Stealth frigate Mahendragiri delivered to Indian Navy

Indigenous stealth frigate Mahendragiri, endowed with a potent weapon system and cutting-edge sensor suite, has been delivered to the Indian Navy, officials said on Friday. The sixth ship of the Nilgiri-class (Project 17A) was delivered on April 30 at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL), Mumbai.

The delivery marks a “significant milestone” in achieving self-reliance in warship design and construction, the officials said.

“Project 17A frigates are versatile multi-mission platforms designed to address current and emerging challenges in the maritime domain. This State-of-the-art frigate reflects a quantum leap in naval design, stealth, firepower, automation, and survivability, and stands as an admirable symbol of Aatmanirbharta in warship building,” the defence ministry said in a statement.

Mahendragiri - Yard 12654 - is the fourth ship of this class built at MDSL.

Designed by the Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team (Mumbai), P17A frigates reflect a “generational leap” in indigenous ship design, stealth, survivability, and combat capability.

Driven by the philosophy of integrated construction, the ship was built and delivered within the envisaged timelines, the officials said.

P17A ships are fitted with an advanced weapon and sensor suite as compared to the P17 (Shivalik-class), they said.

“These ships are configured with Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion plants, comprising a diesel engine and a gas turbine that drive a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) on each shaft, and a State-of-the-art Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS). The potent weapon and sensor suite comprises anti-surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare systems,” the statement said.

Mahendragiri is the sixth P17A ship to be delivered to the Navy in the span of less than 17 months from the delivery of the first P17A frigate (Nilgiri) by MDSL on December 20, 2024.