INS Brahmaputra (1957)

History
India
Name	INS Brahmaputra
Namesake	Brahmaputra River
Builder	John Brown & Company
Laid down	20 October 1955
Launched	15 March 1957
Completed	31 March 1958
Identification	F31
Fate	Scrapped 1986
General characteristics
Class and type	Leopard-class frigate
Displacement	2,300 long tons (2,337 t) standard 2,520 long tons (2,560 t) full load
Length	103.6 m (339 ft 11 in) o/a
Beam	12.2 metres (40 ft 0 in)
Draught	3.6 m (11 ft 10 in)
Propulsion	8 × Admiralty Standard Range ASR1 diesels, 14,400 shp (10,738 kW), 2 shafts
Speed	25 knots (29 mph; 46 km/h)
Range	7,500 nmi (13,900 km; 8,600 mi)
Complement	210
Armament	2 × twin 4.5 in guns Mark 6 1 × twin 40 mm Bofors gun 1 × Squid A/S mortar

INS Brahmaputra (F31) was a Leopard-class frigate of the Indian Navy. She was built by the Scottish shipbuilder John Brown & Company and completed in March 1958. Brahmaputra served during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 and the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. She was scrapped in 1986.

On 28 June 1951, the British Admiralty ordered the fifth anti-aircraft frigate of the Leopard-class for the Royal Navy, to be called HMS Panther.^[1] In 1954 the Indian Navy ordered three Leopard-class frigates from the United Kingdom, with Panther, yet to be laid down, transferred to the Indian order as INS Bramaputra.^[2]

Brahmaputra was laid down at John Brown's Clydebank shipyard on 20 October 1955 and was launched on 15 March 1957. She was completed on 31 March 1958.^[2] She carried pennant number F31.^[3]

Brahmaputra was 103.6 metres (339 ft 11 in) long overall and 100.6 metres (330 ft 1 in) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 12.2 metres (40 ft 0 in) and a draught of 3.6 metres (11 ft 10 in). The ship displaced 2,300 long tons (2,300 t) normal and 2,520 long tons (2,560 t) deep load. She was powered by eight Admiralty Standard Range 1 (ASR1) diesel engines, with a total power of 14,400 brake horsepower (10,700 kW), driving two propeller shafts giving a speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph).^[4]

The ship's main gun armament consisted of two twin 4.5 inch (113 mm) Mark 6 dual-purpose gun turrets, mounted one forward and one aft,^[4] with a twin 40mm Bofors mount providing close-in anti-aircraft defence.^[5] A single Squid anti submarine mortar was fitted.^[4]

On 17 September 1965, during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, the Pakistani submarine Ghazi made a torpedo attack against a target off Bombay that was believed to be INS Brahmaputra. Ghazi' s ship's log recorded three explosions when her torpedoes were due to strike their target, and Ghazi was credited with sinking the Indian frigate. Brahmaputra was however unharmed and was unaware of any attack.^[6][7]

Brahmaputra took part in amphibious landings at Cox's Bazar on 14/15 December 1971, landing divers in advance of the landing and providing gunfire support to the landings.^[8]

In 1978 Bramaputra was converted to a training ship, with a deckhouse housing classrooms replacing the aft 4.5 in turret.^[2][9] She was stricken on 30 June 1986 and scrapped that year.^[10]

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• Blackman, Raymond V.B. (1971). Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd.
• Cardozo, Ian (2015). The Sinking of INS Khukri: Survivor's Stories. New Delhi: The Lotus Collection. ISBN 978-93-5194-099-9.
• Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen, eds. (1995). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
• Hiranandani, G.M. (2000). Transition to Triumph: Indian Navy 1965–1975. New Delhi: Director Personnel Services (DPS): Naval Headquarters. ISBN 1-897829-72-8.
• Moore, John, ed. (1985). Jane's Fighting Ships 1985–86. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 0-7106-0814-4.