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Project 17 P17 Shivalik Class Frigate

Under Project 17, the Indian Cabinet approved the construction of a new stealthy multi-role surface ship in 1997. This was the first indigenous program to build ships with stealth features and it called for the eventual construction of 12 ships.

The Indian Navy ordered the first 3 ships in 1999. The Shivalik was launched in 2003, with the Satpura and Sahyadri susequently launched in 2004 and 2005. The first ship of the class Shivalik was launched on April 18, 2003 and the second ship Satpura on June 04, 2004.

The P17 is an enlarged and modified version of the Talwar {Krivak III} Class frigates. It was jointly designed by the Naval Design Bureau (NDB) and Russia's Severnoye Project Design Bureau (Severnoye Proyektno-Konstruktorskoye Bjuro - SPKB). SPKB's design influence can be observed in the Delhi Class destroyers and Khukri / Kora Class corvettes. France's DCN International (DCNI) has been involved in this project as a consultant undertaking signature management studies.

The stealth frigate is designed to avoid enemy radars and and works on principles of reducing the ship's signature, he said. The ships are fitted with a mix of Indian, Russian and Western weaponry systems alongwith both air defence and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. They also carry two advanced helicopters. The total length of the ship is 142.5 meters while its breadth is 16.90 meters. The total displacement of the ship is 4900 tons. It is powered by gas and diesel turbines. These warships are capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots.

The Shivalik Class ships have many more signature reducing features than other Indian Navy ships. They do not, however, possess extreme stealthy or low observable features like the Swedish Visby or the French Lafayette. The Shivalik Class ships will have a lower infra-red signature due to Infra-Red Supression System (IRSS) design tools and training provided by Canada's Davis Engineering.

The Canadian IRSS is the most effective IR signature reduction device in service today. An Italian Radar Cross Section (RCS) prediction software may also have been used for this design. All machinery will be mounted on noise and vibration-proof mounts to reduce acoustic and vibration signatures. Few countries which make stealth frigates indigenously. India would thus be joining an exclusive club, which includes the US, France and Russia.

Mrs Harveen Krishnaswamy, wife of Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy, Chief of Air Staff, launched India’s second stealth warship, INS Satpura, being built indigenously at the Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL). INS Satpura is the second of the Shivalik class stealth frigates.

An impressive function held at Mazagon Dock Limited on the occasion was attended by Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Madhvendra Singh and his wife, Mrs Kaumudi Kumari. Vice Admiral Madanjit Singh, FOC-in-C, Western Naval Command Rear Admiral RM Bhatia, Chairman and Managing Director, MDL and senior Naval officers were also present in the inaugural ceremony.

While interacting with the mediapersons, Admiral Madhvendra Singh said that like the first ship Shivalik, Satpura is 143 metre-long and 16.9 metre-wide. Its stealthy character diminishes physical signatures giving the ship an advantage against enemy sensors and an element of surprise in action. INS Satpura is equipped with the latest weaponry and sophisticated communication systems. The weaponry on the approximately Rs 1,000-crore frigate includes surface-to-air missiles, vertical launch missile and anti-submarine systems with two K-31 Kamov helicopters. The radar cross-section has been reduced to evade detection. The engines have also been modified so as to reduce the noise level.

In his welcome address, Rear Admiral RM Bhatia said that the P-17 frigates represent a major landmark in showcasing the indigenous warship design and manufacturing capability resulting from a close co-operation between Mazagon Dock and the Indian Navy. Satpura is scheduled for commissioning into the Indian Navy by September 2007.

The Mazagaon Dock Ltd launched the third of the P-17 Stealth frigate on 27 May 2005., Chairman and Managing Director of MDL Rear Admiral R M Bhatia. The third warship was released into water by Kumkum Prakash, wife of Admiral Arun Prakash, the Chief of Naval Staff, Bhatia told reporters. The ship is the same basic design as the two previous ones that were launched earlier. Some minor changes and modifications were added in the latest ship, though there was no change in the weaponary of the ship.