New Delhi: INS Kamorta is the first indigenous anti-submarine corvette as well as the first indigenous stealth corvette built by India and commissioned into the Navy on 23 August 2014. It is designed and manufactured by GRSE, launched on 19 April 2010.
INS Kamorta is amongst the first of four anti-submarine Kamorta-class stealth corvettes being built for the Indian Navy. It is a significant step towards India's pursuit for self-reliance in indigenous warship building, bringing closer home Indian Navy's quest to be a true Blue-Water Navy with ships and submarines designed and built within the country.
Kamorta was ordered by India in 2003 and was launched on April 21, 2010. It was expected to join the fleet in October 2012 but was handed over to the Navy on July 12, the front line warship was formally handed over by GRSE chairman and managing director Rear Admiral A. K. Verma (Ret'd.) to the Navy at a ceremony in GRSE's fitting-out jetty.
The INS Kamorta was originally expected to be built using high-tensile imported steel. But lapses in imports lead it to be built by indigenously developed special grade high-tensile steel (DMR249A) produced by state-owned Steel Authority of India from its Bhilai Steel Plant.
About 90% of the ship is indigenous and the ship is capable of fighting in NBC conditions.
INS Kamorta has a length of 109 m (358 ft) overall and a beam of 13.7 m (45 ft). The ships displace about 3,100 tonnes (3,400 short tons) at full load. It is powered by four 5,096 hp (3,800 kW) diesel engines at 1,050 rpmΔ]Γ]
The Kamorta is equipped with a wide range of weapon systems. It is fitted with a OTO Melara 76 mm main gun, and uses two AK-630 guns and 16-cell VLS launched Barak 1 missiles as close-in weapon system. In addition, it is fitted with 8 3M54 Klub multi-role missiles, 2 RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers and torpedo tubes.Ε] It is also the first warship to be equipped with the Kavach decoy system for protection against anti-ship missiles.
It is also the first warship manufactured in India with indigenously developed special grade high-tensile steel produced by state-owned Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).
Armed with stealth features, it is the first warship equipped with the new trainable chaff launcher - Kavach.
The hull of the ship encompassed the bulk of sensors and weapon systems that were also indigenously manufactured by various Indian Industries.
