Nilgiri class frigate

Class overview
Builders:	Mazagon Dock Limited
Operators:	Indian Navy
Succeeded by:	Godavari class
Completed:	6
Retired:	5
General characteristics
Type:	Frigate
Displacement:	2,682 tons (standard) 2,962 tons (full load)
Length:	113 m
Beam:	13 m
Draught:	4.3 m
Propulsion:	2 x 550 psi (3,800 kPa) boilers 2 x 30,000 hp motors
Speed:	28 knots
Range:	4,000 miles at 12 knots
Complement:	267 (incl 17 officers)[1]
Sensors and processing systems:	Signaal DA05 / BEL PFN513 radar Signaal LW08 / BEL RAWL02 surface radar Signaal ZW06 / BEL RASHMI navigation radar Signaal M-45 navigation radar Westinghouse SQS-505 / Graesby 750 sonar Type 170 active attack sonar
Armament:	2 x MK.6 Vickers 115mm guns 2 x AK-630 6-barreled 30 mm gatling guns 2 x Oerlikon 20mm guns 2 x triple ILAS 3 324 mm torpedo tubes with Whitehead A244S or the Indian NST-58 torpedoes
Aircraft carried:	1 Westland Sea King or HAL Chetak

The Nilgiri class frigates are updated versions of the Leander class, designed and built for the Indian Navy by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai. Six ships were built between 1972-81. Vessels of the class formed the 14th Frigate Squadron. The lead ship INS Nilgiri was the first major warship to be built in India in collaboration with Yarrow Shipbuilders of the United Kingdom

The class and its lead ship, INS Nilgiri are named for the Nilgiri Hills. Subsequent ships in the class are also named for hill ranges of India.

When the Brirish refused to provide license production of the radar suite the Indian Navy tied up with Signaal of the Netherlands to license build in India a similar radar search, tracking and fire control suite which went into the latter 5 ships. Improved versions of the Signaal search radar continues to be fitted in later classes of Indian Navy ships. The last two INS Vindhyagiri and INS Taragiri were modified significantly with the addition of a Seaking ASW helicopter, a collapsibile Canadian hangar, ILAS 324 mm triple torpedo tubes and a Bofors ASW twin barrel mortar in the foc'sle. This re-design was done indigenously by the Indian Navy and gave it much needed experience and confidence in ship design and modification. The last two were also fitted with a indigenously developed ASW fire control action information system which was a first for the Indian electronics industry. This project was led by the late Captain (later Rear Admiral) Prakash N Gour. The British categorically refused to extend their design warranty to the Indian modifications which nevertheless proved to be a success.

The Nilgiri class is being decommissioned by the Navy. At least four ships have been decommissioned and one met with an accident. Only INS Taragiri remains in full commission as of 2011 and is likely to be put into reserve soon with the entry into service of the Shivalik class.

History

The Nilgiri Class frigates served as the mainstay & workhorse of the Indian Navy during the 1980s and early 1990s and they formed the 14th Frigate Squadron. The last two vessels (F41, F42) have more powerful engines than the remainder.

INS Taragiri (F41) had a serious fire in July 1994, but was repaired and was back in active service in 1995. Westinghouse supplied the Indian Navy with ASW sonar systems, two hull mounted arrays and three variable depth sonar arrays which are installed inside towed bodies built by Fathom Ocean Ltd. Transducer elements in both cases are identical. INS Udaygiri (F35) underwent a refit at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. The remaining vessels in the series were expected to have their armaments brought into line with later ships.

INS Himgiri (F34) was used as a trial ship for the indigenous APSOH (Advanced Panoramic Sonar Hull) sonar.

Ships

Name	Pennant	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Comments
INS Nilgiri	F33	23 June 1972	1996	Sunk on 24 April 1997, by a Sea Eagle AShM fired from a Sea Harrier Frs Mk.51 of the Indian Navy.
INS Himgiri	F34	23 November 1974	06 May 2005	The vessel holds the distinction of having the maximum number of days at sea in single commission and was the first to shoot down a pilotless aircraft in 1976. Captain K N Zadu, VrC, (Retd.) who served as her first commanding officer, was the chief guest at the decommissioning ceremony along with Commander Ravneet Singh who served as her last commanding officer.
INS Udaygiri	F35	18 February 1976	24 August 2007[2]
INS Dunagiri	F36	05 May 1977	20 October 2010	Named after one of the Himalayan peaks. Her crest depicts the Osprey, a Himalayan bird and the ship's motto is 'Victory Is My Profession'.
INS Taragiri	F41	16 May 1980		Named after a hill range in Garhwal Himalayas in Northern India.
INS Vindhyagiri	F42	08 July 1981	15 feb 2011 (recovered)	The ship suffered a collision with the MV Nord Lake at Mumbai harbour on 30th January 2011 and sank after a fire on board. No casualties were reported. Being re-floated by TITAN Salvage.

References

1. ^ http://indiannavy.nic.in/frigates_giri.htm
2. ^ 32 years glorious service

External links

• Bharat Rakshak
• Video of INS Dunagiri