Project 17A is a major Indian Navy initiative constructing seven advanced stealth frigates with 75% indigenous content. Built by MDL and GRSE, these warships enhance India's maritime security, safeguard vital trade routes, and counter regional threats in the Indian Ocean.
The delivery of INS Mahendragiri, the sixth Project 17A frigate, highlights India's advancement in indigenous naval shipbuilding.
What is it? Project 17A is a ₹45,000 crore initiative by the Indian Navy to construct seven advanced stealth guided-missile frigates.
Class: These ships are known as the Nilgiri-class. They are a follow-on series to the Project 17 (Shivalik-class) frigates, featuring superior stealth, weapons, and sensors.
Design: They are designed in-house by the Navy's Warship Design Bureau (WDB).
Construction: The construction is split between two major public sector shipyards: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai (building 4 ships) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata (building 3 ships).
Push for 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat': The project has 75% indigenous content. It involves over 200 Indian MSMEs, generating employment, and boosting India's domestic defence-industrial ecosystem.
The Seven Ships under Project 17A Named after historical mountain ranges:
Technical Features
Advanced Stealth: Designed with a reduced Radar Cross Section (RCS) using improved hull geometry, radar-absorbent coatings, making them difficult for enemy radars to detect.
Propulsion: Powered by a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plant.
Automation: They feature Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS) that centralizes the control and monitoring of the ship's machinery, reducing the crew's workload.
Construction Technology: Built using Integrated Modular Construction (IMC), a block-based assembly method that reduces overall build time and improves efficiency.
Missiles: They carry 8 BrahMos supersonic surface-to-surface cruise missiles and 32 Barak-8 Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (LR-SAMs).
Source: THE HINDU
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Which class of warships is being developed under the Indian Navy's Project 17A? A) Visakhapatnam-class B) Nilgiri-class C) Shivalik-class D) Kamorta-class Answer: B Explanation: Project 17A is a follow-on to the Project 17 (Shivalik-class) frigates. These ships feature advanced stealth features, including radar-transparent deck fittings and specialized hull design to reduce radar signatures. |
Project 17A is a ₹45,000 crore initiative by the Indian Navy to construct seven advanced stealth guided-missile frigates, known as the Nilgiri-class, featuring superior weapons, sensors, and automation.
The construction is shared between two public sector shipyards: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai, building four ships, and Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) in Kolkata, building three.
The seven ships are INS Nilgiri, INS Himgiri, INS Udaygiri, INS Dunagiri, INS Taragiri, INS Vindhyagiri, and INS Mahendragiri.
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