Arnala-class corvette


Arnala class was an Indian designation for the Petya III-class vessels of the Indian Navy.
Although these vessels were classified as frigates in the Soviet Navy, they were classified by the Indian Navy as anti-submarine corvettes due to their role and smaller size. Vessels of the class were named for Indian islands.

Vessels

The corvettes of this class constituted the 31st Patrol Vessel Squadron of the Eastern Naval Command and the 32nd Patrol Vessel Squadron of the Western Naval Command.
NamePennantBuilderCommissionedDecommissionedFate
P6829 June 19729 April 1999
P6930 June 19729 April 1999
P7323 December 197213 December 2003
P7428 December 1973Storm 22 August 1990
P7512 December 197416 September 2002
P7721 November 196831 October 1991
P7823 December 196830 November 1992
P7930 October 196930 June 1987
P8023 December 196931 July 1986
P8123 December 196931 December 1988
P831986–1988

Operational history

and were part of the task force for Operation Trident during the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971.
The hulls of this class were of relatively inferior quality, requiring the vessels to undergo major refit every 5 years. The Indian Navy constructed the Naval Dockyard at Visakhapatnam, primarily to service Russian vessels. But given the lack of engineering support from Russia there were inordinate delays in completing the servicing facility. This resulted in considerable delay of the second refit for, which was in poor repair and subsequently was lost at sea in storm conditions, east of Visakhapatnam on 21 August 1990.