Following the news that Mazagaon Dock Shipbuilders Limited launched two frontline warships of Indian Navy, a Project 15B destroyer and a Project 17A frigate;

Tushar M, Defence Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

“The induction of the state-of-the-art Project-15B (Vishakhapatnam-class) and Project-17A (Nilgiri-Class) frigate is expected to significantly enhance the Indian Navy’s air defense and land attack capabilities. Additionally, these ships will be capable of carrying out superior anti-submarine warfare operations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) due to the integration of advanced hull mounted and towed sonars besides the deployment of MH-60R helicopters. The Project 15B destroyer and Project 17A frigate are anticipated to replace ageing Soviet era Rajput-class destroyers and Godavari-class frigates. The deployment of these warships will also enable the Indian Navy to counter Pakistan’s future induction of the Hangor-class submarine, a modified variant of the Chinese Type 039B.

“In addition to the advanced sensors, satellite communication, and electronic warfare systems, these stealth warships can also be equipped with cutting-edge weapons including the Brahmos-ER anti-ship/land attack missile and the Barak-8 air and missile defense system. They are also one of the very few ships that have been designed with Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC). Warships equipped with CEC can combine real-time data from multiple sensors on a single screen to allocate defensive missiles for fleet protection. Apart from India, only the US and France are known to have deployed warships with CEC capability.

“Apart from enhancing the navy’s operational capabilities, these two programs have also validated several advanced manufacturing processes including modular construction, project data management, mega block outsourcing, and project lifecycle management. With approximately 75% of the systems and equipment produced locally by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), these projects have led to a massive upgradation of the local design and manufacturing ecosystem. The Directorate of Naval Design (DND) is now working on concept studies of the mammoth 13,000 tons Next-Generation Destroyer (NGD), 6 of which are planned to be constructed at an estimated cost of $6.5bn.”