Pondicherry-class minesweeper

The Pondicherry class are a class of minesweepers built for the Indian Navy by the Soviet Union. They are modified versions of the Natya-class minesweeper. The vessels were acquired in two batches. The first were purchased from 1977 to 1980 and the second from 1986 to 1988. Technically, the second batch is referred to as the Karwar class but are physically identical to the first batch with the exception of additional surface-to-air missiles. As minesweepers, they are large and heavily armed. They can serve a dual purpose as an anti-submarine warfare escort. Their hulls are constructed of U3 low magnetic signature steel.

INS Kozhikode
Class overview
Name: Pondicherry class
Operators:  Indian Navy
Succeeded by: Future Indian minehunter class
Subclasses: Karwar class
In commission: 1978-2019
Completed: 12
Retired: 12
General characteristics
Type: Minesweeper
Displacement: 877 long tons (891 t) full load
Length: 61 m (200 ft 2 in)
Beam: 10.2 m (33 ft 6 in)
Draft: 2.7 m (8 ft 10 in)
Propulsion: 2 × M-503B diesels, 2 shafts, 5,000 bhp (3,700 kW)
Speed: 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Range:
  • 4,000 nmi (7,400 km) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
  • 3,000 nmi (5,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement: 10 officers, 72 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • Sonar:
  • MG-69/79 High frequency, hull mounted, active mine detection
  • Radar:
  • Don 2 I-band air/surface
  • 2 × Square Head - High Pole B IFF
  • MR-104 Drum Tilt H/I-band fire control
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • Minesweeping:
  • AT-2 acoustic sweep
  • GKT-2 contact sweep
  • TEM-3 magnetic sweep
Armament:
  • 4 × 30 mm (2×2) guns
  • 4 × 25 mm (2×2) AA
  • 2 × RBU 1200 5-tubed ASW rocket
  • 10 mines
  • M67–M72 also have 2 × SA-N-5 SAM, 16 Grail missiles

M61–M66 were based at Mumbai formed the 19 Mine Countermeasures Squadron (MCMS) and were decommissioned by the March 2015.[1] M67–M72 are based at Visakhapatnam and form the 21 Mine Countermeasures Squadron (MCMS).[2]

INS Konkan suffered minor fire accident in Vizag dry dock on 4 December 2013. She was operational by January 2014.[3] INS Kozhikode was the last ship in the series to be decommissioned on 13 April 2019.[4]

Ships
 Name   Pennant   Commissioned   Decommissioned   Status  Homeport
Flight I : Pondicherry class
Pondicherry M 61 2 February 1978 5 October 2007 Decommissioned Mumbai
Porbander M 62 19 December 1977 Decommissioned 2007
Bedi M 63 27 April 1979 22 September 2009[1]
Bhavnagar M 64 27 April 1979 26 December 2009[5]
Alleppey M 65 10 June 1980 13 March 2015[6]
Ratnagiri M 66 10 June 1980 22 May 2012[7]
Flight II : Karwar class[8][9]
Karwar M 67 14 July 1986 9 May 2017[10] Decommissioned Visakhapatnam[8]
Cannanore M 68 17 December 1987 23 March 2018[11]
Cuddalore M 69 29 October 1987 23 March 2018[11]
Kakinada M 70 23 December 1986 9 May 2017[10]
Kozhikode M 71 19 December 1988 13 April 2019[4]
Konkan M 72 8 October 1988 23 March 2018[11]

See also

References
  1. "Indian Naval ship INS Bedi decommissioned". Zee News. 22 September 2009. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  2. "INS Cannanore celebrates a landmark with host of events - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  3. "Navy begins course-correction, orders inquiry and acts against its senior officers". India Today. 25 January 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  4. "Grand 'send-off' to Indian Naval Ship Kozhikode". Deccan Chronicle. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  5. "INS Bhavnagar Decommissioned". www.daijiworld.com. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  6. "INS Alleppey to be decommissioned on March 13 | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". dna. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  7. "The INS Ratnagiri (M66), a Mine Warfare Ships, will be de-commissioned at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on May 22. The decommissioning of INS Ratnagiri is scheduled at 6pm in the presence of the Rear Admiral Kumar Verma, Flag Officer Commanding Maharashtra and Gujarat Naval Area will be the Chief Guest for the ceremony. Defence officials said that INS Ratnagiri was commissioned in Mumbai in the year April 1988. -- - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  8. "INS Alleppey – Pondicherry Class Mine sweeper decommissioned. - Guru Mavin". Guru Mavin. Archived from the original on 21 January 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  9. "Karwar Class | Indian Navy". indiannavy.nic.in. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  10. "SpokespersonNavy on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
  11. "Three minesweepers decommissioned by Indian Navy". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.

https://www.indiannavy.nic.in/content/decommissioning-indian-naval-ships-konkan-cannanore-and-cuddalore

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