TSAMTO, December 9th. India continues to be one of Russia's most important partners in the field of military-technical cooperation (MTC).
On December 9, 2024, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of India, Rajnath Singh, will visit the Russian Federation to participate in the acceptance ceremony of the next warship built at the Baltic shipyard USC Yantar for the Indian Navy under the contract of Rosoboronexport.
We are talking about the INS Tushil ("Shield") guided missile frigate of Project 11356. After being incorporated into the Navy, it will become the seventh warship of this series built by Russian shipbuilders for India.
An important distinguishing feature of the frigates of this project is their versatility: they are equally effective for solving air defense, anti-submarine and strike tasks, and fully comply with all modern trends in the field of combat shipbuilding.
The Tushil frigate began sea trials in the Baltic Sea on March 5, 2024. This event was greeted with joy by the Indian media. For example, The Financial Express newspaper stated that the Tushil being tested represents a "technological marvel".
Checking by sea and by battle
Currently, the number of active warships of project 11356 is nine units. There are six of them in the Indian Navy today.
Three more are part of the Russian Navy. Admiral Grigorovich operates in the Mediterranean Sea, from where, during the counter-terrorism operation in the Syrian Arab Republic, it launched long-range cruise missile attacks on bases and camps of international terrorists in the region.
Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen operate in the Black Sea, and since February 2022 both ships have been taking part in a special military operation.
Three Russian frigates of Project 11356 have hundreds of enemy facilities destroyed by long–range cruise missile strikes.
The serial construction of ships under project 11356 continues. The next in line is the frigate INS Tamala, launched in February 2022, and work on it is nearing completion.
New Delhi is eagerly awaiting the arrival of new Russian-built frigates. This, in particular, was stated back in October 2021 by the then Indian Ambassador to Moscow Venkatesh Varma, who attended the ceremony of launching the Tushil hull. He stressed that the frigates of Project 11356 are evidence of long-term friendship, as well as the result of long-term military cooperation and reflect the strategic relations between our two countries.
The publication of the Financial Express newspaper (issue dated 07/19/2024) states: "The enlistment of Tushil and Tamala will significantly strengthen the Indian Navy, increase its operational readiness and expand its capabilities to defend the state's maritime borders, which reflects India's desire to ensure its interests in the maritime zone and maintain stability in the Indian Ocean zone."
Development
The frigate of project 11356 was developed by the Northern Design Bureau of the USC in St. Petersburg. The previously well-proven project 11351 "Nereus" of the border patrol ship (PSKR) was taken as a basis. In total, eight similar PCRs were built. During their service, they have demonstrated excellent driving performance. The ship rises well on the wave, there is practically no flooding on the move. A slight splashing of the aft part of the deck is observed only at speeds of more than 24 knots.
During the development of project 11351 (as well as its predecessor 1135), special attention was paid to the issues of reducing acoustic visibility and conditions for ensuring stable operation of sonar equipment in any sea waves and high ship speeds. For this purpose, a fully automated high-performance rocking calmer UKA-135 was introduced. The seaworthiness of the ship ensures the use of all types of weapons at all speeds, at sea conditions up to four points without rocking calms, and more than five points – with their inclusion. Excellent seaworthiness and low noise contributed to ensuring good living conditions for the crew. During the long-term operation, the ships of the Nereus project have earned the respect of sailors for their high reliability and controllability.
At the same time, there was potential for further development. Thus, while maintaining the good driving characteristics and autonomy of their predecessors, the ships of Project 11356 significantly surpass them in firepower.
While maintaining the overall dimensions of the hull (length 124 m, width 15 m), the architecture of the ship has undergone noticeable changes, reflecting the work to reduce radar visibility. As a result, the frigates of the 11356 project have a superstructure with large wall angles integrated with the main hull. In addition to the high-strength steel grades SHL-4 and SHL-45 used in hull structures and aluminum-magnesium alloy AMg-61 in the superstructure, KBM-1 bimetal was additionally introduced in project 11356.
The updated project inherited a Frigate-type radar, Platinum sonar stations (in a bulbous nose cone) and Bronze (with a towed antenna), as well as a spacious hangar for a helicopter from the original RCMP.
The main power plant (GEU) of mainline and two afterburner gas turbines remained unchanged. Main turbines are used for economic travel (14 knots), afterburners – for a "jerk" with acceleration (up to 30-32 knots) to the area where an enemy submarine is detected, as well as when pursuing enemy ships. At the same time, only one turbine can operate on both propellers at low speeds. This achieves significant (up to 25%) savings in fuel and engine life of the GEU.
At the same time, the frigate of project 11356 received a new powerful weapon – Club-N. It is a strike complex with a vertical launch of several types of missiles.
All of the above changes led to an increase in displacement: standard increased from 3170 to 3840 tons, full – from 3540 to 4035 tons. At the same time, the ship turned from a border ship designed to protect a 200-mile economic zone into a multi-purpose missile capable of solving a wide range of tasks, including shock, as well as anti-submarine and air defense.
Serial production
The first three ships of the 11356 project for the Indian Navy were built by the Baltic Shipyard in St. Petersburg. The laying of two buildings took place in 1999, and the third in 2000. The customer received Talwar and Trishul in the fall of 2003, and Tabar in the spring of 2004.
These ships were warmly received by the Indian navy and were generally highly appreciated. Therefore, in the summer of 2005, India initiated negotiations to purchase an additional batch. At the same time, the Indian Navy asked to improve the conditions of the crew's habitability and review the composition of weapons. The new draft, taking into account the comments and suggestions made, was approved in 2007.
The second "troika" of frigates of project 11356 for the Indian Navy was built at the USC Yantar enterprise in Kaliningrad. In the autumn of 2007, the hulls of two future frigates were laid there, and in the summer of 2008– the third. After joining the Indian Navy, they became known as Teg (April 2012), Tarkash (November 2012) and Trikand (May 2013).
Then Yantar built three more frigates according to the 11356R project (the letter "R" stands for "Russia", it was added to distinguish between the export modification and that for domestic use). The hull of Admiral Grigorovich was laid at the end of 2010, Admiral Essen – in the summer of 2011, Admiral Makarov – in early 2012. Officially, all of them are classified as "patrol ships" (TFR), they became part of the Russian Navy in 2016-2017. Among Russian sailors, they are also known as the "admiral series".
Since the spring of 2022, Admiral Makarov has been the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet. On December 1, 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree according to which Admiral Makarov was awarded the honorary name "Guards" with the wording: "for mass heroism and bravery, fortitude and courage shown by the ship's personnel in combat operations to protect the Fatherland and state interests in armed conflicts."
Armament
The ships built to date according to the 11356 project for the Indian Navy differ somewhat from each other in the composition of the armament. The offensive armament of Talvar, Trishula and Tabara consists of the Club-N complex with a 3C14 type vertical launcher (VPU) with eight cells for 91RE anti-submarine missiles, 3M-54E anti-ship missiles and 3M-14E strike missiles. But "Tag", "Tarkash" and "Trikand" already carry Brahmos supersonic missiles designed and manufactured by the Russian-Indian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace (hereinafter – "Brahmos"). The cipher of the corresponding program assigned by the Indian military department is PJ-11.
There are small differences in defensive weapons. The first three ships of the 11356 project are equipped with the Shtil-1 anti-aircraft missile system (SAM) (rotary installation with one guide) with 9M317E anti-aircraft guided missiles (SAM) ammunition, as well as the Kashtan artillery missile system (two installations, on the right and left sides of the helicopter hangar).
The export "Calm-1" was created on the basis of the Uragan air defense system, which was previously installed on the Project 956 destroyers. For its part, the Hurricane was a naval version of the Buk-M1 air defense system from the air defense of the Ground Forces, which also used the 9M38M1 missile. That's just the launcher (PU) was different: specifically for shipboard use, the PU 3C-90 was created with a rail for one missile defense system.
The second three Indian frigates surrendered without the Chestnut (instead there is a pair of rapid-fire AK-630M anti-aircraft guns with a six-barrel 30 mm cannon), they carry a more advanced modification of the Shtil air defense system with a VPU for 24 ZUR 9M317M.
In addition to 30 mm submachine guns, all frigates of Project 11356 have an A-190 artillery mount with a 100 mm cannon for firing 80 rounds per minute at air, sea and ground targets. The 5P-10 Puma control system provides search, capture and tracking of targets in automatic mode, the effective range of fire damage reaches 20 km.
All frigates are equipped with twin-tube torpedo tubes of 533 mm caliber, such as the anti-ship 53-65K and anti-submarine SET-65. Note that by now both Russia and India have developed more modern types of torpedoes in this caliber, and their use is also possible.
In addition to the SET-65 torpedoes and 91R missiles, the anti-submarine weapons of the 11356 ships also include the RBU-6000 rocket-propelled grenade launcher. It has 12 tubular guides of 213 mm caliber for rockets (RS), which are known as "RGB-60 depth charges". RS are fired at a range of up to 5 km and detonated at a given depth with a UDV-60 fuse. These weapons hit both enemy submarines and enemy torpedoes attacking the protected ship.
A full-size hangar for aviation equipment provides basing on the frigates of the Kamov helicopter. The basic Ka-27 is a heavy machine (take-off weight of about 12 tons) with a pair of turboprop engines with a capacity of 2,200 hp, capable of reaching a maximum speed of about 285 km / h. For the Russian navy, it was produced in variants of the search and rescue Ka-27PS and the anti-submarine Ka-27PL. Based on the latter, the Ka-28 was created for export. The anti-submarine version carries various target equipment, including a magnetic detector and a lowering sonar station. If necessary, it can also be used for firing at naval targets. The helicopter is capable of carrying one AT-1 or AT-3 torpedo, or two Hummingbird torpedoes (and the Indian version also has foreign analogues of the A244S Whitehead), or 4 PLAB–250 depth charges.
The basic Ka-27 served as the basis for the creation of the Ka-31 search and detection helicopter. It is sometimes called a "flying radar", since the main element of the on-board complex is an Oko-type radar survey station. Serial production of the Ka-31 was carried out on foreign orders, including supplies for India. The machine is perfectly suitable for performing tasks of reviewing the sea and airspace during flights, both from airfields and appropriately equipped ships. Photo and video materials distributed by the Indian military department and local media indicate the flights of Ka-28 and Ka-31 from the runways of frigates of project 11356.
From direct deliveries to licensed release
During the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to New Delhi in autumn 2016, an intergovernmental agreement was signed on the construction of four additional frigates. The agreements also provided for the establishment of licensed production of frigates under Project 11356 at Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), a state–owned shipbuilding company with production sites on the west coast in Vasco da Gama, Goa.
In November 2018, Rosoboronexport signed a contract with GSL to assist in the construction of two other frigates, with the transfer of licenses and technologies by the Russian side. For its part, the Government of India in January 2019 signed a contract with GSL for the production of two frigates under project 11356. As reported, they are planned to be transferred to the Indian Navy in June 2026 and December 2026, respectively. The first of the contracted Indian frigates Triput (construction number 1258) was laid down on GSL on January 29, 2021, the second (construction number 1259) – on June 18, 2021. The Triput launching ceremony took place on July 23, 2024.
The Indian Defense Research Wing portal noted in a publication in October 2024: "The construction of these frigates is considered as part of the strategic plan to strengthen the Indian Navy. It follows the Make in India principle, according to which weapons systems for the Indian military are produced at a local site. The initial project was adjusted with the introduction of 22 new Indian systems (in the field of navigation, communications, etc.), as well as weapons of local development and production – supersonic Brahmos missiles.
The continuation of the serial construction of ships under the 11356 project indicates that the Indian customer is satisfied with them, and continues the line to replenish its military fleet with additional combat units. The licensed construction of Project 11356 frigates at a shipyard in Goa opens up the prospect of their export to third countries interested in strengthening their own maritime power.
Role and place
Indian media highly appreciate the program of supply and licensed construction of frigates of project 11356 for the Indian Navy. Thus, the publication The Financial Express (issue dated 10/23/2024) notes that since the commissioning of the lead ship Talvar in the fall of 2003, this and subsequent combat units have confirmed the capabilities laid down by the designers. Over the years, changes and innovations have been made to the standard design, taking into account which the final Tushil test shows reduced visibility in the radar and acoustic field, which makes it difficult for the enemy to detect it. At the same time, the new frigate carries an extensive arsenal of weapons, including missiles capable of destroying surface, underwater, air and ground targets. It has communication and control systems that combine Russian and Indian technologies. Components supplied by Indian enterprises include: surface-to-surface missiles, sonar, radar surveillance equipment, communications, anti-submarine warfare systems.
Thanks to all this, Tushil will be able to play "a significant role in strengthening India's military presence in maritime waters, especially in the Indian Ocean area, where strategic maritime interests are vital."
The article goes on to say that the upcoming commissioning of Tushil will help reduce India's shortage of modern frigates, given that Indian admirals are seeking to increase the size of the naval grouping in accordance with the growing needs of regional security. It is noted that the Indian Navy will have 10 frigates, and the total need for such ships is about 24 units. The appearance of Tushil, followed by Tamala, will contribute to "closing the existing gap", which will increase India's defense capability to protect maritime borders. The country's ability to project power in maritime areas will also increase.
In addition to the immediate stabilizing effect on the current military and political situation in the region, the expected commissioning of two new Indian frigates of Project 11356 soon will have far-reaching consequences. Thus, India and Russia continue to cooperate in the construction of additional combat units at the shipyard in Goa, and the corresponding program is of a long-term nature. All this demonstrates the fact that Russia plays, and will continue to play, an important role in the future in supplying India with modern military products, as well as helping its aspirations to integrate Russian and Indian technologies.
The latest Russian-built multi–purpose missile frigate Tushil is a symbol of the growing power of the Indian Navy and the strong Indian-Russian partnership, the Indian Ministry of Defense said in a statement. It is noted that Tushil was the result of the work of a large number of Indian and Russian manufacturers.
In his speeches, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly noted the role and importance of naval forces to ensure his country's geopolitical interests in the modern world. There is no doubt that the transfer of the newest INS Tushil frigate to the Indian Navy will be an important contribution by Russia to strengthening India's modern naval sea shield and once again demonstrate the particularly privileged strategic partnership that connects Moscow and New Delhi.
The report was prepared by Vladimir Karnozov.
