India Launches Fifth Stealth Frigate Under Project 17A

Indian Navy launched its fifth stealth frigate, Taragiri under Project 17A  in Mumbai on Sunday. It is an indigenously-designed Nilgiri-class stealth guided-missile frigate constructed by Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL). This is the third stealth frigate built at MDSL.

Project 17A under which many guided-missile frigates are being constructed for the Indian Navy. The total cost of Project 17A is about Rs 25,700 crore.

The keel of Taragiri was laid in September 2020 and the ship is expected to be delivered to the Indian Navy by August 2025. The vessel has an approximate weight of 3,510 tonnes and was designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house design organisation, the Bureau of Naval Design. 

Taragiri will have state-of-the-art weapons, sensors, an advanced action information system, an integrated platform management system, modular living spaces, a sophisticated power distribution system, and a host of other advanced features. It will have a supersonic surface-to-surface missile system.

The ship’s air defence capability could counter the threat of enemy aircraft and anti-ship cruise missiles. It is fitted with two 30 mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM) guns which provide effective long-range surface-to-air missile naval gunfire support.

The 149-metre-long and 17.8-metre-wide ship is propelled by a combination of two gas turbines and two main diesel engines, designed to achieve a speed of more than 28 knots with a displacement of 6,670 tonnes, officials said.

Under Project 17A, the first ship Nilgiri built at MDSL, was launched in September 2019 and is expected to undergo sea trials in the first half of 2024.

The second ship, Udaygiri was launched in May this year and is expected to start sea trials in the second half of 2024. For the fourth and final ship, the keel was laid on June 28 this year at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders.