INS Tarkash Goes For Sea Trials in Russia http://www.defencenow.com/news/694/ins-tarkash-goes-for-sea-trials-in-russia.html INS Tarkash, a modern frigate that Russia is building for the Indian Navy, has gone out of the Kaliningrad-based Yantar Shipyard for its sea trials ahead of its induction by the end of 2012.   Tarkash is the second ship in the three-ship $1.6-billion order from India to Russia to build upgraded Talwar-class frigates. The first ship in this Talwar class follow-on order, INS Teg, was handed over to India in April this year.   The third ship, INS Trikand, is at present under construction at the yard and is scheduled for delivery in mid-2013.   "The warship (INS Tarkash) sailed from Kaliningrad to Baltiysk on Thursday," Yantar spokesman Sergei Mikhailov has been quoted as saying.   "The first stage of sea trials is scheduled to start at the end of May," he said.   The frigate must be ready for delivery to the Indian Navy in October this year, he added.   Russia has previously-built three Talwar class frigates -- INS Talwar, INS Trishul, and INS Tabar (which are the Krivak-III class warships) -- are already in Indian Navy service and have performed commendably during anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia.   Teg, Tarkash and Trikand are 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, and two twin 533-mm torpedo launchers.   The three are modern and contemporary warship with advanced technologies incorporated in every facet of design to make her stable, stealthy, fast and formidable.   The 125-metre, 4,000-tonne Teg class of guided missile frigates have been built to meet the specific command and control needs of the Indian Navy for co-ordinated surface, air and underwater missions.   With its advanced weapons suite and sensors fully integrated with its combat management system, the warship is equipped to augment the Indian Navy's net-centric capability, and is well suited to undertake a broad spectrum of maritime missions.   The ships also embark and operate an anti-submarine warfare or an airborne early warning helicopter - a dominant force multiplier.   These warships incorporate innovative stealth technologies to reduce radar cross section, infrared and magnetic signatures, as well as radiated underwater noise.   The ships are powered by an advanced gas turbine propulsion plant with state-of-the-art controls, to attain speeds in excess of 30 knots.   The ships have been equipped with complex automated systems for nuclear, biological and chemical Defence, damage control and firefighting that can be operated centrally from sheltered posts to minimise casualties and achieve rapid restoration of combat effectiveness.