India's Russian-built frigate completes sea trials

Moscow, April 18 (IANS/RIA Novosti) The last in a series of three frigates that Russia is building for India at the Yantar shipyard in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad has completed sea trials, a shipyard spokesperson said Wednesday.

The Trikand frigate carried out workup trials March 14 and was cleared for final state trials April 4, which started April 8, spokesman Sergei Mikhailov said.

Earlier Wednesday, the frigate effectively engaged a target flying at 50 metres above the sea level with its surface-to-air missile system, he added.

The frigate's Indian crew are to complete their onboard training practice within the next several days and then it will return to the shipyard for a final inspection.

The frigate is due to be handed over to the Indian Navy this June, Mikhailov said.

Russia and India signed a $1.6 billion contract on the construction of three modified Krivak III class (also known as Talwar class) guided missile frigates for India in 2006.

The first frigate, INS Teg, joined the Indian Navy April 27, 2012, and the second, The Tarkash, arrived at the port of Mumbai in India December 30, 2012. The frigates are each armed with eight BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

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