The Indian Navy will commission Mahendragiri, its sixth Project 17A indigenous stealth frigate, at Visakhapatnam on 11 July, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Monday, 6 July.
The warship, designated F38, has been named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats. It will be the first Indian naval warship to bear the name Mahendragiri.
According to the statement by the Ministry of Defence, the frigate has been designed in-house by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited in Mumbai.
Mahendragiri is part of the Project 17A stealth frigate programme, which is aimed at adding advanced indigenous warships to the Indian Navy’s fleet.
The ministry said the frigate incorporates advanced stealth features, enhanced survivability, reduced radar signature and a high degree of automation.
The ship has over 75% indigenous content and is powered by a Combined Diesel or Gas propulsion system, which is designed to support high-speed operations and endurance across maritime missions.
The ministry said its construction has involved a wide network of Indian industries, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.
The frigate is equipped with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile systems, electronic warfare capabilities, anti-submarine warfare systems and an integrated Combat Management System.
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According to the ministry, Mahendragiri can undertake anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine operations.
The ship is also suited for maritime security, power projection, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Search and Rescue and sustained presence missions.
The commissioning of Mahendragiri will mark another milestone in the Project 17A programme as more frigates of the class join the fleet.
The ministry said the ship will strengthen the Navy’s combat capability and support India’s position as an indigenous warship-building nation.
“As the Indian Navy continues to strengthen its maritime capabilities through indigenous warships, Mahendragiri, as a mission primed unit, stands ready to serve the nation with distinction, living up to her motto, ‘Mighty–Majestic–Matchless’,” the ministry said.
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