The Indian Navy's first ever indigenously built stealth warship, INS Shivalik, was commissioned on Thursday. The stealth frigate was formally inducted into service in Mumbai by Defence Minister A.K. Antony. Unlike most Indian warships, the Shivalik is designed to outsmart enemy radar much more effectively. Built at a cost of Rs 2,300 crore, the warship uses highly effective insulators to hide its hotspots, making it virtually invisible to infra-red and thermal sensors. The Shivalik also has a highly suppressed sound signature, through acoustic suppression equipment, making it a much more effective submarine killer. It carries Klub and BrahMos cruise missiles, capable of anti-ship and land attack missions. To tackle with enemy aircraft, helicopter and even UAVs, the warship has batteries of Russian surface to air missiles Buk. For close combat and terminal defence, Shivalik's deck also sports a pair of AK-630 30-mm guns and a forward mounted 76-mm heavy gun as well. Shivalik and its two follow-on types-the Satpura and the Sahyadri-will be India's frontline frigates over the next 40 years. Indian Navy commissions INS Shivalik
