Project 18-class destroyer

A concept representation of Project-18 class destroyer
Class overview
Name	Project-18 class
Operators	Indian Navy
Preceded by	Visakhapatnam class
Planned	8-10
General characteristics
Type	Stealth guided-missile destroyer
Displacement	10,000–13,000 tonnes (9,800–12,800 long tons; 11,000–14,000 short tons)
Length	180 m (590 ft 7 in)
Beam	25 m (82 ft 0 in)
Draft	8.5 m (27 ft 11 in)
Propulsion	COGAG or IEP
Speed	32 kn (59 km/h)
Range	6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Endurance	60 days
Crew	300+
Sensors and processing systems	Radar :- DRDO Active Antenna Array Unit (AAAU) AESA radar Unified Complex Radio Antenna (UNICORN) Sonar :- BEL HUMSA-NG active/passive sonar Combat Suite :- "Combat Management System" (CMS-18)
Electronic warfare & decoys	DRDO "Shakti" EW suite (equipped with ESM/ECM and "Radar Finger Printing System" (RFPS)) Decoys :- 6 x Kavach decoy launchers 4 x NSTL Maareech torpedo-countermeasure systems
Armament	Total 144 DRDO universal vertical missile launch module (UVLM) VLS cells and 8 slant launchers[1] Anti-ballistic missile Project Kusha long-range surface-to-air missiles Barak 8 surface-to-air missiles BrahMos anti-ship missiles Nirbhay Land-attack missile BrahMos-II Hypersonic cruise missile SMART (missile) Anti-submarine missile
Aircraft carried	2 × HAL Dhruv (or) Sea King Mk. 42B (or) MH-60R
Aviation facilities	Hangar for helicopters

The Project-18 destroyer (P-18) or Next Generation Destroyers (NGD) are a class of planned stealth guided-missile destroyers to be built for the Indian Navy (IN). The class will be a follow-on for Visakhapatnam-class destroyer which is in service. The class is a part of Next Generation series of future frontline surface combatants of the Indian Navy which includes Project 17B-class frigate or Next Generation Frigates (NGF) and Next Generation Corvettes (NGC).^[2][3]

In December 2023, the Vice Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh revealed that a class of advanced Next Generation Destroyers (NGD) or Project 18 destroyers is being designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB). As of then, the design and contract signing for construction was expected to be completed by 5 years. The delivery was to be completed within 5-10 years of contract signing. The ships will have a displacement of 10,000 tonnes (9,800 long tons; 11,000 short tons). The leading contenders for the deal were Mazagon Dockyard Limited (MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).^[4][5][6] The project, worth over $10 billion, includes a total of 8-10 ships are to be built in two phases. MDL has also floated a tender to construct a floating dry dock near Nhava Sheva port for ₹3,000 crore (equivalent to ₹32 billion or US$380 million in 2023) in 2022. This will assist them for the construction of these warships. Reports also suggested that the ships will feature an indigenous S-band primary fire control radar developed by DRDO. This will replace EL/M-2248 MF-STAR radars used on previous ships. They will also feature advanced indigenous weapon systems and an Integrated electric propulsion (IEP).^[7][8]

As of September 2024, the Indian Navy has submitted documents which are to be approved by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) – the main acquisition panel under the Ministry of Defence (MoD) headed by the Minister of Defence.^[9]

The ship will be equipped with 144 VLS cells and 8 slant launchers. The 144 cells will be in a configuration of three 6×4 VLS cells which will be compatible for launching surface-to-air missiles and anti-ballistic missiles as well as surface-to-surface missiles and anti-ship missiles including Barak 8, Project Kusha system, BrahMos, BrahMos 2 hypersonic cruise missile, SMART and LR-LACM.This weapons will be equipped in Universal Vertical Launch System (UVLS), which is developed for Indian Naval Ships.^[7][8][1][9]

• Future of the Indian Navy
• List of destroyers of India
• List of active Indian Navy ships

• Ticonderoga-class cruiser – a class of guided-missile cruisers being currently operated by the United States Navy.
• DDG(X) – a class of guided-missile destroyers being currently under development by the United States Navy.
• Type 055 destroyer – is a class of stealth guided-missile destroyers (guided-missile cruisers per NATO/OSD standard) being constructed for the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy.
• Sejong the Great-class destroyer – a class of guided-missile destroyers operated by the Republic of Korea Navy.