Mahendragiri Frigate

About Mahendragiri Frigate

• It is the seventh and last stealth frigate of Project 17A Frigates.
• It is named after a mountain peak in Eastern Ghats located in Odisha.
• The ship is being built by the Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) in Mumbai.

What is Project 17A?

• The project was launched by the defence forces of India to construct a series of stealth guided-missile frigates.
• Under the Project 17A programme, four ships by Mumbai-based Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and three by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) are being built.
• These warships follow the Project 17 Class Frigates (Shivalik Class) and boast enhanced stealth features, advanced weapons, sensors, and platform management systems.
• Project 17A ships have been designed in-house by Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau WDB.
• As much as 75% of the orders for equipment and systems of Project 17A ships are from indigenous firms, including MSMEs.
• The first six ships of the project have been launched so far by MDL & GRSE, between 2019-2023.

Q1) What are Frigates?

Frigates are a class of naval warships known for their versatility and capability to perform a wide range of missions. They are typically smaller and less heavily armed than destroyers, but they are larger and more powerful than corvettes or patrol boats. Frigates are often considered the workhorses of modern navies due to their balanced combination of firepower, speed, and endurance. 

Source: Mahendragiri, India’s new warship, to be launched in Mumbai on September 1

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