Rajput-class (Kashin-II)

The Rajput class consists of guided-missile destroyers commissioned for service starting in the 1980s. Derived from the Soviet Kashin-class design, these vessels are designated as the Kashin-II class and represent a modified export variant. The development involved integrating specific Indian design alterations to meet operational requirements. Five units were completed in the former Soviet Union, serving as a transitional class before the introduction of the successor Delhi-class destroyers.

These destroyers are configured for multi-role combat, specifically optimized for anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare. Significant structural modifications from the base design include the integration of a flight elevator in place of the standard helicopter pad to support onboard aviation. The propulsion system utilizes gas turbines in a COGAG configuration, with provisions for indigenous turbine upgrades. The sensor suite comprises navigation, air, and surface search radars, alongside hull-mounted and variable depth sonar systems. For offensive operations, the class is armed with supersonic cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, and torpedo launchers. Defensive capabilities are provided by surface-to-air missile systems, including vertical launch cells, complemented by naval guns, close-in weapon systems, and anti-submarine rocket launchers.

The primary operational mandate for the Rajput class involves the defense of aircraft carrier task forces against subsurface threats, low-flying aircraft, and cruise missiles. All units were assigned to the Eastern Naval Command. This class was the first to deploy the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile system, which was integrated during mid-life refits to enhance strike lethality through both inclined and vertical launch configurations. While several units remain active, others have been decommissioned. One retired vessel served as a live fire target during a major naval exercise, where it was destroyed by a torpedo.