Indian Navy Eyes Next-Gen Project 18 Destroyers with Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems and Drone Launch Capabilities

The Indian Navy is poised to take a significant step towards modernizing its fleet by seeking approval from the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) to construct 8 to 10 advanced Project 18 class destroyers.

These cutting-edge warships are envisioned to be equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including anti-ballistic missile systems and the capability to launch drones, further bolstering India's maritime defence capabilities.

Emerging concept details provide a tantalizing glimpse into the formidable capabilities of these Project 18 class warships. A promotional video released last year showcased a graphical representation of a potential design, highlighting a striking canister-based universal Vertical Launch System (VLS) configuration.

This innovative design incorporates an impressive 144 missile cells, arranged strategically in a three 6×4 VLS 2 layout, positioned both at the bow and aft of the vessel.

Beyond the VLS, these warships are also set to feature eight slant launchers situated behind the main radar, potentially earmarked for the deployment of the potent BrahMos-2 anti-ship missile.

Additionally, the integration of the PGLRSAM interceptor missile, with its impressive 250 km range, will significantly enhance the warships' defensive capabilities.

As the successors to the P-15 Bravo class, or the P-15B program, the Project 18 class destroyers are anticipated to be a game-changer for the Indian Navy. Their addition to the fleet is expected to provide a substantial boost to the country's maritime security and strategic advantage in the region.

 

[Anurag]

But who will teach HAL?

Just like navy teach state run and private companies for their own work!!

 

[Sunny]

Making lightly armed destroyers will be just like making targets for enemy to indulge in a turkey shoot. Why even bother with platforms that can't engage in a serious or intense battle. If even our destroyers can't engage in heavy crossfire engagement, then which other platform will??

The superiority of a warship does not only depend on the number of VLS and 32 UVLS is by no means a small number. Also the days of turkey shoot are long over with the end of battleships armed with big guns.

Let's say if we design 2 destroyers one with 144 and other with 32 VLS each armed with Brahmos or similar missiles and have them engage each other, one Brahmos hit would cripple either of the ships.

 

[ASHOK CARROL]

The project 18 must be built in blocks of 8 and atleast 36 -40 destroyers built by 2060.

 

[Pramkumar]

Navy should concentrate on the indigenous power plants and propulsion system also.

 

[Frank]

Latest threat is drone attack like shaheed and boat drone attack like Magura.. Project 18 has no counter measures.. We are building sitting ducks...

We need anti drone system, EW, or laser system...

 

[Akshat]

Just like navy teach state run and private companies for their own work!!

Even Navy gave up in front of HAL. They also ditched N LCA. And remember, even Navy tried to get rid of HAL in the NUH tender and wanted only private players. HAL elbowed its way in and Navy is still waiting for this choppers. So when it comes to HAL, even Navy has thrown its hands in the air.

 

[Anurag]

Even Navy gave up in front of HAL. They also ditched N LCA. And remember, even Navy tried to get rid of HAL in the NUH tender and wanted only private players. HAL elbowed its way in and Navy is still waiting for this choppers. So when it comes to HAL, even Navy has thrown its hands in the air.

We talk about a lot of things few years back or a decade back Indian shipbuilding capacity was so poor but in our country our main force is always on focus army and airforce (it's ok because army and airforce have war like scenario with pak) so no one noticed navy while they worked in managing these systems very well!!
while about NLCA yeah navy ditched it because of security reasons and range but yeah they just sliced their order of new fighter aircraft to only 26 while their need was for 56 this tell another story!!

 

[Dredd]

HAL showed mk1a in 2024. And delivery of mk1 trainers, for which orders came in 2018, is still not complete.

Mk1 trainer order was in 2009 and 2011 with fighter variant (IOC and FOC)...

 

[Dredd]

IAF should learn from navy

there are around 5 DPSU shipyard and 2-3 private shipyard which invokes competition in quality and pricing, while IAF is stuck with HAL who is using its monopoly to charge exorbitant amount for shabby work, Look at the AL31 engine contract (26000 crore)and Su 30 upgrade program(62000 crore for 80 jets), Dhruv even after 30 years of development are still crashing due to quality issues, Tejas order from 2009 is still not complete.

 

[Dredd]

But who will teach HAL?

HAL need to breakup in atleast 2 company ( fixed and rotary wing).

 

[Akshat]

HAL need to breakup in atleast 2 company ( fixed and rotary wing).

That’s not the problem. Many companies globally have much bigger but smoother operations. The whole problem is lack of incentive and punishment. That is not possible in the government setup. So there is no way but to sell HAL off.

 

[Akshat]

Mk1 trainer order was in 2009 and 2011 with fighter variant (IOC and FOC)...

That was not a firm order. FOC was given in 2019, and the orders for those variants (24 planes in total) were planes in 2018. All the trainers were to be FOC variants.

 

[Akshat]

We talk about a lot of things few years back or a decade back Indian shipbuilding capacity was so poor but in our country our main force is always on focus army and airforce (it's ok because army and airforce have war like scenario with pak) so no one noticed navy while they worked in managing these systems very well!!
while about NLCA yeah navy ditched it because of security reasons and range but yeah they just sliced their order of new fighter aircraft to only 26 while their need was for 56 this tell another story!!

The end point being that even Navy can’t handle HAL, right?

 

[Anant]

Next generation Destroyers after P18 class may go nuclear way. Those would be anywhere near 17k-18k ton cruiser class.

They won't go the nuclear way. Nuclear propulsion is ridiculously expensive, not to mention we don't need that kind of thing. Even the US Navy, with all their budget, had to decommission every single nuclear surface combatant in the aftermath of the Cold War due to budgetary considerations.

 

[Anant]

The project 18 must be built in blocks of 8 and atleast 36 -40 destroyers built by 2060.

We do not have anywhere near the level of money needed for that. Our economy would have to go up by an entire order of magnitude to even think about that.

 

[Anant]

Latest threat is drone attack like shaheed and boat drone attack like Magura.. Project 18 has no counter measures.. We are building sitting ducks...

We need anti drone system, EW, or laser system...

The ships will most certainly have anti-drone systems and other things. Perhaps even a few DEWs. The design is only now reaching the PDR level. Things such as that will be added once the weaponry is finalised before the CDR.

 

[Dredd]

That was not a firm order. FOC was given in 2019, and the orders for those variants (24 planes in total) were planes in 2018. All the trainers were to be FOC variants.

It was a firm order signed in 2011, Later on it was decided that all trainer will be FOC as trainers were not ready at the time of induction of IOC tejas, All IOC tejas will be converted to FOC jets

 

[Dredd]

That’s not the problem. Many companies globally have much bigger but smoother operations. The whole problem is lack of incentive and punishment. That is not possible in the government setup. So there is no way but to sell HAL off.

HAL is far too big to be sold off now, it should be break down into specialised entity of Fighter , transport and rotary. Currently HAL think that profit coming from one entity will take care of other entity and do nothing to better themselves.

 

[Rick Golder]

The superiority of a warship does not only depend on the number of VLS and 32 UVLS is by no means a small number. Also the days of turkey shoot are long over with the end of battleships armed with big guns.

Let's say if we design 2 destroyers one with 144 and other with 32 VLS each armed with Brahmos or similar missiles and have them engage each other, one Brahmos hit would cripple either of the ships.

Those are not the job of destroyers, those are the job of frigates. There's a reason why each ship have been classified to different classes like cruisers, destroyers, frigates etc. a destroyer cannot do the job of a frigate and a frigate cannot do the job of a destroyer. Destroyers are needed to carry/project huge firepower in blue waters, something frigates are not capable of.

 

[Rick Golder]

Project 18 class destroyers will truly be a class of its own. We need these big destroyers if we want to project power in blue waters. Atleast 10 of these bad boys.

 

[Invi Pass]

Just building and then forgetting will not help. A robust indigenous industry is needed that will churn out dronea, missiles, fighters, tanks, ships, guns and ammunition within weeks or months NOT years. Otherwise we will definitely lose the next war.

Beggar Pakistan will be provided with their supplies by China like Ukraine is being supplied by entire West.

China already has its own capacity to churn out whatever they want.

The pace of Indian defence industry is like a snail compared to a kite with respect to China.

Only other option that India can take is manufacturing 1000 tactical nukes which will be used in case defeat is certain.

 

[Sunny]

Those are not the job of destroyers, those are the job of frigates. There's a reason why each ship have been classified to different classes like cruisers, destroyers, frigates etc. a destroyer cannot do the job of a frigate and a frigate cannot do the job of a destroyer. Destroyers are needed to carry/project huge firepower in blue waters, something frigates are not capable of.

I agree each ship class has a role. We have far less armed destroyers currently and they are doing their roles perfectly. The question is what we need the destroyer to do to meet our requirements versus the cost of fielding a highly armed destroyer which might not be required.

If the scenario dictates we will need 144 VLS armed destroyers then we should go with it. But it is expensive to procure and maintain such destroyers.

 

[Akshat]

HAL is far too big to be sold off now, it should be break down into specialised entity of Fighter , transport and rotary. Currently HAL think that profit coming from one entity will take care of other entity and do nothing to better themselves.

But they are always profitable bro. They increase prices at will. Profit or loss is never the issue. Delivery is. As for too big, far bigger companies have been sold off. So this is not a big deal. Either we need to sell it or create a competitor and then sell it.

 

[kumar]

The only thing not included would be EM rail gun. Rest of the systems which were projected earlier would be included in project18.

 

[Anurag]

The end point being that even Navy can’t handle HAL, right?

End point is all comes under the MoD!! The circus of MRFA or procurement of new jets!!

 

[Akshat]

End point is all comes under the MoD!! The circus of MRFA or procurement of new jets!!

That doesn’t answer the point. Even MoD is said to be frustrated with HAL. Probably that’s why they are slowly selling it off and are giving deals to others, like the C295 deal to Tata’s. But the question is still the same. Who will teach HAL how to perform when even Navy is done with them?

 

[Anurag]

That doesn’t answer the point. Even MoD is said to be frustrated with HAL. Probably that’s why they are slowly selling it off and are giving deals to others, like the C295 deal to Tata’s. But the question is still the same. Who will teach HAL how to perform when even Navy is done with them?

If MoD is really frustrated then I believe they really can twist the things with Hal and about C-295 deal with tata already HAL has lot on it's plate!! While HAL I believe in upcoming few years things will be improved as a LRU will be in good conditions!! For AMCA gov waited for long for the private firms to come up in the front line but they are here not to be blamed as they are new in this field and setup in these things took a lot of money!!

 

[Dredd]

But they are always profitable bro. They increase prices at will. Profit or loss is never the issue. Delivery is. As for too big, far bigger companies have been sold off. So this is not a big deal. Either we need to sell it or create a competitor and then sell it.

There should a private assembly line for Tejas Mk2 and AMCA, Transport tender should also be given to private vendor like in case of C295, and second LUH plaform should be manufactured by a privatye player, HAL should not be allowed to even bid for these tender, then only we can have 2-3 private player that can build/manufacture modern plane. India should also try to bring in either boeing or airbus assembly line of commercial plane to india to help create an ecosystem and skilled manpower.

 

[Akshat]

There should a private assembly line for Tejas Mk2 and AMCA, Transport tender should also be given to private vendor like in case of C295, and second LUH plaform should be manufactured by a privatye player, HAL should not be allowed to even bid for these tender, then only we can have 2-3 private player that can build/manufacture modern plane. India should also try to bring in either boeing or airbus assembly line of commercial plane to india to help create an ecosystem and skilled manpower.

Navy tried that. They asked to keep HAL out of NUH tender. But HAL came up with an indigenous model and no one can say no that. That helicopter has still not been flown after over 5 years.

 

[Dredd]

Navy tried that. They asked to keep HAL out of NUH tender. But HAL came up with an indigenous model and no one can say no that. That helicopter has still not been flown after over 5 years.

Govt should keep HAL senior official liable to any mishap and criminal trial should be held if the plane/helicopter crash due to technical or quality issue. Only then they will improve.