INS Kochi

Construction

The keel of Kochi was laid on 25 October 2005. In keeping with the tradition of the Navy, the warship was launched by Madhulika Verma, wife of Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, at 11.20 a.m. 18 September 2009 from the Mazagon Dock in Mumbai. For the first time, Mazagon Docks used a "pontoon assisted" launching method in collaboration with the Russian firm Baltiysky Zavod. Under this method, pontoons are welded to the hull, which give buoyancy and helps overcome tidal constraints. Mazagon plans to use this method for all future ship launches, as the process makes it possible to launch ships with much higher weight.

Weapon trials

On 1 November 2015, the Navy successfully test-fired the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from Kochi. The missile hit its target, decommissioned minesweeper INS Alleppey (M65), with almost pinpoint accuracy during this first-ever vertical launch from the 7,500-tonne Kochi.

On 16 May and 29 November 2017, the Navy successfully test fired the Barak 8 missiles from Kochi.

Design

At the time of its commissioning, INS Kochi was the largest India-made warship, before being later surpassed by the Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant which, coincidentally was also made in the Cochin Shipyards. The warship is designed by the Navy's in-house organisation, Directorate of Naval Design. It has displacement of 7,500 tons and it is 164 m in length and 17 m at the beam and is propelled by four gas turbines and designed to achieve speeds in excess of 30 kn. The ship has built with advanced stealth features which have been achieved through shaping of hull and use of radar-transparent deck fittings. A bow mounted sonar dome, the second of its kind in an indigenous naval platform, has been introduced to enhance sonar acoustic performance. The ship has a complement of about 40 officers and 350 sailors. INS Kochi use AC 14 anchor. it use 5ac of 600 tons.

Service History

Cooperative Engagement Capability through Joint Taskforce Coordination (JTC) mode

On 15 May 2019, INS Chennai along with INS Kochi participated in the maiden cooperative engagement firing through the employment of the full Joint Taskforce Coordination (JTC) mode which implements the MRSAM / Barak 8 ‘Cooperative Engagement’ operating mode.

INS Kochi participated in the 'Zayed Talwar 2021' bilateral exercise with the United Arab Emirates Navy's Baynunah-class guided missile corvette UAES Al-Dhafra on 7 August 2021, off the coast of Abu Dhabi. The ships undertook tactical manoeuvres, Over the Horizon Targeting, Search and Rescue and Electronic Warfare exercises, with extensive use of helicopters. Less than a week later, Kochi arrived at Al Jubail for the Indian Navy's maiden naval exercise with the Royal Saudi Navy, 'Al-Mohed Al-Hindi'. The drill was meant for deeper understanding of each other's operational practices.

Operation Sankalp: 2023-24 Anti-piracy patrols

Main article: Operation Sankalp

Against the backdrop of the increasing attacks on commercial ships transiting the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Arabian Sea by the end of 2023, the Indian Navy on 31 December 2023 said it had substantially enhanced maritime surveillance efforts in Central and North Arabian Sea and "augmented force levels" by primarily deploying the P-8I Neptune MPA and the SeaGuardian drones. Following two merchant vessels, including MV Ruen and MV Chem Pluto which were targeted in the sea. MV Ruen was hijacked (later rescued by INS Kolkata) while MV Chem Pluto sustained drone hits eventually and making way to port, The Indian Navy deployed a large flotilla of destroyers to safeguard international security. The deployment into the Arabian Sea includes Navy's missile destroyers, including INS Kolkata, INS Kochi, INS Mormugao, INS Chennai and INS Visakhapatnam, virtually all of its modern destroyer force of its Western Fleet. The INS Kolkata is deployed on the mouth of the Red Sea, INS Kochi on the south of Yemen's Socotra Island, INS Mormugao in the west Arabian Sea with INS Chennai in the central Arabian Sea.

INS Visakhapatnam was also moved in a week later and was tasked to patrol the North Arabian Sea.

Having been the first ship posted, and already patrolling the waters since early December, INS Kochi was involved most in action, and directly led to more ships coming on the scene.

On 15 December 2023, the cargo ship MV Reun was attacked and hijacked by Somali pirates in their first attempt since 2017. Among the first responders were the Indian Navy. Following Indian Navy P-8I Neptune Maritime Patrol aircraft locating those ships, Kochi as well as the Spanish ship Victoria and the Japanese destroyer Akenebono immediately sailed behind them and are proceeding to Mogadishu harbour in Somalia, the estimated location of the pirates are taking the Reun. INS Kochi, on its part, was shadowing MV Ruen in a “wait-and-watch” mode since a direct intervention could have led to casualties among the crew being held hostage by the pirates.

On 19 December, the hijackers freed a Bulgarian hostage so that he could receive medical assistance after having injuries from an unknown cause. The Times of India later reported that it was a gunshot wound. The sailor was treated on board and is now being taken to a shore-based medical facility in Oman for further evaluation. The destroyer kept trailing MV Reun and further action will be decided by the owners of the shipping company. As of 19 December 2023, the negotiations are still ongoing and Kochi has returned to her patrol point.

On 26 April 2024, INS Kochi rescued 30 persons from a Panama-flagged and Seychelles-operated oil tanker, MV Andromeda Star, which was attacked by Houthi missiles earlier (Red Sea Crisis). An official reconnaissance was conducted by a helicopter after which the explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) reached the vessel to "residual risk assessment". Out of 30 crew members, 22 were Indian nationals. Later the ship continued towards her next destination. According to the US Central Command, three anti ship ballistic missiles were launched by Houthis to attack MV Maisha and MV Andromeda Star.

INS Kochi made a visit to Malé, Maldives, to deliver the ship CGS Huravee, which had undergone refit in Mumbai the previous month.

References

References

1. (13 July 2014). "Navy gets its largest destroyer". The Hindu.
2. "INS Kolkata". Indian Navy.
3. "INS Kolkata: embarquement immédiat". l'express.
4. (5 October 2015). "INS Kochi turbocharged". The Financial Express.
5. (18 August 2014). "India commissions first-of-class destroyer Kolkata". IHS Jane's Navy International.
6. (8 June 2014). "Country's most potent indigenous warship joins service this month". SP's Naval Forces.
7. (2 July 2008). "Bharat Electronics Ltd. awards LW08 contract to Thales". Thalesgroup.com.
8. "Virtual tour of INS Kolkata (Hindi)".
9. "Kolkata Class Destroyer INS Chennai will be commissioned on Monday".
10. (29 September 2015). "Inside India's New and Deadliest Warship".
11. (30 September 2015). "INS Kochi stealth guided missile destroyer commissioned". The Economic Times.
12. "INS Kochi {{!}} Indian Navy".
13. (1 November 2015). "BrahMos missile tested successfully from latest stealth destroyer ''INS Kochi''". The Times of India.
14. (2017-11-29). "Indian Navy conducts successful MRSAM firing from INS Kochi - Mysuru Today". Mysuru Today.
15. "Navy successfully test fires MR-SAM from INS Kochi". www.oneindia.com.
16. (30 September 2015). "INS Kochi: 10 things to know". The Times of India.
17. "Press Information Bureau".
18. (17 May 2019). "Indian Navy Demonstrates 'MRSAM 'Cooperative Engagement' Capability".
19. (20 May 2019). "Indian Navy completes MRSAM first cooperative engagement firing test".
20. "Janes | Latest defence and security news".
21. Press Release. (8 August 2021). "Indian Navy - United Arab Emirates Navy Bilateral Exercise "Zayed Talwar 2021"".
22. Sarkar, Shankhyaneel. (8 August 2021). "India, UAE carry out naval exercise; deepen military cooperation". Hindustan Times.
23. Press Release. (12 August 2021). "Maiden Al-Mohed Al-Hindi Exercise set to begin between Indian Navy and Saudi Arabia Navy".
24. Times News Network. (13 August 2021). "India boosts Gulf ties with Saudi drill". The Times of India.
25. Bhaduri, Aditi. (21 August 2021). "India Must Partner with Saudi Arabia to Deal with Afghanistan Crisis". The Quint.
26. Peri, Dinakar. (2023-12-31). "Attacks on ships: Indian Navy enhances surveillance in Arabian Sea". The Hindu.
27. "Indian Navy deploys warships and surveillance aircraft to enhance maritime security - The New Indian Express".
28. (2023-12-17). "Hijacked tanker proceeds to Mogadishu, INS Kochi monitors the Malta vessel".
29. "Navy intercepts ship hijacked by pirates in the Arabian Sea after SOS message - The New Indian Express".
30. (2023-12-19). "Injured sailor from hijacked ship moved to Indian stealth warship for treatment".
31. (2023-12-19). "Indian Navy evacuates injured sailor from hijacked ship". The Times of India.
32. (2024-04-28). "Indian warship INS Kochi renders help to vessel attacked in Red Sea".
33. PTI. (2024-04-28). "Indian Navy comes to tanker's aid after Houthi missile attack". The Hindu.
34. "INS Kochi arrives at Male, hands over coast guard ship 'Huravee' to Maldives". The Times of India.