Article Posted on : - Dec 14, 2020

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KOLKATA (PTI):  Defence PSU GRSE-built first Project 17A stealth frigate, an addition to the naval power of the venerable Indian Navy, will be launched on Monday, an official said here.

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat will be the chief guest at the ceremony, he said.

After touching water, the first of the three state- of-the-art naval ships being built by the GRSE under Project 17A, will undergo extensive trials and fittings of ultra- modern gadgets before it is delivered to the Navy.

The ship will be launched by Madhulika Rawat, wife of General Rawat, at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) here on the banks of River Hooghly.

P17A ships are guided missile frigates, each of which is 149 metres long, with displacement of approximately 6,670 tonnes and a speed of 28 knots, another official said.

These stealth frigates are being built deploying the latest integrated construction methodology with enhanced pre- outfitting to augment quality and reduce build periods considerably, he said.

The Rs 19,294-crore contract for construction of the three stealth frigates under Project 17A is the largest-ever order for the company, the official said.

The first ship is expected to be delivered in 2023 and the two others in 2024 and 2025, respectively.