Global InformationList of destroyer classes of the Indian Navy information
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast, manoueverable, long-distance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, short-range attackers.[1][2] Seventeen destroyers have served, or currently serve, in the Indian Navy. The navy operates 11 guided-missile destroyers from three classes: Kolkata class, Delhi class, and Rajput class.[3] Six other destroyers (three R class and three Hunt class) have been decommissioned and scrapped.[4][5]
India did not have any destroyers of its own until 1949.[4] The R-class INS Ranjit, built in the United Kingdom, was the first destroyer commissioned in the Indian Navy.[6] Two more of the R-class were later commissioned.[4] Three Hunt-class destroyers were commissioned in 1953 to succeed the R-class destroyers.[5] These ships (all of which were built in the United Kingdom) were decommissioned by 1976, with the Hunt-class INS Godavari the last.[7][8][9]
During the 1980s, India signed an agreement with the Soviet Union for five guided-missile destroyers, built as the Rajput class.[10] The first ship -(INS Rajput - was commissioned on 30 September 1980. Four of the five Rajput-class are still in active service, Ranjit was decommissioned in 2019.[11][12] The Rajput class was succeeded by the Delhi class, with INS Delhi, Mysore and Mumbai commissioned in 1997, 1999 and 2001 respectively.[13] The Delhi-class destroyers, built in India,[13] were succeeded by the Kolkata-class in 2014.[14] The three Kolkata-class ships were commissioned in 2014–2016, with INS Chennai being the last.[15] An improvement of the Kolkata-class, INS Visakhapatnam (part of the Visakhapatnam class), was commissioned in 2021. The second ship, INS Mormugao was commissioned in 2022. Two more vessels are planned as part of the Visakhapatnam class, and are under various stages of construction.[16]
- ^ "Definition of destroyer". Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "Definition of Destroyer". Merriam Webster. Archived from the original on 9 August 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
- ^ "Surface Ships". Indian Navy. Ministry of Defence, Government of India. Archived from the original on 24 July 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
- ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference
R-Classwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Mason, Geoffrey B (12 August 2011). "Hunt class Escort Destroyers - General Information". Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War 2. Naval-History.net. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
HMS ROTHERHAM (H 09) INS Rajputwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
ORP Slazak, Polish escort destroyer, ex-HMS Bedale; INS Godavariwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
HMS Lamerton, escort destroyer; INS Gomatiwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
HMS Chiddingfold, escort destroyer; INS Gangawas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Rajput Class Guided-Missile Destroyer | Military-Today.comwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
ranjit-decowas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
Rajput Classwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Saunders 2016, p. 344.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Kolkata Class Guided Missile Destroyerswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Project 15B Improved Kolkata Class Destroyer". GlobalSecurity.org. Archived from the original on 3 October 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2016.