‘Taragiri’, a stealth frigate of the Indian Navy’s Project 17A, was launched in Mumbai on September 11.

Project 17A frigates

• Project 17A frigates are a follow-on class of the P17 (Shivalik Class) frigates with improved stealth features, advanced weapons and sensors and platform management systems.

• The Navy had placed orders for seven stealth frigates, four of which are being developed by Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) and three by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).

• P17A ships have been designed in-house by Navy’s Warship Design Bureau. Around 75 per cent of the orders for equipment and system of P17A ships are being placed on indigenous firms.

• The first ship of Project 17A, ‘Nilgiri’ built by MDL, was launched on September 28, 2019, and is expected for sea trials in the first half of 2024. 

• ‘Himgiri’, the first of the three Project 17A ships being built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata was on December 14, 2020.

• The third ship ‘Udaygiri’ under the project was launched on May 17 this year. It is expected to start sea trials during the second half of 2024. 

• ‘Dunagiri’, the fourth ship of P17A frigates, was launched in July this year. 

Taragiri

• Taragiri, named after a hill range in the Himalayas located at Garhwal, is the fifth ship of Project 17A frigates. 

• This ship has been built using an integrated construction methodology which involves hull block construction in different geographical locations and integration and erection on the slipway at the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders (MDL).

• It will be fitted with 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.  

• Taragiri is the reincarnation of erstwhile ‘Taragiri’, the Leander Class ASW Frigate, which saw numerous challenging operations in its illustrious service to the nation spanning over three decades from May 16, 1980 to June 27, 2013.

• The keel of ‘Taragiri’ was laid on September 10, 2020. The ship is expected to be delivered by August 2025.

• The vessel is being launched with an approximate launch weight of 3,510 tonnes.

Manorama Yearbook app is now available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store