My favorite combat ships

INS Vikramaditya (Pic Courtesy Wikimedia) 

I had been giving a compilation of my favorite weapons. Last  time I dealt with Combat Planes. This time I am choosing combat ships. Now there may be better ships currently in service, but I have chosen my favorite ones that is currently in service or which may enter services in the future. This is not a countdown but just my favorite. (Disclaimer: All details given under are available in public domain and repositories like Wikipedia. Sufficient care has been taken not reveal any classified data of any combatants in this article. Due care is taken for the same)

So here is my countdown:

NIMITZ CLASS AIRCRAFT CARRIER

USS Nimitz (Pic courtesy Wikimedia)

Nothing epitomizes the projection of power like an Aircraft Carrier. Aircraft Carriers allows rulers of a country to project their power in any part of the globe. Their are moving sovereign territory of a nation. Perhaps the most powerful class of the Aircraft Carriers in service today are the Nimitz Class. Displacing over 1 Lakh tonnes and carrying over 100 Air components and with over 5000 compliments of crew on board, they are virtually floating city projecting American power where ever they are called on to do so around the globe. With over 10 ships in active service, they have been part of every major conflict that America had been involved in and coming out with flying colours. Nuclear powered, they will see over 50 years of sevrice life to be replaced by more capable Gerald Ford Class Carriers in the future.

ARLEIGH BURKE CLASS DESTROYER 

                            Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer ( Pic courtesy USN and Wikimedia)

Perhaps no other Destroyer  in the modern times have been so successful. Built around the Aegis system, Arleigh Burke class are multi role ships equally capable of taking on targets in the surface, under the sea and in the air. Over 75 ships planned in it's production run, they are the most heavily armed Destroyers in modern times and has proved their mettle in all the major wars of modern times. To be succeeded by The Zumwalt Class, but the construction of the Zumwalt was restricted with the numbers of the Arleigh Burke being increased. That is a testament to the success of this venerable and the legendary class of the USN  

THE DELHI CLASS OF DESTROYERS

                          Delhi Class Destroyer ( Image Courtesy Brain Burnell and Wikimedia) 

Nothing epitomizes modern Indian ship building more than the Delhi Class of Destroyers. Built as a multi role combatants, Delhi Class has the ability to take on the enemy in surface, under water and on the air. Packed with weapons of both international and Indian origin , they hold true to the modern Indian Navy philosophy of having multi role and multi dimensional ships rather than ships with specialized roles. They are the largest combat ships to be designed and built in India but will soon be superseded by the Kolkota Class Destroyers. Having immense RCS reduction, these ships  (3 in service) are highly capable and can even act as command ships. Lately, these class of ships has been active in all major exercises with major navies and has of late achieved legendary status. 

THE SHIVALIK CLASS FRIGATE  

                         Shivalik Class Frigate (Pic courtesy USN by Mass communication

                        specialist 3'rd Class Christopher Farrington)

The first stealth ship class to be indigenously  designed and built in India, these high capable and heavily armed ships can capable of undertaking targets in all three dimensions. They have been heavily involved in many international excises and are often seen as the projection modern Indian ship building capability. They along with Project-17 A Class frigate will be he mainstay of the Indian Navy for the first half of the 21'st century. 

TALWAR CLASS

                     Talwar Class Frigate( Pic Courtesy Wikimedia and the author)

Talwar calss are a class of highly capable frigates built by Russia for India incorporating high amount of Indian content. They are the derivative of Krivak-3 class of ships but heavily customized for India. They are capable of undertaking verity of targets in the subsurface and surface domain. With high amount of stealth to reduce Reader Cross Section (RCS), the Talwar class has undertaken commendable services including in the gulf of eden. They along with the Shivalik class forms the mainstay of the modern Indian navy. 

INS Vikramaditya

                                                      

                        INS Vikramaditya ( Pic courtesy Indian Navy)

INS Vikramaditya (R-33) is the newest addition to the Indian Navy. Kiev Class Cruiser, it was heavily modified which transformed it from a hybrid Aircraft Carrier/Cruiser to a pure Aircraft Carrier. Joining the Indian Navy in Dec, 2013, INS Vikramaditya is one of the most capable Aircraft Carriers in the world packed with latest radars and sensor suits and also having the MIG-29 K Aircrafts and Kamov Helicopters as it's mainstay. She is capable of power projection over a wide area and seas far away from our mainland and will be soon joined by the 1'st of the Vikrant class Aircraft Carriers being built at Cochin shipyard. 

INS Viraat 

INS Viraat (Pic Courtesy www.navy. mil and Wikimedia)

INS Viraat (Ex HMS Hermes) is the flag ship of the Indian Navy. She as HMS Hermes had seen action in the Falklands before being bought by India and rechristened as INS Viraat. She has been part of all major excises especially with USN in the Malabar Series of excises. She has undergone major refittings which will see her in service by atleast 2017 by which time India would have two new Aircraft carriers in service. She is highly capable in undertaking both amphibious and air   warfare with sea harrier jump jets as her mainstay. She is nearing her end of service life with her air component depleted with the sea harriers being retired or crashed and no longer operational. But she will always be in the annuals of the Indian navy as one of it's greatest ships. 

ARIHANT CLASS NUCLEAR SUBMARINE 

                                INS Arihant (Pic Courtesy-Indian Government)

INS Arihant will be the first class of nuclear subs being developed by India. The first sub is undergoing sea trials. 4 to 8 will be built. Their main weapons will the "K" family of SLBM. Arihant will complete the nuclear triad for India. Being nuclear powered ,she can be deployed for months remaining undetected and with capability to launch nuclear weapons as and when required on the choice of India. 

Even though there are other ships, I am concluding this part as I will try to incorporate more favorite ships in the second series which I hope to write in the near future. 

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