# Rajput-class destroyer

The Rajput-class guided-missile destroyers built for the Indian Navy are modified versions of Soviet Kashin-class destroyers. They are also known as Kashin-II class. The ships were built in the former Soviet Union after considerable Indian design modifications to the Kashin design. These included the replacement of the helicopter pad in the original design with a flight elevator, as well as major changes to the electronics and combat systems. Five units were built for export to India in the 1980s. All units are currently attached to the Eastern Naval Command.

## Service history

The Rajput class inherited their anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare roles for aircraft carrier task-force defense against submarines, low-flying aircraft, and cruise missiles from the Kashin class. They were the first ships in the Indian Navy to deploy the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile systems. The systems were deployed during a mid-life refit of the ships. The missile system has four missiles in inclined bow mounted launchers replacing two SS-N-2D Styx AShM launchers in INS Rajput and eight cell VLS system replacing aft S-125M (NATO: SA-N-1) SAM launcher in INS Ranvir and INS Ranvijay. Ranvijay was deployed with an updated vertical launcher for the BrahMos missile. As of 2008, the Indian Navy is planning to upgrade the propulsion of the Rajput-class ships with indigenous Kaveri Marine Gas Turbine (KMGT) engine developed by Gas Turbine Research Establishment of DRDO. The engine is currently in testing phase.
During TROPEX-21 exercise of the Indian Navy, the decommissioned Ranjit was sunk by a torpedo.
Rajput was decommissioned from the service on 21 May 2021.

## Armaments

| Rajput (D51) | Ranjit (D53) | Rana (D52) | Ranvir (D54) | Ranvijay (D55) |
| Surface-to-surface/Anti-ship missiles |||||
| 8 × BrahMos (inclined launchers; replaced 4 × SS-N-2D Styx launchers) | 4 × SS-N-2D Styx AShM (inclined launchers) | 4 × SS-N-2D Styx AShM (inclined launchers) | 8 × BrahMos aft VLS (replaced aft S-125 launcher) 4 × SS-N-2D Styx AShM (inclined launchers) | 8 × BrahMos aft VLS (replaced aft S-125 launcher) 4 × SS-N-2D Styx AShM (inclined launchers) |
| Surface-to-air missiles |||||
| 2 × S-125M twin arm launcher (forward and aft) | 2 × S-125M twin arm launcher (forward and aft) | 2 × 8 VL-SRSAM (replaced aft S-125 launcher) | 2 × 8 Barak VLS (port and starboard; replacing 2 AK-630) | 2 × 8 Barak VLS (port and starboard; replacing 2 AK-630) |
| 1 × S-125M twin arm launcher (forward) |||
| Naval gun/CIWS |||||
| 1 × AK-726 twin 3" naval gun | 1 × AK-726 twin 3" naval gun | 1 × OTO Melara 76 mm naval gun (replaced AK-726 twin 3" naval gun) | 1 × OTO Melara 76 mm naval gun (replaced AK-726 twin 3" naval gun) | 1 × OTO Melara 76 mm naval gun (replaced AK-726 twin 3" naval gun) |
| 4 × 30 mm (1.2 in) AK-630M CIWS | 4 × 30 mm (1.2 in) AK-630M CIWS | 4 × 30 mm (1.2 in) AK-630M CIWS | 2 × 30 mm (1.2 in) AK-630M CIWS | 2 × 30 mm (1.2 in) AK-630M CIWS |
| Anti-submarine weapons |||||
| 1 × 533 mm (21 in) PTA 533 quintuple torpedo tube launcher 2 × RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launcher |||||

## Ships of the class

| Name | Pennant | Builder | Homeport | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Status |
| Rajput (ex-Nadezhniy) | D51 | 61 Kommunara | Visakhapatnam | 11 September 1976 | 17 September 1977 | 4 May 1980 | 21 May 2021 | Decommissioned |
| Rana (ex-Gubitelyniyy) | D52 | 61 Kommunara | Visakhapatnam | 29 November 1976 | 27 September 1978 | 19 February 1982 | | Active |
| Ranjit (ex-Lovkiyy) | D53 | 61 Kommunara | Visakhapatnam | 29 June 1977 | 16 June 1979 | 24 November 1983 | 6 May 2019 | Sunk during TROPEX-21 as a live target. |
| Ranvir (ex-Tverdyy) | D54 | 61 Kommunara | Visakhapatnam | 24 October 1981 | 12 March 1983 | 21 April 1986 | | Active |
| Ranvijay (ex-Tolkoviyy) | D55 | 61 Kommunara | Visakhapatnam | 19 March 1982 | 1 February 1986 | 21 December 1987 | | Active |