NEW DELHI: The ambitious indigenous project to construct advanced stealth frigates reached its final stage after the keel for the seventh ship (Y- 12654) of the Project 17A of the Indian Navy was laid on Tuesday.
Rear Admiral GK Harish, Director General Naval Design (Surface Ship Group), laid the keel at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL) in Mumbai. Laying of keel is a milestone in the construction of ships.
Construction of seven frigates under P17A class costing around Rs 45,000 cr was sanctioned by the Cabinet Committee on Security in 2015. Four of which are being constructed at MDL and the rest in Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd, Kolkata.
The P17A class frigates are being built using indigenously developed steel and fitted with weapons and sensors along with Integrated Platform Management System. The construction is a major boost for Aatma Nirbhar Bharat and Make in India commitments with orders for equipment and systems on indigenous firms amounting to 75 per cent.