The first indigenously built stealth Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Corvette ‘INS Kamorta’, built by M/s Garden Reach Shipyard (GRSE), Kolkata, is scheduled to be commissioned at Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam, on Saturday, 23 August 2014.
Kamorta is the first of four ASW stealth corvettes designed by Indian Navy’s in-house organization, Directorate of Naval Design (DND) and built by the GRSE under Project 28. The ship’s production commenced on 1 March 2006 and the new ‘Kamorta’ was launched on 19 April 2010. Her maiden sea trials commenced in June 2013 and she was handed over to the Indian Navy by the Shipbuilders on 12 July 2014.
Kamorta has been constructed using high grade steel (DMR 249A) produced in India. With a displacement of about 3500 tonnes, the ship spans about 110 meters in length and 14 meters at the beam. The ship’s propulsion system consists of two Diesel Engines to achieve a maximum speed of 25 knots and an endurance of about 3500 nautical miles. Enhanced stealth features incorporating ‘X’ form of Hull, full beam superstructure, inclined ship-sides and use of Infra Red Signature Suppression (IRSS) make her less susceptible to detection.
The ship is manned by a crew comprising 13 officers and 173 sailors with Commander Manoj Jha as her first Commanding Officer. Upon commissioning on 23 August 2014, the ship would become an integral part of the Eastern Fleet under the Eastern Naval Command.