| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Vidyut class |
| Operators |  Indian Navy |
| Succeeded by | Chamak class |
| Planned | 8 |
| Completed | 8 |
| Retired | 8 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Fast attack craft |
| Displacement | 245 tons (full load)[1] |
| Length | 38.6 m (127 ft) |
| Beam | 7.6 m (25 ft) |
| Speed | 37 knots (69 km/h)+ |
| Complement | 30 |
| Armament | |
TheVidyut-class missile boats (Sanskrit;Devanagari: विद्युत्,lightning) of theIndian Navy were anIndian variant of theSovietOsa I class.[2][3]
These vessels formed the 25th "Killer" Missile Boat Squadron, which sunk 2destroyers, aminesweeper and various other vessels of thePakistan Navy during theIndo-Pakistani War of 1971.
In 1964, theSoviet Union offered the Osa-class missile boats to a visiting Indian delegation. However, the Indian Navy showed no interest in the smaller boats at the time.
Until 1965, the primary acquisitions of the Indian Navy had been fromBritain. After theIndo-Pakistani War of 1965, the British declined to transfer modern equipment to India. So, India turned to the Soviet Union for its military acquisitions.[4]
In 1967, during theSix-Day War, anEgyptian missile boat attacked and sank theIsraeli frigate,Eilat, from a range well beyond the frigate's guns.[2]
In 1968, a Pakistani delegation to the Soviet Union was also offered the missile boats and transfer of associated infrastructure. However, the Pakistan Navy wanted larger vessels and turned down the offer.[4]
In 1969, after examining the performance of the Egyptian boats during the Six Day War, India finalized agreements for the acquisition of the Osa-I-class missile boats from the Soviet Union. The vessels were commissioned into the Indian Navy starting in 1971, a few months before the start of the war with Pakistan.
During theIndo-Pakistani War of 1971, the 25th Missile Boat Squadron, consisting of vessels from theVidyut class, played a crucial role in the Indian attacks onKarachi in December 1971. The two key operations in which these vessels played an active role, wereOperation Trident andOperation Python. Indian attacks destroyed half of thePakistani Navy[5] and most of Pakistan's naval fuel reserves in the port's fuel storage tanks, which cleared the way for the decisive victory of theIndian Armed Forces.[6][7]
Commander B.B. Yadav, who commanded Operation Trident was awarded theMaha Vir Chakra.[8] Lieutenant Commander B.N. Kavina, Petty Officer M.O. Thomachan, Petty Officer R.N. Sharma and L.K. Chakravarty and Lieutenant Commander Inderjit Sharma received theVir Chakra for their roles in Operation Trident. Lieutenant Commander Vijai Jerath, was awarded the Vir Chakra for Operation Python.
| Name | Pennant | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Veer | K82 | 2 April 1971 | 31 December 1982 | |
| Vidyut | K83 | 16 February 1971 | 31 March 1991 | |
| Vijeta | K84 | 27 March 1971 | 30 June 1992 | |
| Vinash | K85 | 20 January 1971 | 15 January 1990 | |
| Nipat | K86 | 26 April 1971 | 29 February 1988 | |
| Nashak | K87 | 19 March 1971 | 31 December 1990 | |
| Nirbhik | K88 | 20 February 1971 | 31 December 1986 | |
| Nirghat | K89 | 29 January 1971 | 31 July 1989 |
In a two-week war, Pakistan lost half its navy.
