Pranav Birje | Senior Correspondent
Mumbai, 20th December 2024
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL), a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE), has delivered two state-of-the-art warships to the Indian Navy: ‘Nilgiri’, the first stealth frigate of the Project 17A class, and ‘Surat’, the fourth stealth destroyer of the Project 15B class. The delivery ceremony took place today, 20 December 2024, at MDL, Mumbai.
Rear Admiral R. Adhisrinivasan, CSO (Tech), and Shri Sanjeev Singhal, Chairman and Managing Director, MDL, signed the acceptance documents in the presence of MDL Directors, Captain Sandeep Shorey, Commanding Officer (Designate) of ‘Surat,’ Captain Nitin Kapoor, Commanding Officer (Designate) of ‘Nilgiri,’ and teams from the Warship Design Bureau, Warship Overseeing Team (Mumbai), Project Team and Navy personnel.
Key Features of ‘Nilgiri’
‘Nilgiri,’ the lead ship of Project 17A, incorporates advanced technology and cutting-edge design to enhance survivability, stealth, and maneuverability. Designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau, New Delhi, the frigate features stealth capabilities achieved through its hull shaping and radar-transparent deck fittings, making it difficult to detect.
Equipped with a comprehensive suite of weapons and sensors,‘Nilgiri’ offers robust defense against enemy submarines, surface warships, anti-ship missiles, and fighter aircraft. It also includes naval guns for close-in defense and naval gunfire support. The ship can operate independently or serve as the flagship of a naval task force, showcasing India’s self-reliance in warship design under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
Key Features of ‘Surat’
‘Surat,’ the fourth destroyer of the Project 15B class, is equipped with supersonic BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles, Barak-8 medium-range surface-to-air missiles, and indigenously developed anti-submarine warfare (ASW) systems, including the HUMSA-NG sonar, heavyweight torpedo tube launchers, and ASW rocket launchers.
With a high indigenous content of 72%, surpassing the previous P15A (59%) and P15 (42%) classes, ‘Surat’ reaffirms India’s commitment to self-reliance through the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ program. Delivered ahead of schedule, the destroyer is a versatile and combat-ready platform capable of operating independently or as the flagship of a naval task force.
Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders has played a pivotal role in India’s indigenous warship and submarine construction, contributing to classes such as Leander and Godavari frigates, Khukri corvettes, Delhi and Kolkata destroyers, Shivalik frigates, Visakhapatnam destroyers, and Scorpene submarines.