INS Kamorta (P28)

INS Kamorta is the first of four anti-submarine Kamorta-class stealth corvettes which has been built for the Indian Navy. It is a significant step towards India's pursuit for self-reliance in indigenous warship building, bringing closer home Indian Navy's quest to be a true Blue-Water Navy with ships and submarines designed and built within the country. She was designed and manufactured by GRSE, launched on 19 April 2010, as part of Project 28, approved in 2003. As in INS Shivalik, high-grade steel produced in India was utilized for its construction. She was delivered to Navy on 12 July 2014. She is the first indigenous anti-submarine corvette as well as the first indigenous stealth corvette built by India. She has enhanced stealth features such as an X Form Hull and inclined sides for low Radar cross-section, Infra-red suppression, and Acoustic quieting systems. Union minister of defense, Arun Jaitley commissioned the ship on 23 August 2014. It was named after Kamorta island in Nicobar islands, India.

Design and Description
The INS Kamorta was originally expected to be built using high-tensile imported steel. But lapses in imports lead it to be built by indigenously developed special grade high-tensile steel (DMR249A) produced by state-owned Steel Authority of India from its Bhilai Steel Plant. The ships employs very low under water voice signature and radar cross-section due to its ‘X’ form of hull and superstructure. She is the first Indian Navy ship to be built with carbon fiber reinforced plastic which reduces weight and life cycle maintenance costs. The hull of the ship encompassed the bulk of sensors and weapon systems that were also indigenously manufactured by various Indian industries. It is the first indigenous anti-submarine corvette as well as the first indigenous stealth corvette built by India. About 90% of the ship is indigenous and the ship is capable of fighting in NBC conditions. It is equipped with a rail-less helo traversing system which is used for handling a helicopter. It also features a foldable hangar door.

General characteristics and propulsion
INS Kamorta will have a length of 109 m overall and a beam of 13.7 m. The ships displace about 3,500 t at full load. It is powered by four 5,096 hp diesel engines at 1,050 rpm

It uses four Pielstick 12 PA6 STC diesel engines in CODAD configuration and is propelled two two-shaft, controllable-pitch propellers which allow the ship to reach a top speed of 32 kn. It will have a complement of about 180 sailors and 15 officers excluding flight crew for the integral ASW helicopter and an endurance of 4,000 nmi.

Armament
The Kamorta is equipped with a wide range of weapon systems. It is fitted with a OTO Melara 76 mm main gun, and uses two AK-630 guns and provision for 16-cell VLS launched Barak 1 missiles as close-in weapon system, which will be added later. In addition, 2 RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers and torpedo tubes capable of firing heavy weight torpedoes.

The sensors of this warship include the advanced bow mounted sonar and the indigenous 3D-CAR air-surveillance radar Revathi with capability to detect targets exceeding 200 km. It is also the first warship to be equipped with the Kavach decoy system for protection against anti-ship missiles. Like INS Kolkata, this warship is also commissioned with out the critical medium-range  surface-to-air missile (SAM) and advanced light towed array sonars (ALTAS), which is planned to be added later.

Construction and entry into service
Kamorta was ordered in 2003 and was launched on 21 April 2010. It was expected to join the fleet in October 2012 but was handed over to the Navy on 12 July 2014.

On 12 July, the front line warship was formally handed over by GRSE chairman and managing director Rear Admiral A. K. Verma (Ret'd.) to the Navy at a ceremony in GRSE's fitting-out jetty She was commissioned into the Navy on 23 August 2014.