Navy To Commission 2 Frigates In Vizag On Aug 26

This is the first time that two major surface combatants from two prestigious Indian shipyards are being commissioned at the same time here, an Eastern Naval Command release stated on Sunday.

It stated, “This milestone showcases the success of the Make in India and the Aatma Nirbhar Bharat initiatives in the defence sector. Udaygiri, the second ship of the Project 17A stealth frigates, has been built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd in Mumbai, while Himgiri is the first of the P17A ships being constructed by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata.

Udaygiri is the 100th ship designed by the Navy's warship design bureau. Both the ships represent a generational leap over earlier designs. Displacing about 6,700 tonnes, the P17A frigates are roughly five per cent larger than their predecessor Shivalik-class frigates and yet incorporate a sleeker form with a reduced radar cross section.

They are powered by combined diesel or gas (CODOG) propulsion plants using diesel engines and gas turbines that drive controllable-pitch propellers and are managed through an Integrated Platform Management System.

The weapon suite includes supersonic surface-to-surface missiles, medium-range surface-to-air missiles, a 76mm MR gun, a combination of 30mm and 12.7mm close-in weapon systems, and the anti-submarine/underwater weapon systems.

Both ships are the result of an industrial ecosystem spanning over 200 MSMEs, supporting approximately 4,000 direct jobs and more than 10,000 indirect jobs.

The forthcoming ceremony here would thus be more than a naval ritual; it would be a celebration of India's journey towards a robust and self-sufficient maritime defense ecosystem, the release said.