The Indian Navy has received Dunagiri, an indigenous stealth frigate built under Project 17A, from Garden Reach Shipbuilding and Engineers Ltd (GRSE) in Kolkata, the Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday.
Delivered on March 30, the warship is the fifth vessel of the Nilgiri-class and the second to be built at GRSE. The induction comes as part of the Navy’s ongoing programme to bring in next-generation multi-mission frigates.
Named after the earlier INS Dunagiri, which served from 1977 to 2010, the new ship features upgrades in stealth, firepower, automation and survivability, officials said.
Designed by the Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built using an integrated construction approach, the frigate represents an advance over the earlier Shivalik-class vessels.
The Project 17A ships are equipped with advanced weapon and sensor systems, including BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles, MFSTAR radar and the MRSAM air defence system. They also carry a 76 mm gun, close-in weapon systems and anti-submarine warfare capabilities such as rockets and torpedoes, and are powered by a Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) propulsion system.
The delivery of Dunagiri marks the fifth induction under Project 17A in the last 16 months. Officials said the construction period was reduced to 80 months, compared to 93 months for the lead ship.
According to the ministry, the project has an indigenous content of about 75 per cent and has involved more than 200 MSMEs.
