INS Pondicherry (M61) was a Pondicherry class minesweeper in service with the Indian Navy, built by the Sredne-Nevskiy Shipyard at Saint Petersburg in Russia.[1] She was the lead ship of this class. Pondicherry served the Indian Navy from 1978 to 2007. She was named after Puducherry, a union territory of India which at the time was known as Pondicherry.

History
India
NameINS Pondicherry
NamesakePondicherry
Commissioned2 February 1978
Decommissioned5 October 2007
StatusOut of service
General characteristics
Class and typePondicherry class minesweeper
Displacement804 tons full load
Propulsion2 diesel engines; 2 shafts, cp props, 5,000 hp
Speed16 knots (30 km/h)
Range3,000 mi (4,800 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement82 (incl. 10 officers)
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Air/Surface; 1 x Don 2 radar at I-band frequency
  • IFF; 2 x (NATO: Square Head - High Pole B) radars
  • Sonar; MG-69/79, hull mounted which has active mine detection, with high frequency
Armament
  • 4 × 30 mm guns,
  • 4 × 25 mm guns,
  • 2 × RBU-1200 5-tubed fixed mortars,
  • Fitted to carry 10 mines

On 15 February 1989 Pondicherry was painted white and used as the Presidential yacht for the Fleet Review by President R. Venkataraman. She reverted to her normal role and colour on completion. She was based at Mumbai.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Seagoing Minesweepers". Russian Ships. Archived from the original on 3 April 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2013.