INS Shivalik (F- 47), the first indigenously-built stealth frigate was commissioned on April 29 by the Defence Minister A K Antony at Mumbai. INS Shivalik with structural, thermal and acoustic stealth features is the first of the Project-17 frigates, built by Mazagon Docks Limited (MDL). It is reported that INS Shivalik is the largest stealth warship in her class in the world and the other countries having the capability to build stealth warships are the US, the UK, Russia, France, Sweden, China, Japan and Italy. The warship has integration of weapons and sensors of India, Russia, Israel and other western countries.
The 143 metres long warship with 6,000 tonne displacement has 35 officers and over 250 crew members. Two more warships of Shivalik class, INS Sayahdri and INS Satpura are expected to be commissioned by the end of this year and middle of next year respectively. More stealth warships are expected to be built under Project-17A.
Here is the press release dated April 29 and photographs on right from Press Information Bureau:
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata launched ‘Kamorta’ the first Anti Submarine Warfare Corvette (ASWC) for the Indian Navy on April 19. The event coincides with Golden Jubilee Anniversary celebrations of GRSE.
The 17th annual Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX 2010) has commenced on April 03. The exercise is going on in the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal. SIMBEX 2010 is expected to conclude on April 16.
On April 01, INS Chennai guided missile destroyer (Project 15A Kolkatta Class) was launched at Mumbai by Mrs Elizabeth Antony, the wife of Defence Minister A K Antony. INS Chennai is the third destroyer (after INS Kolkata and INS Kochi) of Project 15 Alpha, under construction by Mazagon Dock Limited (MDL).