Project 17A-class frigate

The Project 17A is a follow-on of the Project 17 Shivalik class frigate for the Indian Navy. A total of seven ships will be built at Mazagon Dock Limited and GRSE. The construction of the first ship is expected to start by late 2013 and is expected to be launched by 2017, after the shipyards are upgraded to incorporate modular construction technique.

The anticipated cost for each vessel is above inr 40000000000 and the total deal is expected to be worth more than inr 450000000000. The vessel will incorporate the latest stealth features. The first ship is expected to roll out by 2015.

Design
The experience gained in designing the Project 17 Shivalik class frigates will be applied to the Project 17A (P17A). The Project 17A frigates will improve upon the Project 17 (P17) in terms of stealth. They will have covered mooring deck and the number of antennae on the ship will be reduced by using a multi-functional radar. The P17A will also feature better options for roll stabilization and have a slick appearance. The weapon platform in the P17A ships will be compact and they will be armed with the Barak 8 surface-to-air missile being developed jointly by India and Israel and the Brahmos cruise missile. The weapon systems will be flush-deck mounted that will allow vertical launch of missiles from under the deck. The crew complement will be reduced from the existing 257 (including 35 officers) to about 150 by using high levels of automation, which will reduce the operational costs by around 20 per cent and result in higher operational availability of the warships. The construction times will be reduced and productivity will improved by using modular integrated construction. The ship will be having displacement of 6,000 tonnes and all the ships would roll out by 2020 and finally commissioned by 2022.

Progress
According to the Indian Minister of Defence A. K. Antony, negotiations for the contract of the seven stealth frigates are ongoing, four of which will be constructed by Mazagon Dock Ltd in Mumbai and three by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers in Kolkata. India’s Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) finally approved the proposal of Ministry of Defence (MoD) for starting the Project 17A design-cum-construction programme in September 2012. Lockheed Martin and Hyundai Heavy Industries have jointly responded to the Project 17A combat systems Request for Information (RFI) issued by the Indian Navy. They are offering the Aegis Combat System to be included in its Project 17A frigate proposal.