INS Visakhapatnam, stealth destroyer of Indian Navy launched

Indian Navy’s new stealth destroyer named INS Visakhapatnam was launched on 20 April 2015 at the Mazgaon Docks Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Visakhapatnam is the Kolkata-class warship and the first of P15-B stealth destroyers which is designed indigenously and fitted with advanced features. It is the largest destroyer commissioned in India.
Features of INS Visakhapatnam

• The ship is designed by the Directorate of Naval Design, Indian Navy’s in-house design organization and made of entirely of Indian steel.
• It is 163-metre-long vessel and weighs approximately 3,000 tons.
• Propelled by four gas turbines, and capable to achieve maximum speed of over 30 knots at a displacement of approximately 7,300 tons.
• Fitted with state-of-the-art weapons, advance Action Information System (AIS), Integrated Platform Management system (IPMS), sophisticated Power Distribution System (PDS) and a Combat Management System.
• Also equipped with the Israeli Multi-Function Surveillance Threat Alert Radar (MF-STAR). MF-STAR will provide it with targeting information to 32 Barak 8 long-range surface-to-air missiles on board the warship. It will also be carrying 8 BrahMos missiles.
• It has four 30 mm rapid-fire guns which will provide the ship with close-in-defence capability and also has an MR gun that will enable ship to provide effective naval gunfire support.

Month: Current Affairs - April, 2015