NEW DELHI: ‘Taragiri‘, the fifth stealth guided-missile frigate built under the Indian Navy‘s Project 17A, was launched in Mumbai on Sunday.
“In compliance with the notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (declaring state mourning on September 11 due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II), the event was limited to a technical launch. As the event was tide dependent, any change in schedule was not possible,” stated Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL).
Under the Rs 50,000-crore Project 17A programme, a total of seven ships — four at MDL and three at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) — are being built with enhanced stealth features, advanced indigenous weapons, along with several other improvements.
The keel of ‘Taragiri’ was laid on September 10, 2020, and is expected to be delivered by August 2025.
The ships under Project 17A are all named after hill ranges in India. ‘Taragiri’ is named after a hill range in the Himalayas located in Garhwal, Uttarakhand.
Here’s all you need to know about Taragiri and Project 17A:
“In compliance with the notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (declaring state mourning on September 11 due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II), the event was limited to a technical launch. As the event was tide dependent, any change in schedule was not possible,” stated Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL).
Under the Rs 50,000-crore Project 17A programme, a total of seven ships — four at MDL and three at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) — are being built with enhanced stealth features, advanced indigenous weapons, along with several other improvements.
The keel of ‘Taragiri’ was laid on September 10, 2020, and is expected to be delivered by August 2025.
The ships under Project 17A are all named after hill ranges in India. ‘Taragiri’ is named after a hill range in the Himalayas located in Garhwal, Uttarakhand.
Here’s all you need to know about Taragiri and Project 17A:
- P17A ships have been designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house design organization, the Directorate of Naval Design (Surface Ship Design Group).
- Taragiri’s air defence capability, designed to counter the threat of enemy aircraft and anti-ship cruise missiles, will revolve around the vertical launch and long-range surface-to-air missile system.
- Two 30 mm rapid-fire guns will provide the ship with close-in-defence capability while a
Super Rapid Gun Mount will enable her to provide effective naval gunfiresupport. - Indigenously developed triple tube light weight torpedo launchers and rocket launchers will add punch to the ship’s anti-submarine capability.
- The ship was named by
Charu Singh , president of the Navy Wives Welfare Association (Western Region), wife of vice admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, FOC-in-C Western Naval Command. - The first ship of Project 17A, ‘Nilgiri’, was launched on September 28, 2019, and is expected to undergo sea trials in the first half of 2024. The second ship, ‘Himgiri’, was launched on December 14, 2020, and is expected to be commissioned by August next year. The third ship, ‘Udaygiri’, was launched on May 17 this year and it is expected to start sea trials during the second half of 2024. The fourth ship, ‘Dunagiri’, was launched on July 15, 2022.
- The keels of the sixth and seventh ships were laid on March 5, 2021, and June 28, 2022. They will be named INS Vindhyagiri and INS Mahendragiri.
- Project 17A ships are sourcing 80% of the material/ equipment required for the projects from indigenous vendors. It is also generating employment for over 2,000 Indian firms and MSMEs.
- The ships are propelled by two gas turbines and 2 main diesel engines which are designed to achieve a speed of over 28 knots.
- The steel used in hull construction of P17A frigates is indigenously developed DMR 249A, which is a low carbon micro alloy grade steel manufactured by SAIL.
(With inputs from agencies)
