India aims to create a "ten thousand ton drive" comparable to the United States. Zhou Weizheng | India | United States
According to recent reports from Indian media, the Indian Navy is planning to build eight P-18 next-generation destroyers with a displacement of up to 13000 tons to enhance its naval strength. It is understood that the design work of this type of destroyer will be completed in 2024, and the first ship will be put into service before 2031 at the earliest.
What are the characteristics of the Indian P-18 destroyer? What kind of ambition does India's continuous strengthening of naval power reveal?
New generation destroyers: focus on strengthening firepower systems
Data image: Imagination of P-18 destroyer
According to the report, the P-18 destroyer will be equipped with up to 144 vertical launch system units, arranged in the form of 72 units in front and 72 units in the rear. In addition to the vertical launch system, the P-18 destroyer will also deploy 8 tilted launch BrahMos-2 hypersonic missiles at the rear of the bridge.
Military observer Zhou Weizheng stated that having strong firepower is the most prominent feature of the P-18 destroyer. In addition, this type of destroyer has made progress in terms of endurance and electronic warfare capabilities.
Zhou Weizheng:
The number of missile vertical launch units on the P-18 destroyer has surged to 144, surpassing the US Ticonderoga class cruiser. In this regard, India claims that it aims to create a symbol of India's "maritime hegemony". In addition, this type of ship is planned to use the BrahMos-2 hypersonic missile, which has a stronger ability to strike targets at sea.
In addition to significantly increasing firepower, this type of destroyer has a larger tonnage, stronger airworthiness and endurance than Indian active destroyers, and can carry more electronic devices and weapons.
Service on time faces practical challenges
Data chart: Indian Navy's Kolkata class destroyer
The Indian media has consistently praised the P-18 destroyer, which is still in the design stage, and even compared it to the US military's Ticonderoga class cruiser.
Regarding this, Zhou Weizheng believes that the "Ticonderoga" class cruiser is a model of ship that the US military is gradually retiring. However, in terms of India's current military strength, there is still uncertainty about whether the P-18 destroyer can be designed and launched for service as planned.
Zhou Weizheng:
The research and production cycle of Indian weapons and equipment is long, and modifying plans and extending construction periods is common. Its active Kolkata class destroyer took nearly 20 years from design finalization to construction and service.
This is mainly because India's own military industrial strength is limited, and some weapons and equipment rely on foreign assistance from the design stage. For example, the gas turbines of Indian Navy destroyers are mainly imported from Ukraine, and the subsequent supply situation is still unknown due to the heavy damage to Ukrainian military enterprises.
India adopts a maritime strategy of expansion and confrontation
Data image: Indian aircraft carriers "Super Sun King" and "Vikram"
In recent years, the Indian Navy has emphasized its ability to engage in long-distance combat, gradually developing its maritime strategy, and making the ocean an important component of national security and regional interests. Recently, there have been reports that India is exploring the feasibility of collaborating with France to build six nuclear powered attack submarines.
In response, military observer Zhou Weizheng stated that India's vigorous development of water and underwater power construction in recent years is a concrete implementation of its aggressive marine development strategy, but this is not a wise choice.
Zhou Weizheng:
India has a deep "great power complex" and has always wanted to build a great ocean going navy. Therefore, India is vigorously developing weapons and equipment such as aircraft carriers and submarines through various means such as leasing, purchasing, and closed door construction. As for whether they can be used, their performance, and the cost they pay, these are not so important.
In recent years, India's naval power has continuously expanded outward, sending warships to organize combat readiness training in areas such as the Strait of Malacca, and conducting joint exercises with the navies of relevant countries. This indicates that India is promoting a strong and expanding maritime strategy, actively participating in the global power game, which is clearly not a wise choice.
