India-Russia Naval Engagement

[pmaidhof]

Here is a summary of a small Indian-Russian engagement started yesterday. It is not yet complete, but the Russian side needs to determine how to proceed from where it is now.

 

Situation: Indian Ocean. INS Delhi (Type-15 DDG), and INS Rajput (Kashin- Mod DDG) are providing protection to INS Jalashva (former USS Trenton LPD) during movement from India to unnamed islands to the SW. A Russian naval force consisting of Admiral Chabanenko (Udaloy II DDG) and Burnyy (Sovremenny DDG) has been ordered to stop the Indian force from off-loading the LPD.

 

The engagement starts out with Sea King Mk.42’s and Ka-27 Helix’s scouting out forward of their respective forces with active SS radars. Both task groups maintain EMCON.

 

The Russian helos were the first to detect the opposing force, but due to the relative short legs of the SS-N-22 Sunburn had to still maneuver their ships into a firing position. The Indian Sea King detected the Udaloy II soon after, and INS Delhi passively detected the searching Helix as well. With the Sea Kings detection, INS Delhi launched its second Sea King and fired up its radar as well.

 

The passive detection of the Russian scout helo, and a solid fix of the Udaloy II from three radar platforms prompted the Indian commander to unleash 8x SS-N-25 Switchblade sea skimming anti-ship missiles.

 

Based on the missile alert from a Helix, the Russian force emergency activates its radars. The Udaloy II initially only detects three incoming missiles. As the raid travels from its launch platform to its target, it is sequentially engaged by SAMs from both Russian ships (SA-N-9’s, SA-N-11’s and SA-7’s) as well as the Udaloy II 130mm gun mount. SA-N-7’s and SA-N-9’s all miss, as does the gun mount. SA-N-11’s take out only two of the attacking Switchblades. Admiral Chabanenko fires off his chaff which seduces four of the attackers. Two crash immediately into the sea while the other two unsuccessfully attempt to lock onto Burnyy, a distant 10nm away, and crash into the sea.

 

The first of the remaining two switchblades rolls a “10” on a D10 which is an automatic miss. The second and final switchblade rolls a “1” for a hit. For a “medium” missile such as the Switchblade, there is only a 10% chance that the hit will be critical enough to sink a ship of a Udaloy II’s (5,500-10,000 ton displacement) size.

 

The subsequent damage roll is again a “1”. The missile apparently finds the ship’s magazine, exploding Admiral Chabanenko into an enormous fireball. The concussion and heat felt on the grim faces found on the bridge of Burnyy. Ironically translated from the Russian as Fiery.

 

First lesson learned here is the differing ranges of the SS-N-22 and SS-N-25. The Russians are all Sunburn, while now that Delhi has launched all of its Switchblades, the battle, if the Russians continue it will be Sunburns versus SS-N-2D Styx carried by the Rajput. Already, the Indian commander has odered the Rajput to assume the lead, with Delhi dropping back to provide AAW coverage to Jalashva.

 

Pretty cool.

[CV32]

Great reading. I would like to see this engagement played out with the BrahMos missile in use.

[pmaidhof]

Great reading. I would like to see this engagement played out with the BrahMos missile in use.

And you knew this was coming...Stats/equivelent missile? And on whose side...It's a joint Russian-Indian project.

[pmaidhof]

Supersonic cruise missile, hmm. And already being slapped on Rajput DDG's. That's convenient for the scenario.

[pmaidhof]

Per the manufacturer...yeah right, 3x speed of a convention subsonic long range ASM

 

Brahmos

[pmaidhof]

Apparently Brahmos is a development of the Russian P-800 Onyx (Oniks) Yakhont 3M55. NATO designation SS-N-26. Until some stat arrive on Brahmos, I'll use Yakhont in its stead.

[CV32]

Reasonably reliable details here:

 

http://www.india-defence.com/specifications/missiles/48

[Pappystein]

As I understand it the work to convert Yaknot to Bramos is mostly multiple launch modes. Russia just didn't have the $$$ to finish the project themselves.

[CV32]

I believe the BrahMos started (at least originally) with the Yakhont's liquid ramjet engine and radar seeker, coupled with Indian computers and software.

[pmaidhof]

Not certain how I forgot, but the current Issue #32 (Tony - did you ever get it?) of The Naval Sitrep includes an article India's Barak Refits. The article while nominally about the outfitting of the Israeli Barak-1 for point missile defense onto INS ships, includes Data entries for CVH Viraat (ex-HMS Hermes), Type-15 Delhi DDG, Kashin II DDG, Type-16A Bramaputra FF, and Type 16 Godavari. Interestingly, the Kashin II remarks inlcudes:

• "2003: Rajput fitted as test ship for PJ-10 Brahmos (use SS-N-26 stats), with PS&PB(2)2 Brahmos vice 2 SS-N-2."