Indian Navy’s frontline missile destroyer - INS Ranjit has been decommissioned at the naval dockyard in Visakhapatnam after having served for 36 years.
It was the third of the five Kashin-class destroyers built by erstwhile USSR, and was commissioned in 1983.
As of 2019, only one Kashin-class destroyers ship remains in service with Russian Navy, and five with Indian Navy as Rajput-class destroyers.
It is first of five Rajput class destroyers to go out of service.
She was launched formally on 16 June 1979 and was given its Russian name “Lovkly” meaning “Agile”.
It has been deployed in a number of operations including IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force) operations and Operation Talwar (1999) during Kargil conflict.
Rajput-class destroyers
The Rajput-class destroyers (also known as Kashin-II class or Project 61E) are modified versions of Soviet Kashin class destroyers.
It includes INS Rajput, INS Rana, INS Ranjit, INS Ranvir and INS Ranvijay.
The Rajput class destroyers were first to be fitted with Brahmos supersonic cruise missiles.