The Indian Navy recently said that it has responded to a hijacking attempt on vessel MV Lila Norfolk by engaging its mission-deployed platforms, including its maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) P8I and INS Chennai.
About INS Chennai:
- It is the Indian Navy’s indigenously designed and constructed guided missile destroyer.
- It is the third and last ship of the Kolkata-class stealth-guided missile destroyers (Project 15A).
- It was constructed by the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL) at Mumbai.
- It was commissioned into the Indian Navy on November 21, 2016.
- Features:
- It measures 163 metresin length and has a beam of 17.4 metres.
- Displacement: Over 7,500 tons.
- Top Speed: 30 knots (approx. 55 KM/hour)
- It is powered by four reversible gas turbine engines.
- It can carry 350 to 400 people.
- Armament: It is armed with Vertical launch and long-range surface-to-air and surface-to-surface missile systems like supersonic BrahMos, ‘Barak-8’ Long Range Surface to Air missiles.
- The ship is equipped to fight under nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) warfare conditions.
- It is fitted with a modern Surveillance Radar, which provides target data to the gunnery weapon systems of the ship.
- The ship’s Anti-Submarine Warfare capabilities are provided by the indigenously developed Rocket Launchers and Torpedo Launchers.