On December 20 2024, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) delivered 2 advanced warships ‘Nilgiri(YARD 12651)’ and ‘Surat(YARD 12707)’ to the Indian Navy (IN) in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The two warships were designed by the IN’s Warship Design Bureau, constructed by MDL and overseen by the Warship Overseeing Team in Mumbai.
- Nilgiri is the 1st stealth frigate of the Project 17A class ship and Surat is the 4th stealth destroyer and final ship of the Project 15B class guided missile destroyer.
- These warships strengthen India’s maritime defence with advanced missile systems, stealth features and Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration.
Signatories:
The acceptance documents for ‘Nilgiri’ and ‘Surat’ were signed by MDL Chairman-Managing Director (CMD) Sanjeev Singhal and Chief Security Officer (CSO) (Tech) R. Adhisrinivasan of IN.
Background:
i.Nilgiri Frigate:The keel of the Nilgiri was laid on December 28, 2017 and was launched on September 28, 2019.
- The first sea trials commenced in August 2024 and extensive testing was completed both in the harbor and at sea before delivery
ii.Surat Destroyer:The keel of the Surat was laid on November 7, 2019 and was launched on May 17, 2022.
- It was delivered to the IN just 31 months after its post launch, making it the fastest indigenous destroyer ever built.
- On June 15 2024, the ship started its Contractor Sea Trials (testing by the builders) and completed its Final Machinery Trials on November 25 2024.
About Nilgiri(YARD 12651):
i.The Indian Navy Ship (INS) Nilgiri is 126 meters (m)long, the First of Class (FoC) ship of Project 17A stealth frigate keel was laid in 2017 and the ship was launched into water in 2019.
- It is a follow-on of the Shivalik class (Project 17) frigates active in service.
ii.Weighing over 6,500 tonnes (tons), the Nilgiri can hold 226 sailors and one helicopter.
iii.It was designed for stealth operations, making it hard for enemy radar to detect.
iv.Key Features:
- The ships are powered by two Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) main propulsion plants, each comprising a Diesel Engine and Gas Turbine, driving a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP). The ships also have state- of-the-art Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
- Armed with 8 BrahMos missiles, Barak missiles, torpedoes and rockets for submarine defence.
About Surat Destroyer:
i.The INS Surat is a 164 meters(m) long, large 7,400-tons destroyer with a capacity of 300 sailors.
- Surat’s keel was laid in 2019 and was launched in 2022.
ii.It was designed to enhance the IN’s capabilities with cutting-edge AI technology, and was the 1st warship of the IN to integrate AI for improved operational efficiency.
- It can operate at sea for 45 days, covering 15,000 kilometres (kms) and reaching speeds of 62 kilometres per hour (kms/h).
- It was equipped with supersonic Surface-to-Surface 16 BrahMos missiles and 32 Barak missiles for air defence and was capable of carrying 2 Dhruv helicopters, armed with torpedoes and rockets.
iii.Key Features:
- Powered by a Combined Gas and Gas (COGAG) propulsion set, comprising four gas turbines, she has achieved speeds in excess of 30 knots (56 km/h) during her sea trials.
- Features Shakti electronic warfare system, Kavach decoys and Marich torpedo defence system.
iv.The P15B class destroyers have 72 % indigenous content, which is higher than the previous models highlighting the government’s commitment to the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” program for the growth of a large network of local suppliers.
About Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL):
Chairman & Managing Director (CMD)– Sanjeev Singhal
Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
Established- 1934
