Context: Recently, INS Udaygiri, the second ship of Project 17A’s stealth frigates, was delivered to the Indian Navy.
Relevance of the Topic: Prelims: Key facts about INS Udaygiri; Project 17A.
About INS Udaygiri
- INS Udaygiri is the second of seven frigates in Project 17A. INS Nilgiri is the lead ship of the Project 17A stealth-guided frigate class.
- Built indigenously by: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).
- The Nilgiri-class frigate or Project 17A class is the successor of the currently-operational Project 17 or the Shivalik-class stealth frigates.
Key Features of INS Udaygiri:
- Length: 142 metres.
- The multi-mission frigate is capable of dealing with both conventional and non-conventional threats.
- The ship is fitted with:
- Supersonic Surface-to-Surface Missile system
- Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM) system
- 76 millimetre upgraded gun
- Combination of rapid-fire close-in weapon systems.
- Enhanced stealth features
- Significance: With its versatile weapons and capabilities, the ships can play a crucial role in anti-surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare.
- Note: Other five ships of this class- Himgiri, Taragiri, Dunagiri, Vindhyagiri and Mahendragiri are at various stages of construction at MDL and GRSE.
Significance:
- Project 17A class frigates represent a ‘quantum leap’ in the Indian Navy’s in-house design and military manufacturing capabilities.
- Enhance India’s naval power by its capability to operate in the open ocean dealing with both conventional and non-conventional threats.
What are Stealth Frigates?
- A frigate is a medium-sized warship used by the Navy for escorting larger vessels, patrolling, and combat operations.
- Stealth frigate is designed with advanced stealth technology to minimise its radar cross-section and overall visibility to enemy detection systems, making it harder to detect by radar, visual, sonar, and infrared methods.