Shivalik Class (Project 17/17A) & Talwar Class Frigates

From the article:

Probably the 76mm OTO Melara. BHEL license produces those.

What class frigates ? Triput ? Never heard of this before.

GSL is building 2 Talwar class frigates. But those ships don't use the 76mm. Instead they use the Russian 100mm A-190E naval main gun. Why would the last 2 ships get different guns of smaller caliber when the other 8 are getting the 100mm ?

The other frigates of the IN are the Shivalik class & Brahmaputra class, both of which came with the 76mm as standard. The Godavari class has the 57m as standard. Although there is one 1 of those left in service. The last of the Godavari class, the INS Gomati, is 33 years old. I doubt Gomati will get any upgrades.

The newest frigates, the Nilgiri class, were supposed to get the 127mm BAE Mark 45 Mod4 guns. But that deal has fallen through, so it is possible that the Nilgiris may come with the 76mm. That is the only likely place of order for the 76mm right now, until the ASW-SWC & ASuW NGMVs are launched.

GSL is not involved with the Nilgiri class frigate either. So...doesn't make sense. Unless GSL plans to supply hull blocks for the Nilgiri class frigates.
It's SRGM for Talwar. Check #324 poster from goa shipyard
 
They are also developing 127mm is that pic a real one or just for representation.
I didn't know that they were developing their own gun. The gun shown in the picture is the 127mm Otobreda that BHEL was studying for developing a training manual for technicians working on the gun. They were going to license manufacture it so they wanted to study the gun.
It's SRGM for Talwar. Check #324 poster from goa shipyard
Oh so the Talwars are switching from 100mm to 76 mm. Why ? Serviceability issues with the Russian guns ?
 
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Found a couple of new photos of the INS Himgiri being constructed at GRSE. Arranging them chronologically we have :

The keel laying ceremony. Since the P-17As use modular construction it is an entire Hull block not just the keel. The photo below shows the keel of the 3rd Nilgiri class frigate at MDL. I couldn't find a photo of the INS Himgiri's keel.
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The hull blocks are joined together in the dry dock. @Amal found a pic of crane that lifts the hull block. I expected it would be the goliath crane or a tower crane. But GRSE used a lattice boom type crawler crane to lift the hull blocks. I wonder why.
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You can see a tower crane in the background may be that is to lift the hull block into the dry dock. Where as bringing the blocks together to be welded is done by the crawler crane.

Once the hull blocks are put together paints & coatings are applied. The ship is then tested for leakages & made ready for launching.
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At the launching ceremony the ship is dressed up in flowers and draped in the national flag colours. The dry dock flood gates are opened & the ship is pushed into water.
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After the ceremony the decorations are removed & the ship is towed to a different part of the shipyard for outfitting the superstructure.
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This is where it is now & this is where the new exhaust stack was mounted.
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So far the average time taken by a P-17A frigate to go from "laid down" to "launched" is around 2 years & 2-3 months. MDL has fallen behind schedule with the 2nd ship. That ship has already taken up 2 years & 5 months, so a delay of 2 months for now. GSRE is projected to launch their 2nd ship in July 2022, 2 years & 6 months after it was laid down.

The problem is MDL has earmarked 2 dry docks for the P-17A class & they were supposed to build 4 ships. So the construction of the 4th ship cannot begin until the first 2 ships have been launched. So the delay in 1 ship will transfer to the next & add up. GRSE doesn't have that problem as they are building all 3 ships simultaneously.

This is why increasing the number of dry docks is necessary. Thankfully both MDL & GRSE are doing that.
 

LAUNCHING CEREMONY OF TUSHIL - P1135.6 FOLLOW ON FRIGATE (EX-RUSSIA)


Posted On: 29 OCT 2021 11:14AM by PIB Delhi



The 7th Indian Navy Frigate of P1135.6 class was launched on 28 Oct 2021 at Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad, Russia in presence of Shri D Bala Venkatesh Varma, Ambassador of India (Moscow) and senior dignitaries of the Russian Federation and officials of the Indian Navy. During the ceremony, the ship was formally named as ‘Tushil’ by Smt Datla Vidya Varma. Tushil is a Sanskrit word meaning Protector Shield.


Based on an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) between the Government of Republic of India and Government of Russian Federation for construction of two ships of Project 1135.6 ships in Russia and two ships in India at M/s Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), the contract for construction of two ships was signed between India and Russia in Oct 18.


The construction of these ships is based on Indian Navy’s specific requirements to meet the entire spectrum of naval warfare in all three dimensions of Air, Surface and Sub-surface. The ships with a potent combination of state-of-art Indian and Russian Weapons and Sensors are equipped to operate in Littoral and Blue waters, both as a single unit and as consort in a naval task force. They feature “stealth technology” in terms of low radar and under water noise signatures. These ships are being equipped with major Indian supplied equipment such as Surface to Surface Missiles, Sonar system, Surface Surveillance Radar, Communication Suite and ASW system along with Russian Surface to Air Missiles and gun mounts.


Mr Ilya Samarin, Director General, Yantar Shipyard, Kaliningrad, in his address dwelt upon the challenges faced by the Shipyard in executing the complex shipbuilding project. Despite challenges posed by the ongoing pandemic, production of the ships was continued by utilisation of innovative solutions. He thanked the Indian Government for their unstinted support and reiterated shipyard’s commitment to deliver the ships as per contractual timelines. Shri D Bala Venkatesh Varma, Ambassador of India (Moscow), highlighted the long standing tradition of Military Technical Cooperation between India and Russia. He acknowledged the efforts put in by the Yantar Shipyard to ensure that the ship was launched as per contractual timelines overcoming the challenges imposed by COVID-19.


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One difference noticeable in the naval shipbuilding practice in India is that "launching" involves launching only the hull, with no superstructure, weapons mount, etc. However, if you look at other shipyards (in anyother decent naval power), when a ship is launched, its much more complete, with its masts, superstructure etc. already installed.

Is there any reason for this difference?

Also, does anyone have any information about the Nilgiri class frigate's successor (NGF)?
 
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One difference noticeable in the naval shipbuilding practice in India is that "launching" involves launching only the hull, with no superstructure, weapons mount, etc. However, if you look at other shipyards (in anyother decent naval power), when a ship is launched, its much more complete, with its masts, superstructure etc. already installed.

Is there any reason for this difference?

Also, does anyone have any information about the Nilgiri class frigate's successor (NGF)?

You need deeper docks to launch with more weight. Also you can save space on the dock by floating out the hull and building rest of the ship there.

I am not defending this practice - only explaining the reasons.
 
Zorya has delivered engines for the two frigates under construction in Russia which have been installed. The engines were delivered to India which sent them over to Russia. Engines for the two frigates being built by GSL are also ready and will be delivered as and when convenient, another official said.

As per schedule, the GSL is scheduled to deliver the first ship in 2026 and the second one six months later.

 
Zorya has delivered engines for the two frigates under construction in Russia which have been installed. The engines were delivered to India which sent them over to Russia. Engines for the two frigates being built by GSL are also ready and will be delivered as and when convenient, another official said.

As per schedule, the GSL is scheduled to deliver the first ship in 2026 and the second one six months later.


That's excellent news.
 
It was I believe,
@Ankit Kumar

Is there any revamp / restructuring of shipyrads on card?

Something similar has happened with HAL /Isro / OFB?

Drying up orders / waiting on for orders/ making them build indigenous platforms / involvement of private sectors in sub assemblies
??

Seems like submarine arm & even surface ship order book of MDL is getting nothing yet.