Russian frigates to give India the edge

By Vladimir Radyuhin

MOSCOW, MAY 26. The high-tech stealth frigates being built in Russia for the Indian Navy would give India a decisive edge over Pakistan in the high seas, a Russian defence analyst said.

``With the induction of three Project 11356 frigates India will be able to handle a wide range of tasks both in coastal combat and in the high seas, including the task of neutralising potential threats from Pakistan,'' said Mr. Igor Korotchenya, defence correspondent of the influential Nezavisimaya Gazeta daily.

The third frigate, `Tabar, was launched in St. Petersburg on Friday, while the first two, `Talwar' and `Trishul' will be commissioned next year.

The 4,000-ton frigates' advanced armaments, including Klub-N missiles will ``effectively cancel out Pakistan's ambitious programme of submarine build-up,'' the Russian analyst said.

A Project 11356 frigate is 100 per cent capable of destroying Pakistan's latest Agousta submarines before they can even approach within it within the hit range of their torpedoes.

The vertical-launch Klub missile system uses two types of anti- ship supersonic cruise missiles with a range of 220 and 300 kms respectively, as well as an anti-submarine ballistic missile with a range of 40 kms.

The Russian-built frigates will be able to shoot down Pakistan's Exocet missiles as well. Each frigate will be armed two `Kashtan' rocket-cum-artillery guns, effective against high- precision anti-ship missiles, and the `Shtil-1' multiple-barrel rocket system against massive aerial attacks.

The men-of-war also feature 100-mm A-190 automatic guns firing 80 rounds per minute and effective against aerial, seaborne and land-based targets. Each frigate can accommodate a KA-28 anti- submarine warfare helicopter or a KA-31 reconnaissance copter. ``In a classic encounter one Project 11356 frigate can destroy a convoy of Pakistani surface warships using its on board armaments,'' the Russian defence analyst said.

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Section  : International
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