About INS Udaygiri:
- It is the second among the seven Project 17A (P-17A) frigates under construction at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL) in Mumbai and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata.
- The Project is a follow-on of the Shivalik class (Project 17) frigates active in service.
- It is a modern Avatar of its predecessor, erstwhile INS Udaygiri which was a Steam Ship, decommissioned on 24 August 2007 after rendering 31 years of glorious service to the nation.
- These multi-mission frigates are capable of operating in a ‘Blue Water’ environment dealing with both conventional and non-conventional threats in the area of India’s Maritime Interests.
Key Facts about Project 17A Frigates
- The hull of P17A ships is geo-symmetrically larger by 4.54 % vis-à-vis P 17. These ships are fitted with an advanced weapon and sensor suite with enhanced ‘sleek and stealthy’ features compared to the P 17 class.
- P-17A ships have enhanced stealth features and fitted with ‘State of the Art’ weapons and sensors, a significant upgrade from the P17 class.
- The ships are configured with Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) main propulsion plants, comprising a Diesel Engine and Gas turbine, driving a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) on each shaft and a state-of-the-art Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
- The weapon suite comprises supersonic Surface-to-Surface missile system, Medium-Range Surface to Air Missile system, 76 mm Gun, and a combination of 30 mm and 12.7 mm rapid-fire close-in Weapon Systems.
- The warship is fitted with major weapons and sensors sourced from indigenous OEMs.
- Significance: The positive spin offs of the shipbuilding project included self-reliance, economic development, employment generation, growth of MSMEs and ancillary ecosystem in the country.
