Indian Military News, Reports, Data, etc.
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kwaigonegin
Colonel
I could be wrong but don't think it has gone on sea trails yet.. latest research says the Barak 8 is the reason why.. they still have to iron out some of kinks with the missile systems. The ships themselves are pretty much done just have to wait for the weapon systems and also the crew training etc.
These are older pictures obviously but unfortunately the ships are still there at this time AFAIK.
The ships themselves look impressive but I can't help but wonder the surrounding buildings and structures is quite antiquated and the entire place just looks very unimpressive and unkept. Is that a giant pile of trash in front of the building?
I am not sure, but isn't that the 1st Project 15B vessel, the INS Bengaluru, D66.Here is a update on the Kolkata class DDG. These pictures where taken on march of this year of one of the Kolkata class DDG's.
The first three, that we have seen in so many pictures and which are pretty much structurally complete, are waiting for their new missiles systems I believe.
They are all Project 15A Kolkatas.
The follow on class (the "B") is already being constructed and that may be the first of those.
plawolf
Lieutenant General
If its just the missiles they are waiting on, why not get those ships finished with temporary covers for the VLS spaces so the crews can start training on them and ironing out all the kinks and bugs that are bound to show up?
Just leaving three ships half built tied up at pier is just a bad call. Those ships are just a waste of space right now, even more so with the B version already in advanced stage of building. Had they put the As out to sea as soon as possible without their missiles, they could have had fully trained up crews ready to take the first B models out to sea once they are complete. The As themselves could have gone back to the yard at that time, when hopefully the missiles would be ready and can be finally installed. The operational experience from the As could also have benefited the Bs, so many issues and problems could have been addressed during construction of the B models rather than the ships having to go into refit to address them.
Just leaving three ships half built tied up at pier is just a bad call. Those ships are just a waste of space right now, even more so with the B version already in advanced stage of building. Had they put the As out to sea as soon as possible without their missiles, they could have had fully trained up crews ready to take the first B models out to sea once they are complete. The As themselves could have gone back to the yard at that time, when hopefully the missiles would be ready and can be finally installed. The operational experience from the As could also have benefited the Bs, so many issues and problems could have been addressed during construction of the B models rather than the ships having to go into refit to address them.
I do not think so, I believe the 15Bs haven't even been launched yet (I'm not even sure if their steel is cut).
Besides supposedly the 15As should have began their sea trials last year but we've had no pictures for about a year till these couple. Something smells delayed
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Yes something is definitely off. If you look at the main mast, the Israeli AESA is not even installed. That bodes badly for how far the rest of the ship is progressing which we cannot see. For the Indian navy's sake I hope this is their third launched Kolkata and not first...
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This is how they looked (all three) a year ago:
The 1st is in the middle with the main gun on, and the mast for the AESA structurally complete. The second is to the right, with mast also structurally complete, but lacking the main gun. The third is to the left, with the mast not complete.
Given that it has been a year, it is hard to tell which ship the new pic is of, but since I see no other Kolkata behind it, if it is a 15A vessel, I would call it the 3rd. There will only be three 15A vessels.
The problem I have is that behind the vessel in the new pic, there is a fairly large warehouse towards the front of the vessel that does not appear in the other picture shown for any of the vessels. That's why I wonder it is a 15B vessel.
I think this drydock/port is different to the picture from last year however. I think this could be any one of the three Kolkatas as it has moved from its old place.
Supposedly the first Kolkata should have been commissioned last year but we've had no news or pictures.
I think the difference in background could be because the ship has moved.
I highly doubt that is 15B, considering the past/present state of Indian shipbuilding and the fact that 15B's steel hasn't even been cut last I heard (meaning they would've had to be remarkably efficient to have put together such a complete ship in the water for fitting out).
I'm also fairly certain 15B is still on paper at this moment, as it's supposed to feature numerous "next generation" weapons such as the enhanced Barak 8 ER or whatever it's called, as well as the hypersonic brahmos 2, and to put a ship in the water while its systems are still in the early stages of development is a recipe for disaster.
I'd very much like to know the present status of the kolkata programme, but I won't be surprised if its' been much delayed, considering the complexity of this ship, the numerous different subsystems to be integrated on and the project management of other such high profile projects by the Indian military industrial complex.
asif iqbal
Banned Idiot
1st of the 4 Kolkata Class have certainly not been laid yet, it's name and pennant has been advertised with quotes from a few outlets saying its under construction which it isn't
The three Kolkata Class 15A are not yet commissioned and if it's lucky the first one might get commissioned next year
15B will likely start 2015 and of the past is anything to go by a ten year lead time states that it won't be commissioned until 2025 or 2023 all going to plan
The problem is the sporadic construction schedule and mis-management of the projects, I think the Navy once again has changed its requirements and Barak system is now waiting to be integrated, that can be 1 month or 1 year we will only know when we see it doing sea trials and commissioning
The three Kolkata Class 15A are not yet commissioned and if it's lucky the first one might get commissioned next year
15B will likely start 2015 and of the past is anything to go by a ten year lead time states that it won't be commissioned until 2025 or 2023 all going to plan
The problem is the sporadic construction schedule and mis-management of the projects, I think the Navy once again has changed its requirements and Barak system is now waiting to be integrated, that can be 1 month or 1 year we will only know when we see it doing sea trials and commissioning
Good point. Could very well be.
I tend to agree.
Well, I expect the 1st in class, if they make up their mind on the missiles, could be launched and in trials late this year or early next. They really need to do this. If that occurs, I expect the other two to follow a year at a time.
So they may commission the Kolkata in 2015, and have the other two commissioned by 2017. I would expect at that point that the construction on the 1st Project 15B may have started.