The Nilgiri class frigates of the Indian Navy are updated versions of
the Leander class, designed and built for the Indian Navy by Mazagon
Dock Limited in Mumbai. Six ships have been built between 1972-81. The
last two vessels (F41, F42) have more powerful engines than the
remainder. Vessels of the class form the 14th Frigate
Squadron. The Nilgiri class and its lead ship,
INS Nilgiri are all named
for the Nilgiri Hills. Subsequent ships of the class are also named for
hill ranges of India. The Nilgiri class will be decommissioned by the
Navy. Four ships from the class have been decommissioned, with the
remainder being used primarily for training and testing roles. These
will be decommissioned by 2009-10, once the Shivalik class vessels enter
service.
The Nilgiri Class frigates served as the mainstay & workhorse of the
Indian Navy during the 1980s and early 1990s and they formed the 14th Frigate
Squadron. The last two vessels (F41, F42) have more powerful engines
than the remainder. INS Taragiri (F41) had a serious fire in July 1994,
but was repaired and was back in active service in 1995. Westinghouse
supplied the Indian Navy
with ASW sonar systems, two hull mounted arrays
and three visible depth sonar arrays which are installed inside towed
bodies built by Fathom Ocean Ltd. Transducer elements in both cases are
identical. INS Udaygiri (F35) underwent a refit at Naval Dockyard,
Mumbai. The remaining vessels in the series were expected to have their
armaments brought into line with later ships.
INS Himgiri (F34) was used as a trial ship for the indigenous APSOH (Advanced Panoramic Sonar Hull) sonar.
Name | Pennant | Commissoned | Decommissioned | Comments |
INS Nilgiri | F33 | 23rd June 1972 | 1996 | Sunk on 24 April 1997, by a Sea Eagle AShM fired from a Sea Harrier Frs Mk.51 of the Indian Navy from INS Viraat. |
INS Himgiri | F34 | 23 November 1974 | 06 May 2005 | The vessel holds the distinction of having the maximum number of days at sea in single commission and was the first to shoot down a pilotless aircraft in 1976. Captain K N Zadu, VrC, (Retd.) who served as her first commanding officer, was the chief guest at the decommissioning ceremony along with Commander Ravneet Singh who served as her last commanding officer. |
INS Udaygiri | F35 | 18 February 1976 | 24 August 2007 | |
INS Dunagiri | F36 | 5 May 1977 | Named after one of the Himalayan peaks. Her crest depicts the Osprey, a Himalayan bird and the ship's motto is 'Victory Is My Profession'. On 27 September 2006 INS Dunagiri collided with a merchant vessel, MV Kiti, 30 nautical miles off the Mumbai coast. The vessel was returning to port after a joint navy-air force exercise practicing the defending of coast of Gujarat ended ahead of schedule as a result of a cyclone warning, when it rammed into a merchant vessel MV Kiti. The merchant vessel, which was en route to Colombo,Sri Lanka, apparently misread the navigational line of INS Dunagiri. The incident, which happened on the busy fishing lanes off Mumbai left bow of INS Dunagiri damaged and she was dry-docked for repairs. Commander Atul Nag, the commanding officer of INS Dunagiri, was questioned in the incident and a Board of Inquiry was set up to determine the cause of the accident.Westinghouse supplied the Indian Navy with ASW sonar systems, these include two hull mounted arrays and three visible depth sonar arrays which are installed inside towed bodies built by Fathom Ocean Ltd. Transducer elements in both cases are identical. The Udaygiri has underwent a refit at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. The remaining vessels in the series were expected to have their armaments brought into line with later ships. It has not been reliably confirmed through official channels, whether this has actually occurred. | |
INS Taragiri | F41 | 16 May 1980 | Named after a hill range in Garhwal Himalayas in Northern India. INS Taragiri had a serious fire in July 1994, but was repaired and was back in active service in 1995. | |
INS Vindhyagiri | F42 | 08 July 1981 |
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