Project 18 Programme:
India’s ambitious Project 18 programme is steadily taking shape as what is expected to be one of the most powerful surface combatant projects ever undertaken by the Indian Navy, according to a recent report.
- Project 18 (P-18) Indian Navy’s Next-Generation Destroyer (NGD) programme.
- It is overseen by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB) in collaboration with Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).
- Conceived as a successor to the Visakhapatnam-class (P-15B) destroyers, the P-18 class will be a fleet of advanced, multi-role stealth destroyers.
- With an estimated displacement exceeding 13,000 tonnes, the P-18 will rank among the largest destroyers ever operated by the Indian Navy.
- Under international classification, warships above 10,000 tonnes fall into the cruiser category — a segment that India currently does not possess. Project 18 will mark India’s entry into this class of warships.
- They will use an advanced electric propulsion system powered by gas turbines and diesel generators.
- It is also expected to incorporate extensive automation throughout the ship, reducing crew requirements by an estimated 25 to 30 percent compared to existing platforms.
- Each ship will feature 114 vertical launch systems capable of firing a range of India’s homegrown missiles, such as:
- BrahMos and BrahMos Next Generation
- Long-Range Land-Attack Cruise Missiles (LR-LACM)
- Precision-Guided Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (PGLRSAM)
- Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (SRSAM)
- Supersonic Missile-Assisted Release of Torpedo (SMART)
- The ships will be able to carry unmanned underwater vehicles and kamikaze drones, used for surveillance, detecting mines, and attacking submarines.
- Advanced radar systems will give the ships 360-degree awareness and the ability to detect threats up to 500 kilometres away.
