Russia completes trials of new Talwar class stealth frigate

The final trials of a new Talwar class stealth frigate for the Indian Navy has been completed in Russia. 

The frigate, whose testing was held at the Yantar shipyard in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, is armed with BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Ria Novosti reported. 

Russia and India signed a USD 1.6 billion contract on construction of three modified Krivak III class (also known as Talwar class) guided missile frigates for India in 2006. 

The first frigate, the Teg, was scheduled for delivery in April 2011, but funding shortfalls have delayed the work, the report said. 

Two other Talwar class frigates, the Tarkash and the Trikand, are at various stages of construction and testing at the Yantar shipyard, and their delivery dates are unknown. 

The three frigates are each armed with eight BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles. 

They are also equipped with a 100-mm gun, a Shtil surface-to-air missile system, two Kashtan air-defence gun/missile systems, two twin 533-mm torpedo launchers, and an antisubmarine warfare (ASW) helicopter. 

Russia has previously built three Talwar class frigates for India - INS Talwar (Sword), INS Trishul (Trident), and INS Tabar (Axe).