On August 26, the Indian Navy officially commissioned two new Project 17A stealth frigates, the INS Udaygiri (F35) and the INS Himgiri (F34), during a ceremony held at the Visakhapatnam Naval Base. The event was attended by the country’s Defense Minister, Rajnath Singh, marking the first time that two large combat ships built at different shipyards were commissioned simultaneously.
The Udaygiri, the second unit of the program, was built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai and delivered on July 1, 37 months after its launch. Meanwhile, the Himgiri is the first of its class constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata, officially received on July 31.
Project 17A involves the construction of seven Nilgiri-class frigates, an evolution of the Shivalik-class frigates (Project 17). With a displacement of approximately 6,700 tons, the new units are 5% larger than their predecessors, incorporating improvements in stealth design, combat systems, and offensive capabilities.
The ships are equipped with a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system—using a diesel engine for cruising speeds and a gas turbine for high speeds separately—controllable-pitch propellers (CPP), and an Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS). Their armament includes supersonic anti-ship missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, a 76 mm gun, 30 mm and 12.7 mm weapon systems, as well as anti-submarine warfare equipment.
The design was developed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, with the Udaygiri marking the bureau’s 100th ship. The “Integrated Construction” concept allowed for modular and ergonomic assembly, meeting the established timelines.
Over 200 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) participated in the process, generating around 4,000 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect jobs. According to the Navy, these additions “…reinforce the vision of having a combat-ready, credible, cohesive, and future-oriented force capable of safeguarding India’s maritime interests under any circumstances.”
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