Mumbai: The third vessel of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) Project 17A ‘Taragiri’ will be launched on September 11. The vessel is built using an integrated construction methodology. The keel of Taragiri was laid on 10 September 2020 and is expected to be inducted into the Indian Navy by August 2025. The ship will be launched with a weight of about 3,510 tonnes.
The ship has been designed by the Directorate of Naval Design, the in-house design organization of the Indian Navy. MDL is carrying out detailed design and construction work, which is overseen by Warship Building Team (Mumbai).
149.02 m tall
The 149.02 m long and 17.8 m wide vessel, powered by two gas turbines, weighs approximately 6,670 tonnes (with displacement). Its speed will exceed 28 knots. The steel used in the floor construction of the P17A frigate is indigenously developed ‘DMR 249A’ which is low carbon micro-alloy grade steel manufactured by SAIL. The indigenously designed stealth frigate will have state-of-the-art weapons, sensors, advanced information systems, integrated platform management system, world-class ‘modular’ accommodation, sophisticated power distribution system, and many other advanced features. It will be equipped with a surface-to-surface supersonic missile system.
75% indigenous content
The P17A frigate has about 75% indigenous material which is a notch above its earlier P17 Shivalik class ships. The ship is designed with a large number of indigenous equipment and machinery procured from leading industrial houses of the country as well as over 100 MSMEs. Indigenization efforts got renewed thrust with the Government’s ‘Make in India’ policy, which led to the development of ancillary industries along with the creation of employment opportunities at local as well as pan India levels, thus boosting the economy. MDL currently has a total capacity to build 10 capital warships and 11 submarines simultaneously.
