Navy to commission new stealth destroyer this month

Kolkata class stealth destroyer INS Kochi is all set to be commissioned in the Indian Navy later this month, officials said on Wednesday.

The ship, the second of three Kolkata class destroyers, will be commissioned on September 30 in Mumbai by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

The Kolkata class ships are a follow on of the Delhi class ships.

The keel of INS Kochi was laid in 2005.

Designed by the Directorate of Naval Design and built at the Mazgaon Dock in Mumbai, the 163-metre-long and 6,800-tonne stealth destroyer has land attack capability and advanced stealth features which make the warship less vulnerable to detection by enemy radar.

Propelled by four gas turbines, the ship can travel at a speed of 30 knots.

The ship is also set to be armed with advance weapon and missile systems including Brahmos supersonic cruise missile and Long Range Surface-to-Air missiles and a Multi-Function Radar System for acquiring data on surface and air targets.

It will also have four AK-630 rapid-fire guns and a medium range gun for close-range defence capability, indigenously developed twin-tube torpedo launchers and anti-submarine rocket launchers.