Context:
The Indian Navy has commissioned two Nilgiri-class stealth guided-missile frigates, INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri, at Visakhapatnam. This marks the first-ever simultaneous induction of two major surface combatants from different Indian shipyards.
About INS Udaygiri
- Type: Second ship of Project 17A Nilgiri-class frigates.
- Role: Stealth-capable, multi-mission warship for anti-surface, anti-air, and anti-submarine warfare.
- Builder: Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd (MDL), Mumbai.
- Designer: Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau.
- Key Features:
- Weapons: LRSAM, 8 BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles, Barak-8, torpedoes, rocket launchers, 127 mm main gun, AK-630 guns.
- Systems: Modern radars, Humsa-NG sonar, Shakti Electronic Warfare suite.
About INS Himgiri
- Type: First Project 17A Nilgiri-class frigate built at GRSE, Kolkata.
- Role: Stealth guided-missile frigate with advanced weaponry and sensors.
- Builder: Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE).
- Designer: Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau.
- Key Features:
- Weapons: LRSAM, BrahMos, Barak-8, torpedoes, rocket launchers, 127 mm gun, AK-630 guns.
- Design: Integrated stealth with reduced radar cross-section.
