India Navy Frigates

[Gautam]

Keel laid for the third stealth frigate of Project 17A

Posted On: 10 SEP 2020 6:49PM by PIB Delhi

Vice Admiral S R Sarma – COM & CWP&A of the Indian Navy and Shri V L Kantha Rao Additional Secretary (Defence Production) laid the keel of the third ship (Yard- 12653) of the prestigious P17A class stealth frigates on 10 Sep 2020. The keel laying ceremony was conducted through an e-platform in the presence of Vice Admiral R B Pandit, Chief of Staff, HQWNC and Vice Admiral Narayan Prasad (IN Retd.) – CMD MDL.

Seven frigates under P17A series will be constructed of which four are being constructed in MDL and three in GRSE with MDL as the lead yard. The P17A class frigates are being built using indigenously developed steel and fitted with weapons and sensors along with Integrated Platform Management System. These ships are having stealth features.

Construction of P17A ships differ in the very concept of warship building by way of adoption of the modern technology ‘Integrated Construction (IC)’ where the blocks are pre-outfitted before joining to reduce the build period of warships. When commissioned the platforms will enhance the combat capability of the Indian Naval fleet.

The function was attended by Rear Admiral G K Harish, DGND, Commodore T V Thomas (IN Retd.), Director (CP&P), MDL, Rear Admiral A K Saxena (IN Retd.), Director (Shipbuilding), Commander Jasbir Singh (IN Retd.), Director (S&HE), MDL, Shri Sanjeev Singhal, Director (Finance), MDL , Shri Mahesh Chandra, CVO, MDL alongwith senior executives from MDL & Navy through an e-ceremony including the Warship Overseeing Team.

 

[Test7]

Russian Navy Black Sea Fleet frigate Admiral Makarov Project 11356. Russian MoD picture.


India’s Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) cut a steel plate for its first locally built Project 11356 frigate on September 21. The official ceremony of steel cutting was being live-streamed on the same day by the Ishwari Digital media platform.



During the ceremony, the Vice Chief of the Indian Navy’s (IN’s) Staff Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar cut the first plate of steel for the premier Indian-built Project 11356 frigate.


In his turn, a representative of GSL said the construction of the Project 11356 frigates would be the largest shipbuilding program to be conducted by the enterprise. “Thanks to the commencement of the project, the shipyard has entered the league of the Indian enterprises that are capable of building large surface combatants. Therefore, India’s capabilities to construct this type of defense hardware will be dramatically reinforced,” he said. “We are planning to fulfill the program in time. The enterprise rapidly adopted to the COVID-19 pandemic in order to minimize its impact on manufacturing processes,” he added.


According to the representative of GSL, the new ships will incorporate “a large number” of indigenous subsystems.

Goa Shipyard Limited picture showing the keel laying ceremony for the first firgate

India has designated the new ship ‘Advanced Missile Frigate’ (AMF). “GSL commences production of Advanced Missile Frigates, with ‘First Steel Cutting’ today at the hands of Vice Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar — another landmark step in Defence Shipbuilding and a major boost to ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ [projects],” said GSL in a tweet on September 21.


Russia and India previously contracted the delivery of four Project 11356 frigates to the Asian country. Under the deal, the Yantar Shipyard (a subsidiary of Russia’s United Shipbuilding Corporation) and GSL are set to build two ships each.


The Project 11356 frigate is designed to strike surface/underwater combatants and aerial targets in both blue and green waters. The ships operate both in battle groups and as standalone naval platforms. The frigate is armed with an A-190 10 mm naval gun, strike missiles (including the Kalibr and Shtil missile weapons), and torpedoes. The ship can store a Kamov Ka-27 naval rotorcraft. The Project 11356 frigate is 124.8 m long and has a displacement of 3,620 t, a full speed of 30 kt, and a cruise range of 4,850 nm.


The naval platform has been designed with the use of stealth technologies; the acoustic signature of the ship has also been reduced, while the system’s protection against high-precision weapons has been reinforced. The frigate’s powerplant integrates four gas-turbine engines. The ship can employ only one gas-turbine engine to sail in order to increase the service life and cost-effectiveness ratio of the main powerplant.

India cuts steel for its first locally-built Project 11356 frigate - Naval News

India’s Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) cut a steel plate for its first locally built Project 11356 frigate on September 21. The official ceremony of steel cutting was being live-streamed on the same day by the Ishwari Digital media platform.

www.navalnews.com

Another representative of GSL told TASS at the Army 2019 international military-technical forum that the Indian Project 11356 frigate would receive a number of locally built subsystems, including a 76 mm naval gun, the BRAHMOS cruise missiles, two 30 mm anti-aircraft guns, two torpedo launchers, and a rocket launcher. The source added that the sensor suite of the new ship would also comprise several Indian items, including a sonar, an information combat-management system, and an electronic warfare system.

 

[Gary]

@Nilgiri why not go for the Shivalik? supposedly Shivalik is Talwar class successor in Wikipedia

 

[Nilgiri]

@Nilgiri why not go for the Shivalik? supposedly Shivalik is Talwar class successor in Wikipedia

Basically the argument forwarded was capability acquisition w.r.t shipyard capacity.

Most of India's heavy shipyards (like MDL) are all full/commited to existing classes and future classes.

Thus because of UKR/RUS conflict that occured some years back that lead to their failling out, the krivak class (modern iteration of it) suffered in Russia's case as the propulsion was sourced from Ukraine (and was not delivered for 2 remaining hulls).

Thus Russia and India agreed India could source them relatively cheap and immediately...and India basically approach Ukraine independently for the propulsion package and does the integration and fitting out etc.

As part of this 2 more krivaks (talwars as known in IN) were added (to be built with ToT) so that this particular shipyard (GSL) can also concurrently have opportunity to transition to more medium/heavy category (given it simply did much lighter OPV's and similar tonnage thus far).

There is fine line here in balance (given you are right to bring up Shivalik and also Project 17A opportunity cost by simply investing into GSL to handle one of those two etc)...but IN went for it, deciding it needed some quick capability right away at seemingly good price...and transition GSL capability a bit more slower/steadier etc.

Indian shipyard expansion and capital investments are a longer awry subject of their own.

This is my rough understanding on it summarized off the top of my head, there could be a few errors.

@ANMDT @Dante80 @Joe Shearer @Paro @Gautam @Vergennes @Kartal1 @Chestnut @T-123456 @UkroTurk

 

[Gary]

Basically the argument forwarded was capability acquisition w.r.t shipyard capacity.

Most of India's heavy shipyards (like MDL) are all full/commited to existing classes and future classes.

Thus because of UKR/RUS conflict that occured some years back that lead to their failling out, the krivak class (modern iteration of it) suffered in Russia's case as the propulsion was sourced from Ukraine (and was not delivered for 2 remaining hulls).

Thus Russia and India agreed India could source them relatively cheap and immediately...and India basically approach Ukraine independently for the propulsion package and does the integration and fitting out etc.

As part of this 2 more krivaks (talwars as known in IN) were added (to be built with ToT) so that this particular shipyard (GSL) can also concurrently have opportunity to transition to more medium/heavy category (given it simply did much lighter OPV's and similar tonnage thus far).

There is fine line here in balance (given you are right to bring up Shivalik and also Project 17A opportunity cost by simply investing into GSL to handle one of those two etc)...but IN went for it, deciding it needed some quick capability right away at seemingly good price...and transition GSL capability a bit more slower/steadier etc.

Indian shipyard expansion and capital investments are a longer awry subject of their own.

This is my rough understanding on it summarized off the top of my head, there could be a few errors.

@ANMDT @Dante80 @Joe Shearer @Paro @Gautam @Vergennes @Kartal1 @Chestnut @T-123456 @UkroTurk

Oh boy, my bad,..... I've just remembered India couldn't buy directly from Russia due to turbine engine ban from Ukraine

 

[Nilgiri]

As for why the Krivaks had hull in Russia and Engine in Ukraine, its Soviet Legacy.

An Azeri friend of mine, his dad is/was in marine design profession, he studied at Odessa in Soviet days.

Maybe some members know about that kind of thing.

 

[Gautam]

@Nilgiri why not go for the Shivalik? supposedly Shivalik is Talwar class successor in Wikipedia

Agree with @Nilgiri here. It is mostly about capacity building, also about time. Some of those ships were sitting in Russian yards without the Ukrainian engines after Russia's Crimean adventures. Russian's were offering them at a lower price to us & Ukraine has no problem selling engines if the ships go to India. This is a cheap way of getting some good ships fast and also upgrading GSL's shipbuilding capacity. We already use the Talwar class, so logistically its not a problem.

GSL doesn't have any experience in building larger ships like frigates. They have so far made patrol boats of 1000-2000 tons. We need more of shipyard cabpable of making these ships. Just MDL, GRSE or CSL wont be enough. Shivalik is the successor of Talwar yes. Successor not necessarily in terms of tech rather domestic design and building capability. Besides the Shivalik's production line closed long ago. Restarting that is an expensive proposition especially when Shivalik's successor is ready.

Ironic you asked the question to @Nilgiri, Shivalik's successor is called the Nilgiri class frigate.
A total of 7 ships will be built at MDL and GRSE using modular construction. This is very important and it speeds up ship production. 6 of them are already under construction. The 1st one was launched in 2019. All will be delivered by 2025.

I love the names of the ships in the P-17A class: Nilgiri, Himgiri, Udaygiri, Dunagiri, Taragiri, Vindhyagiri, Mahendragiri
All named after mountains, Giri means mountain is Sanskrit.

 

[Nilgiri]

I love the names of the ships in the P-17A class: Nilgiri, Himgiri, Udaygiri, Dunagiri, Taragiri, Vindhyagiri, Mahendragiri
All named after mountains, Giri means mountain is Sanskrit.

Yeah they're just following the names 1:1 of the earlier Nilgiri class which were improved leanders built at MDL...way back when. One of those is my DP at another forum (postage stamp with it).

 

[Turko]

Basically the argument forwarded was capability acquisition w.r.t shipyard capacity.

Most of India's heavy shipyards (like MDL) are all full/commited to existing classes and future classes.

Thus because of UKR/RUS conflict that occured some years back that lead to their failling out, the krivak class (modern iteration of it) suffered in Russia's case as the propulsion was sourced from Ukraine (and was not delivered for 2 remaining hulls).

Thus Russia and India agreed India could source them relatively cheap and immediately...and India basically approach Ukraine independently for the propulsion package and does the integration and fitting out etc.

As part of this 2 more krivaks (talwars as known in IN) were added (to be built with ToT) so that this particular shipyard (GSL) can also concurrently have opportunity to transition to more medium/heavy category (given it simply did much lighter OPV's and similar tonnage thus far).

There is fine line here in balance (given you are right to bring up Shivalik and also Project 17A opportunity cost by simply investing into GSL to handle one of those two etc)...but IN went for it, deciding it needed some quick capability right away at seemingly good price...and transition GSL capability a bit more slower/steadier etc.

Indian shipyard expansion and capital investments are a longer awry subject of their own.

This is my rough understanding on it summarized off the top of my head, there could be a few errors.

@ANMDT @Dante80 @Joe Shearer @Paro @Gautam @Vergennes @Kartal1 @Chestnut @T-123456 @UkroTurk

Bro currently my eyes are totally fucked. İ urge to visit doctor. I barely reading and writing.

 

[Nilgiri]

Bro currently my eyes are totally fucked. İ urge to visit doctor. I barely reading and writing.

Got the message buddy. Take care my friend and good luck. Gechmish olsoon.

 

[Gautam]

@#comcom

A Shivalik class frigate in Jakarta, Indonesia. The pic is apparently from Sep 26. Wasn't this during the naval stand off between Indonesia & China ? I don't recall any news of this deployment being put out by Indian media. Did the Indonesian media report about any Indian navy ship visiting Indonesia back then ?

 

[Gary]

@#comcom

A Shivalik class frigate in Jakarta, Indonesia. The pic is apparently from Sep 26. Wasn't this during the naval stand off between Indonesia & China ? I don't recall any news of this deployment being put out by Indian media. Did the Indonesian media report about any Indian navy ship visiting Indonesia back then ?

View attachment 3826

I don't recall any specific mention on Indian Navy ship port visit during the period, however news that India sent it's ships to the SCS are reported.

India quietly send it's ships in the South China Sea

 

[Nilgiri]

Some 2019 footage of continued construction etc for the 2 ships located in Russia in first part of video

Second half has recent footage of the OP news at GSL (for 2 ships to be done there)

 

[Nilgiri]

Launch on the 14th December 2020.... 1st of my namesake (2nd time in IN though) frigate to be launched (at GRSE).

Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers to launch Project 17A Nilgiri-Cl

According to a Tweet published on December 4, 2020, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) has announced the launch of the 1st ship of the presti

navyrecognition.com

According to a Tweet published on December 4, 2020, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) has announced the launch of the 1st ship of the prestigious Project 17A Nilgiri-Class Stealth Frigate for the Indian Navy that will be held on December 14, 2020. A total of seven ships will be built at Mazagon Dock and GRSE.

Pic Source: GRSE

The construction of the first Project 17A Nilgiri-class stealth frigate started in 2017 and the first ship is expected to be delivered by 2022. The contract was signed with the two shipyards in February 2015. The steel cutting ceremony was held on 17 February 2017 which marked the commencement of construction. The first ship is expected to be commissioned by August 2022.

The P17A frigates are state-of-the-art Guided Missile Frigates. Each of these ships will have a length of 149 meters with a displacement of approximately 6,670 tons. P17A Stealth Frigates are being built with the latest Integrated Construction Methodology with enhances pre-outfitting to enhance quality and reduce build periods considerably. She will have a covered mooring deck and the number of antennae on the ship will be reduced by using EL/M-2248 MF-STAR AESA radar. The P17A will also feature better roll stabilization and a discreet visual profile.

The crew complement of the P17A frigate will be reduced from the existing 257 (including 35 officers) to about 150 by using high levels of automation, which will reduce the operational costs by around 20 percent and result in higher operational availability of the warships.

The P17A frigate will be powered by a combined diesel and gas (CODAG) type propulsion system including two MAN Diesel 12V28/33D STC developing 6000 kW each) and two General Electric LM2500 gas turbines. The ship will have the capability to reach a top speed of 28 kn (52 km/h) with a maximum cruising range of 2,500 nmi (4,600 km) at 28 kn (52 km/h) and 5,500 nmi (10,200 km) at 16–18 kn (30–33 km/h). The stern vessel’s deck will be able to accommodate two medium-sized helicopters such as HAL Dhruv or Sea King Mk. 42B helicopters

The P17A will be armed with 32 Barak 8 surface-to-air missiles, eight BrahMos anti-ship missiles, one BAE 5 inch 62-caliber Mk 45 naval gun, two AK-630M 30mm rotary cannon CIWS (Close-In Weapon System), two RBU-6000 ASW anti-submarine rocket launchers, and two triple torpedo tubes.

 

[Gary]

For a state of the art Frigate, India should look at better option rather than AK-630m for CIWS.

 

[Nilgiri]

For a state of the art Frigate, India should look at better option rather than AK-630m for CIWS.

It does the job... barak8 is really the key for defense of indian naval platforms.

CIWS they are all fairly the same bang for buck (IMO), very last hail-mary resort stuff....I don't think a huge deal separates their performances.

 

[Nilgiri]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1336330131543998471

 

[Raptor]

Asia-Pacific Naval

GRSE Launches Indian Navy Project 17A Nilgiri-class Stealth Frigate INS Himgiri​

December 14, 2020 Arun Mathew. Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), India, Indian Navy, INS Himgiri (P17A), Project 17A-class frigate (India)
Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE) launched INS Himgiri, the first of the three Indian Navy Project 17A Nilgiri-class stealth frigates it was contracted to build, on Dec. 14.
The launch ceremony of INS Himgiri, which took place at GRSE facility in Kolkata, was attended by General Bipin Rawat, India’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
GRSE laid the keel for the vessel, (Yard No. 3022) on Nov. 9, 2018.
Project 17A (P17A)-class, also called Nilgiri-class after the lead ship, is a new class of stealth frigates under construction for the Indian Navy as a follow-on of the currently operational Project 17 (P17) Shivalik-class frigates.
A total of seven ships is planned and four of the frigates are being built by state-owned Mazagon Dock Ltd. (MDL) in Mumbai and three by GRSE in Kolkata.

The first ship of the class is named INS Nilgiri after the lead ship of the now-decommissioned Nilgiri-class of frigates. The older six-ship Nilgiri-class vessels are updated versions of British Leander class frigates. The second to sixth vessels of the new class are to be named INS Himgiri, INS Udaygiri, INS Dunagiri, INS Taragiri, and INS Vindhyagiri after the older Nilgiri-class vessels and the seventh ship will be named INS Mahendragiri.
The keel laying of INS Nilgiri (Yard no: 12651) was conducted at MDL on Dec. 28, 2017. The vessel was launched on Sept. 28, 2019.
The P17A class frigates will have enhanced stealth features compared to Shivalik-class frigates and will also feature better roll stabilization and a discreet visual profile. The construction times of the new ships will be reduced and productivity will improved by using modular integrated construction.
P17A ships are being built using indigenously developed steel and fitted with state-of-the-art weapon and sensor systems along with advanced Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
The 6,670-tonne frigates will be equipped with Barak 8 long range surface-to-air missile (LR-SAM), BrahMos supersonic cruise missile, EL/M-2248 MF-STAR multi-function active electronically scanned array (AESA) naval radar system, Ajanta electronic warfare (EW) system and HUMSA-NG sonar. The weapon systems will be flush deck mounted allowing vertical launch of missiles from under the deck.
Each P17A frigate will be powered by two GE LM2500 marine gas turbines and two diesel engines in a combined diesel or gas (CODOG) turbine configuration. The Industrial and Marine Gas Turbine division of the state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is assembling the LM2500 gas turbines in India under license from GE.
The crew complement will be reduced from the existing 257 (including 35 officers) to about 150 by using high levels of automation, which will reduce the operational costs by around 20 per cent and result in higher operational availability of the warships.

Redirect Notice

 

[Zapper]

 

[Nilgiri]

Defense World

View News at Defense World

www.defenseworld.net

Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) has laid the keel of the Yard 3024, a ship of the Advanced Stealth Frigate Project, P 17A.

“Another milestone achieved at GRSE. Keel of Y3024, last of 3 stealth frigates under Project P17A laid by Vice Admiral S Naithani Controller Warship Production & Acquisition, Indian Navy. The Ship is being built using Integrated Construction concept to compress the build period,” Vipin Kumar Saxena, Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, tweeted Saturday.

The company said in a release that the contract for construction of Project 17A warships is the largest ever order awarded to the shipyard by the Ministry of Defence with a value of over INR 19,293 crore. The shipyard launched the first ship of P17A Stealth Frigate “INS Himgiri” ahead of schedule on December 14, 2020.

The P17A guided missile frigate will be 149 m long, will have a displacement of approximately 6670 tonnes, and will feature advanced CODOG Propulsion enabling speed of over 28 knots. These complex platforms are equipped with powerful weapon and sensor package capable of neutralising threats in all three dimensions of Air, Surface & Sub-surface.

P17A Stealth Frigates are being built using Integrated Construction Methodology with enhanced pre-outfitting to enhance quality and reduce build periods.

Italian company Fincantieri is providing the technology upgrade and capability enhancement in this project.