Project 17A: Indian Navy Set For A Big Boost As GRSE Gets Ready To Launch All-New Stealth Frigate On Monday

In a big boost for the Indian Navy's capabilities and arsenal, Kolkata based Government-owned Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) is set to launch the first of three stealth frigates being built by it for the Navy under 'Project 17A' on Monday (14 December), reports The Week.

The coveted 'Project 17A' was cleared by the Government during Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi's first term in 2015. It involves the building of seven stealth frigates at an estimated cost of Rs 50,000 crore.

Of these seven, the contract for three frigates was awarded to GRSE while the contract for another four frigates was awarded to Government-owned Mazagon Docks Limited (MDL) which is based in Mumbai. MDL had launched the first of its four such frigates called INS Nilgiri last year.

GRSE is building the three frigates at a cost of about Rs 19,289 crore, and each of these ships will have a load displacement of 6,670 tonnes. The frigates will come armed with advanced state-of-the-art sensors and boast of top-notch stealth features.

The seven frigates will represent the most advanced class of major surface warships for the Indian Navy in a decade, also featuring BrahMos supersonic surface-to-surface missiles to attack ships and shore targets and the Indo-Israeli Barak-8 surface-to-air missiles.

These will also have torpedoes and rockets to hit submarines and rapid-fire guns to destroy anti-ship missiles as well as a heavy main gun to engage ships and coastal target.