'Himgiri' was launched on 14 December 2020 as the first of the three Project 17A ships being constructed at M/s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata.

A total of seven ships, four at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and three ships at GRSE are being developed under the Project 17A program with enhanced stealth features, advanced indigenous weapons and sensor fit, along with several other upgrades.

A follow-on to the Project 17 Shivalik-class frigate for the Indian Navy is the Nilgiri-class frigate or Project 17A.

With extensive use of low-visibility technologies, the frigates are designed.

The ship will be fitted with a 127 mm main gun, two 30 mm AK-630M anti-aircraft artillery systems, two torpedo tubes, eight BrahMos supersonic cruise missile launchers, and 32 Barak-8 surface-to-air missile launchers. The EL/M 2248 MF-STAR by the IAI will be its primary radar.

“The launch of ‘Himgiri’ has showcased GRSE’s commitment towards the building of three state-of-the-art warships of P17A for Indian Navy. Over the years, GRSE has emerged as a leading shipyard having built over 100 ships. The yard has scaled up its infrastructure and skill sets to meet new challenges in building of P17A ships. P17A ships are the first gas turbine propulsion and largest combat platforms ever built at GRSE.” Indian Navy announced.

Maritime Business World