After the beginning of hostilities on 3 December 1971, Indian Naval radio detection equipment identified a submarine lurking about 35 miles (56 km) south-west of Diu harbour. The 14th Frigate Squadron of the Western Fleet was dispatched to destroy the submarine.[2] It normally consisted of five ships, Khukri, Kirpan, Kalveti, Krishna and Kuthar, but at the time of the incident Kuthar's boiler room was being repaired in Bombay.[2] One reason that may have prompted the decision to deploy two obsolete Blackwood-class frigates against a modern Daphne-class submarine was that the Indian Navy lacked sufficient numbers of anti-submarine aircraft.[5]
The submarine sighted the squadron on the evening of 9 December. Khukri was still not aware of the submarine's presence[6] and continued slowly on a steady course because she was testing an improved version of the 170/174 sonar, which required a low speed to increase detection, despite the fact that moving on low speed was against Indian anti-submarine doctrine.[2] At 19:57 Hangor fired a homing torpedo on a sonar approach at Kirpan.[2] The torpedo did not explode[6][7] and was detected by Kirpan which turned away and fired anti-submarine mortars.[2]Khukri increased its speed and turned towards the submarine, which then fired a second torpedo directed at Khukri.[2] The torpedo struck Khukri and exploded under its oil tanks.[2][6] According to the Pakistani submarine captain, Commander Ahmed Tasnim, the ship sank within two minutes.[7] Other sources claim that Khukri was struck by three torpedoes before going down.[8]
After a few minutes, Kirpan attacked Hangor with depth charges, as her anti-submarine mortars were no long functional.[2]Hangor then fired a final torpedo at Kirpan before leaving the area.[2][6]Hangor patrolled the region for the next four days before returning safely to her berth.
Casualties
Khukri is the only ship lost in combat in the history of the Indian Navy.[2][3][9] Eighteen officers and 176 other sailors were killed.[3][9] The captain, Mahendra Nath Mulla, was among the casualties and is the only Indian captain to go down with a vessel as INS Khukri is the only warship of Indian navy lost in combat. He was posthumously awarded India's second-highest military honour, the Maha Vir Chakra.[3][9]
There is a memorial to the sailors in Diu. The memorial consists of a scale model of Khukri encased in a glass house, placed atop a hillock facing the sea. The memorial was inaugurated by Vice Admiral Madhvendra Singh as the flag officer commanding-in-chief.[4]
Responsibility for errors by Indian naval officers related to the sinking has caused some controversy. The naval officer who led the inquiry into the sinking, Benoy Bhushan, has claimed that India's official naval history invented fictional accounts to cover up bungling and a surviving sailor from the frigate, Chanchal Singh Gill, has called for an investigation and withdrawal of gallantry awards to negligent officers in the squadron.[10]
^Blackman, Raymond VB (ed.). Jane's Fighting Ships, 1961-62. Sampson Low, Marston & Co Ltd. p. 114.
^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstuv. Society of Twentieth Century Wargamers Journal. russellphillipsbooks. Archived from the original on 26 March 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
khukri, f149, other, ships, with, same, name, khukri, khukri, type, blackwood, class, frigate, indian, navy, sunk, coast, gujarat, india, pakistan, navy, daphné, class, submarine, hangor, december, 1971, during, indo, pakistani, 1971, this, first, warship, sun. For other ships with the same name see INS Khukri INS Khukri was a Type 14 Blackwood class frigate of the Indian Navy She was sunk off the coast of Diu Gujarat India by the Pakistan Navy Daphne class submarine Hangor on 9 December 1971 during the Indo Pakistani War of 1971 This was the first warship sunk in action by a submarine since World War II It remains the post Independence Indian navy s only warship to be lost in war 2 3 INS Khukri underwayHistoryIndiaNameINS Khukri 1 NamesakeKhukriBuilderJ Samuel White CowesLaid down29 December 1955Launched20 November 1956Commissioned16 July 1958IdentificationPennant number F149FateTorpedoed and sunk by Pakistan Navy submarine PNS Hangor on 9 December 1971General characteristicsClass and typeBlackwood class frigate 2 Displacement1 180 long tons 1 200 t full load 2 Length300 ft 91 m pp 310 ft 94 m oa 2 Beam33 ft 10 m 2 Draught15 5 ft 4 7 m 2 PropulsionY 100 plant 2 x Babcock amp Wilcox boilers steam turbines on 1 shaft 15 000 shp 11 MW Speed27 8 knots 51 km h maximum 24 5 knots 45 km h sustained 2 Range5 200 nautical miles 9 630 km at 12 knots 22 km h Complement150 2 Sensors and processing systemsRadar Type 974 navigation Sonar Type 174 search Sonar Type 162 target classification Sonar Type 170 targetingArmament3 40 mm Bofors gun Mark 7 quarterdeck mount later removed 2 2 Limbo Mark 10 A S mortars 2 Sinking of INS KhukriPart of the Naval Conflict of Indo Pakistan War of 1971Date9 December 1971LocationArabian seaResultINS Khukhri sank 2 Belligerents Pakistan Pakistan Navy India Indian NavyCommanders and leadersCommander Ahmed TasnimCaptain Mahendra Nath Mulla StrengthPNS Hangor submarine INS Khukri frigate INS Kirpan frigate Casualties and lossesNoneINS Khukri sunk 2 194 4 Contents 1 Sinking 2 Casualties 3 Controversy 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksSinking EditAfter the beginning of hostilities on 3 December 1971 Indian Naval radio detection equipment identified a submarine lurking about 35 miles 56 km south west of Diu harbour The 14th Frigate Squadron of the Western Fleet was dispatched to destroy the submarine 2 It normally consisted of five ships Khukri Kirpan Kalveti Krishna and Kuthar but at the time of the incident Kuthar s boiler room was being repaired in Bombay 2 One reason that may have prompted the decision to deploy two obsolete Blackwood class frigates against a modern Daphne class submarine was that the Indian Navy lacked sufficient numbers of anti submarine aircraft 5 The submarine sighted the squadron on the evening of 9 December Khukri was still not aware of the submarine s presence 6 and continued slowly on a steady course because she was testing an improved version of the 170 174 sonar which required a low speed to increase detection despite the fact that moving on low speed was against Indian anti submarine doctrine 2 At 19 57 Hangor fired a homing torpedo on a sonar approach at Kirpan 2 The torpedo did not explode 6 7 and was detected by Kirpan which turned away and fired anti submarine mortars 2 Khukri increased its speed and turned towards the submarine which then fired a second torpedo directed at Khukri 2 The torpedo struck Khukri and exploded under its oil tanks 2 6 According to the Pakistani submarine captain Commander Ahmed Tasnim the ship sank within two minutes 7 Other sources claim that Khukri was struck by three torpedoes before going down 8 After a few minutes Kirpan attacked Hangor with depth charges as her anti submarine mortars were no long functional 2 Hangor then fired a final torpedo at Kirpan before leaving the area 2 6 Hangor patrolled the region for the next four days before returning safely to her berth Casualties EditKhukri is the only ship lost in combat in the history of the Indian Navy 2 3 9 Eighteen officers and 176 other sailors were killed 3 9 The captain Mahendra Nath Mulla was among the casualties and is the only Indian captain to go down with a vessel as INS Khukri is the only warship of Indian navy lost in combat He was posthumously awarded India s second highest military honour the Maha Vir Chakra 3 9 There is a memorial to the sailors in Diu The memorial consists of a scale model of Khukri encased in a glass house placed atop a hillock facing the sea The memorial was inaugurated by Vice Admiral Madhvendra Singh as the flag officer commanding in chief 4 INS Khukri during an execise with Indonesian Navy in 1960 Model of Khukri at the INS Khukri memorial Diu INS Khukri memorial DiuControversy EditResponsibility for errors by Indian naval officers related to the sinking has caused some controversy The naval officer who led the inquiry into the sinking Benoy Bhushan has claimed that India s official naval history invented fictional accounts to cover up bungling and a surviving sailor from the frigate Chanchal Singh Gill has called for an investigation and withdrawal of gallantry awards to negligent officers in the squadron 10 See also EditIndo Pakistani War of 1971 Timeline of the Bangladesh Liberation War Military plans of the Bangladesh Liberation War Mitro Bahini order of battle Pakistan Army order of battle December 1971 Evolution of Pakistan Eastern Command plan 1971 Bangladesh genocide Operation Searchlight Indo Pakistani wars and conflicts Military history of India List of military disasters List of wars involving IndiaNotes Edit Blackman Raymond VB ed Jane s Fighting Ships 1961 62 Sampson Low Marston amp Co Ltd p 114 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v The Sinking of INS Khukri Society of Twentieth Century Wargamers Journal russellphillipsbooks Archived from the original on 26 March 2012 Retrieved 20 October 2011 a b c d 1 Archived 13 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine a b Two day ceremony at Navy s Diu memorial Archived 25 April 2013 at the Wayback Machine Indian Subcontinent Database Archived 10 July 2006 at the Wayback Machine a b c d Harry B Loss of the INS Khukri Archived from the original on 18 January 2012 Retrieved 21 October 2011 a b Interview with Vice Admiral Tasneem December 2008 Friedman Norman 1984 Submarine design and development Conway Maritime p 188 a b c Wattal Ameeta Mulla 9 December 2010 Why they chose to go down with the ship OjNewsCom Retrieved 7 June 2015 Sura Ajay 7 January 2011 Khukri sinking Probe officer terms row silly fiction Times of India Retrieved 7 June 2015 References EditMankekar D R 1972 Twenty Two Fateful Days Pakistan Cut to Size New Delhi Indian Book Co Roy Mihir K 1995 War in the Indian Ocean Lancer International Indian Navy Blackwood Class Type 14 Frigates Marine News Supplement Warships 76 5 S277 S281 May 2022 ISSN 0966 6958 External links EditBharat Rakshak s article on the incidentCoordinates 20 16 38 N 70 59 37 E 20 27722 N 70 99361 E 20 27722 70 99361 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title INS Khukri F149 amp oldid 1133123860, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
