Delhi-class destroyer
The Delhi-class destroyers are guided-missile destroyers of the Indian Navy. Three ships of this class are in active service.
The Delhi-class vessels are the third-largest warships to be fully designed and built in India, after the Kolkata-class destroyers and the Shivalik-class frigates. They were built at Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai.
Development
The development of the ship began as "Project 15" in 1977. The ships were designed indigenously and built by Mazagon Docks Limited (MDL) at a cost of Rs 7 Billion each.
The Delhi class has both Soviet and Western design influences, incorporating elements of the Sovremenny, Rajput and Kashin-II-class destroyers, and the Godavari-class frigate.
These vessels are fully fitted with flag facilities. The Delhi class is also capable of operating in a NBC environment. Radar cross-section reduction is presumed to be minimal, to the extent that some sharp angles have been flattened.
In the main air defence role, a pair of 2 3S-90 launchers – one installed forward of the bridge and the other atop the dual helicopter hangar – are fitted with the Shtil SAM system. The Shtil system consists of the Russian Shtil missile and 24 such missiles are carried in a below-decks magazine. The launchers elevate up to 70° but have a limited firing arc of 30° within the centreline. The launcher groups require a crew of 20 men and weigh about 50 tons.