Arnala-class corvette

Arnala class was an Indian designation for the Petya III-class vessels of the Indian Navy.[1]

Class overview
NameArnala-class corvettes
Operators Indian Navy
Preceded byBathurst class
Succeeded byAbhay class
In commission1968–2003
Planned11
Completed11
Lost1
Retired10
General characteristics
TypeAnti-submarine corvette
Displacement
  • 950 tons (standard)
  • 1,150 tons (full load)
Length81.8 m (268 ft 4 in)
Beam9.2 m (30 ft 2 in)
Draught2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
Propulsion
  • 2 shaft CODAG,
  • 2 gas turbines - 30,000 hp
  • 1 diesel - 6,000 hp (4,500 kW)
Speed30 knots (56 km/h)
Range
  • 4,870 nmi (9,020 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h)
  • 450 nmi (830 km) at 30 knots (56 km/h)
Complement90
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar: Don-2, Slim Net, Hawk Screech
  • Sonar: Herkules hull-mounted & dipping active sonar
Armament
  • 4 76mm guns (2 × 2)
  • 4 RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers
  • 3 533mm torpedo tubes
  • Depth charges, mines

Although these vessels were classified as frigates in the Soviet Navy, they were classified by the Indian Navy as anti-submarine corvettes due to their role and smaller size. Vessels of the class were named for Indian islands.

Operational history

INS Kiltan (P79) and INS Katchall (P81) were part of the task force for Operation Trident during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.[2][3]

The hulls of this class were of relatively inferior quality, requiring the vessels to undergo major refit every 5 years. The Indian Navy constructed the Naval Dockyard at Visakhapatnam, primarily to service Russian vessels. But given the lack of engineering support from Russia there were inordinate delays in completing the servicing facility. This resulted in considerable delay of the second refit for INS Andaman (P74), which was in poor repair and subsequently was lost at sea in storm conditions, 140 miles (230 km) east of Visakhapatnam on 21 August 1990.[4]

Vessels

The corvettes of this class constituted the 31st Patrol Vessel Squadron of the Eastern Naval Command and the 32nd Patrol Vessel Squadron of the Western Naval Command.[5]

Name Pennant Builder Commissioned Decommissioned Fate
ArnalaP6829 June 19729 April 1999
AndrothP6930 June 19729 April 1999
AnjadipP7323 December 197213 December 2003
AndamanP7428 December 1973Storm 22 August 1990
AminiP7512 December 197416 September 2002
KamortaP7721 November 196831 October 1991
KadmattP7823 December 196830 November 1992
KiltanP7930 October 196930 June 1987
KavarattiP8023 December 196931 July 1986
KatchallP8123 December 196931 December 1988
AmindiviP831986–1988

References
  1. "P68 Arnala Class". GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  2. "Trident, Grandslam and Python: Attacks on Karachi". Archived from the original on 26 September 2009.
  3. Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani (2000). Transition to Triumph: History of the Indian Navy, 1965-1975. Lancer Publishers & Distributors. p. 187. ISBN 9781897829721. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  4. Gulab Mohanlal Hiranandani. Transition to Eminence: The Indian Navy 1976-1990. Lancer Publishers & Distributors. p. 243. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
  5. "Petya II Class". Bharat Rakshak. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
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