Context
Recently, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commissioned INS Mahendragiri, the sixth indigenous Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam.
About INS Mahendragiri
- It is designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), Mumbai.
- It is powered by a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system comprising diesel engines, gas turbines, and Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPPs), supported by an Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
- The frigate is equipped with advanced weapons and sensors for anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare.
- Besides combat operations, it can undertake maritime security, power projection, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), Search and Rescue (SAR), and long-endurance deployments.
- Project 17A is an indigenous programme to develop a new generation of multi-mission stealth frigates for the Indian Navy.
- The other frigates under the project are INS Nilgiri, INS Himgiri, INS Udaygiri, INS Taragiri, and INS Vindhyagiri.
- The class is equipped with advanced systems, including the MF-STAR active phased-array radar, BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, and Barak-8 long-range surface-to-air missiles.
- Project 17A integrates stealth technology, modern sensors, and advanced weapon systems to strengthen the Indian Navy’s multi-role operational capability.
