The Mazagon Docks Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) created history by delivering two indigenously built, modern Capital Warships ‘Nilgiri’ and ‘Surat’ to the Indian Navy, officials said in Mumbai on Friday.
The acceptance documents for the first Stealth Frigate of P17A Class, ‘Nilgiri’ and the fourth Guided Missile Destroy of P15B Class, ‘Surat’ were signed by MDL Chairman-Managing Director Sanjeev Singhal and CSO (Tech) R. Adhisrinivasan, and handed over to senior officials of Indian Navy.
Both the warships have been designed by the IN’s Warship Design Bureau, constructed by MDL and overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team, Mumbai.
In a historic milestone for the country’s #Aatmanirbharata journey, two warships, a Frigate (Nilgiri) and a Destroyer (Surat) were delivered to the #IndianNavy on #20Dec 24.
The ships have been designed & constructed indigenously by the Warship Design Bureau of the Navy and… pic.twitter.com/UaaUytp7fF
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) December 20, 2024
‘Nilgiri’ is the First of Class (FoC) ship of Project 17A featuring cutting-edge advanced technology that is comparable to the finest ships of similar class anywhere in the world.
It incorporates the design concepts for improved survivability, seakeeping, stealth and ship manoeuvrability with state of the art having stealth features through the shaping of the hull and use of radar transparent deck fittings, which make ships difficult to detect.
It is packed with an array of sophisticated weapons and sensors and has all-around capability against enemy submarines, surface warships, anti-ship missiles, and fighter aircraft, mounted with guns for close-in-defence capability and effective naval gunfire.
With significant indigenous content, ‘Nilgiri’ is enabled to operate independently without supporting vessels, and also to function as the flagship of the Naval task force.
‘Surat’ is the fourth ship of Project 15B and is a potent platform capable of undertaking a variety of tasks and missions, spanning the full spectrum of maritime warfare.
It is armed with supersonic Surface-to-Surface ‘Brahmos’ missiles and ‘Barak-8’ Medium Range Surface to Air Missiles.
Towards undersea warfare capability, the destroyer ‘Surat’ is fitted with indigenously developed anti-submarine weapons and sensors, prominently the Hull mounted Sonar Humsa NG, Heavyweight Torpedo Tube Launchers and ASW Rocket Launchers.
Considerably more versatile than the previous classes of Destroyers and Frigates in Naval inventory, ‘Surat’ all-round capability against enemy submarines, surface warships, anti-ship missiles and fighter aircraft will enable it to operate independently without supporting vessels and also to function as the flagship of a Naval task force.
The indigenous content in P15B Class Destroyers is 72 per cent which is a notch above their predecessors P15A 59 per cent and P15 42 per cent Class Destroyers, in tune with the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ policy of the Centre.