Peace Keeping Force during Srilankan Civil War, Operation Pawan, for patrolling duties off the coast of Sri Lanka, Operation Cactus to resolve hostage situation off the Maldives, and Operation Crowsnest off Lakshadweep.[7][8]

References
  1. Friedman, Norman (2006). The Naval Institute guide to world naval weapon systems (5th ed.). Annapolis, Md: Naval Institute. p. 243. ISBN 1557502625.
  2. "Dhanush, naval surface-to-surface missile, test fired successfully". domain-b.com. 31 March 2007. Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2019.
  3. Ministry of Defence (24 September 2010). "Brahmos naval version tested successfully" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. Archived from the original on 24 September 2010.
  4. Vishwakarma, Arun (28 December 2005). "Prithvi SRBM". Bharat Rakshak. Archived from the original on 18 September 2009.
  5. "INS Rajput to be Decommissioned on 21 May 21". PIB. 20 May 2021.
  6. @ANI (21 May 2021). "INS Rajput, first destroyer of the Indian Navy, which was commissioned on 4th May 1980 will be decommissioned on 21st May during a ceremony at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam: Indian Navy" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. "INS Rajput to be decommissioned today after 41 years of service". The Hindu. 20 May 2021. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
  8. Soviet Pioneer Retires Ships Monthly July 2021 page 14
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