The destroyer P15B is also known as the Bravo-class or Visakhapatnam-class destroyer. The Indian Navy received this ship in the month of October, 2021. Mazgaon Dock Limited, Mumbai built this ship.
Highlights
In the year 2011, an agreement was signed between Mazgaon Dock Limited and the Indian Navy to build four Visakhapatnam-class destroyers. The four vessels were Visakhapatnam, Mormugao, Imphal and Porbandar. This is the first ship to be delivered under contract. This was a follow-up project for the Kolkata-class destroyer (Project15A). The main aim was the retiontion of the hull of the Kolkata-class destroyer. Then make changes to the structure. Rs 29,340 crores was the total cost of all the four destroyers agreed upon in the year 2011. However, in the year2020, the cost increased to Rs 35,800 with the addition of sensor packages and weapons.
Design
This ship has several similarities to the Kolkata class and has a displacement of 7400 tons. Indian Navy?s Directorate of Naval Design has designed this ship. To provide line shafts for the ship, Baltic Shipyard of Russia was given a contract. Linear shafts are used to transmit power. Zorya gas turbine installed on the ship was brought from Ukraine. Automated power management system, main switchboard, integrated platform management system, degaussing system and local control panels was provided by Larsen and Toubro.
Weapons Installed
The main indigenous weapons of India are on board the ship. They are Brahmos Surface-to-Surface missiles manufactured by BrahMos Aerospace, New Delhi, Medium Range Surface to Air Missiles, Torpedo Tube launchers manufactured and Anti-submarine indigenous rocket launchers manufactured by Larsen and Toubro as well as Super Rapid Gun Mount manufactured by BHEL located in Haridwar.
Difference between Vishakhapatnam class and Kolkata class
Destroyer P15A and P15B have different equipment. The P15B is armed with a 127mm cannon and the P15A is armed with a 76mm cannon. Sonar moves from the hull (P15A) to the bow (P15B). P15 B has a smaller radar cross section. It also includes a trackless helicopter crossing system to protect helicopters in adverse conditions. It also includes a ship data network, automated power management system and a combat management system and these features are not available on the P15A.
