Taragiri, the third stealth frigate under Project 17A, launched

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

Taragiri, the indigenously-designed Nilgiri-class stealth guided-missile frigate constructed by Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), was launched in Mumbai. (Photo source: Express Photo)

Taragiri, the indigenously-designed Nilgiri-class stealth guided-missile frigate constructed by Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), was launched in Mumbai Sunday morning.

Taragiri is the third stealth frigate built as part of Project 17A under which a series of such guided-missile frigates are being constructed for the Navy.

The event was held without celebrations due to the “national mourning” announced by the central government in the wake of Queen Elizabeth’s death. It was limited to a technical launch as being tide-dependent, a change in the schedule was not possible, officials added.

Video: Taragiri, the indigenously-designed Nilgiri-class stealth guided-missile frigate constructed by Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), was launched in Mumbai Sunday morning.

The ship was named by Charu Singh, president of the Navy Wives Welfare Association (western region) and the wife of the chief guest Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command.

MDL said the ship has been built using integrated construction methodology which involves construction of the hull blocks in different geographical locations and integration and erection on the slipway at MDL. The keel of Taragiri was laid in September 2020 and the ship is expected to be delivered by August 2025. The vessel is being launched with an approximate launch weight of 3,510 tonnes. The ship is designed by the Indian Navy’s in-house design organisation, the Bureau of Naval Design. MDL has undertaken the detailed design and construction of the ship which is also overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team (Mumbai).

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 total value of Project 17A is around Rs 25,700 crore. The second ship of P17A class, Udaygiri, was launched on May 17 this year and is expected to start sea trials in the second half of 2024. The keel of the fourth and final ship was laid on June 28 this year.

Taragiri is the third stealth frigate built as part of Project 17A under which a series of such guided-missile frigates are being constructed for the Navy. (Express Photo)

The steel used in the hull construction of P17A frigates is indigenously developed DMR 249A, which is a low carbon micro-alloy grade steel manufactured by the Steel Authority of India Limited. The indigenously designed Taragiri will have state-of-the-art weapons, sensors, advanced action information system, integrated platform management system, world-class modular living spaces, sophisticated power distribution system and a host of other advanced features.

It will be fitted with a supersonic surface-to-surface missile system. The ship’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 an SRGM gun will enable her to provide effective naval gunfire support. Indigenously developed triple tube lightweight torpedo launchers and rocket launchers will add punch to the ship’s anti-submarine capability.