Defense PSU Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE)-built First Project 17A stealth frigate will be launched on Monday. This will increase the strength of the Navy. Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat will be the chief guest of the ceremony, an official said.
GRSE is constructing three state-of-the-art naval ships under Project 17A. Under this project, the first ship will be launched on Monday. It will have to undergo extensive testing as it enters the sea. Only after passing it will it be assigned to the Navy.
Madhulika Rawat, wife of CDS Rawat, will launch this ship on the banks of river Hooghly. Another official said the P17A is a ship guided-missile frigate. Each ship is 149 meters long and has a capacity of about 6670 tonnes and has a speed of 28 knots.
GRSE has been awarded the contract for the construction of three stealth frigates under the 17A project for Rs 19,294 crore. The Navy expects to get the first ship in 2023 while two others will be delivered in 2024 and 2025.