The Indian Naval Ship (INS) Kadmatt P 29 is in the country as part of its goodwill visit.
The INS Kadmatt is the second of four indigenous anti-submarine warfare (ASW) corvettes to be built.
It was built as part of the Indian Navy’s Project-28 which aimed to modernise the Indian Navy by creating stealth corvettes to destroy enemy submarines.
The ship, according to the Indian Navy got her name from Kadmatt Island which is also known as Cardamom Island that belongs to the Amindivi subgroup of islands of the Lakshadweep archipelago in India.
The ship symbolises the tradition that a ship never dies and thus takes over the legacy from her predecessors, built with a vision of realising the ‘Make in India’ dream and the indigenisation efforts of the Indian Navy which has over 90 per cent indigenous content.
The INS Kadmatt was launched on October 25, 2011, and was under the guidance of Commander Mahesh Chandra Moudgil – a gunnery and missile specialist.
Today the vessel carries more than 200 navy personnel under the leadership of commanding officer, Commander Kutuhal Limaye.
Lieutenant Rahul Alvares, who provided a tour of the ship on Monday, said the crew had left India on August 9.
“Our last port call was at Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea before travelling to Fiji where we will spend a few days,” Lt. Alvares said.
“We travelled from India, to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea then to Fiji.”
According to an article published in The Economics Times on July 2018, the ship has many state-of-the-art equipment which include the rail-less helo traversing system and foldable hangar door for the integral ASW helicopter which not only increases the strike capability of the ship, but also enhances the detection capability.
The ship has low radio, acoustic, magnetic and Infra-Red (IR) signature owing to a ‘X’ shaped hull form, raft mounted engines and an IR suppression system, the release stated.
The Economics Times reported that the IR suppression system reduces the heat emitted by the ship, reducing the infrared signature thereby defending the ship from heat seeking missiles.
The ship is 109 metres in length, and its beam is 14 metres. The ship has a displacement of 3500 tonnes. It is propelled by four diesel engines to achieve speeds in excess of 25 knots with an endurance of 3450 nautical mile.
The crew and commanding officer were treated to a welcoming ceremony on Monday and later hosted the public to a ship tour. The Indian Navy personnel also had a free concert with the Republic of Fiji Military Forces band at Ratu Sukuna Park.
On Tuesday they had a yoga session on deck, and later hosted ministers and dignitaries onboard. Today the Kadmatt navy personnel will be participating in a free health screening that will be held at Albert Park.
(L-R) Avadhes Kumar, Nikesh Prasad, Arman and Rachit Patel during the ship tour of the INS Kadmatt at the Suva port on Monday. Picture: KATA KOLI
Leading seaman Rahul Pal, left, with seaman Goswami Shailesh during the public visit to the INS Kadmatt at the Suva port on Monday. Picture: KATA KOLI
Members of the public are pictured with few of the Indian Navy personnel during the ship visit to the INS Kadmatt at Suva port on Monday. Picture: KATA KOLI
