European Fincantieri joins with GRSE to build P 17 A Frigate

European Fincantieri joins with GRSE to build P 17 A Frigate

    Italian based Fincantieri joined with two Indian shipbuilders GRSE and MDL to build seven new modern stealth frigates for Indian Navy under P 17 A project. The project value estimated some six billion dollars to build seven frigates in two shipyards for parallel delivery. Four of the ships will be built in GRSE and three of them in MDL. Where Fincantieri assist design and development of the P 17 A project. 

    Fincantieri already had deepen ties with India Navy. Navy's Replenishment oil ships are built by Fincantieri. INS Deepak and INS Shakti is built by Fincantieri shipyards in Italy later delivered to Indian Navy. Fincantieri is one of the major shipbuilder in Europe along with DCNS and Navatia. Fincantieri is also a part of many European warship building along with merchant ships and cruisers too.

     Navy insists The P 17 A design must be stealth and identical to European warships. They were small in size modular designs  lesser in tonnage, However they should carry more punch than other compared Ships. Ships like Italian Caio Dulio has good capabilities like powerful phased array Radar's. Multiple new generation sensor and processing system. along with multiple missile systems.

     The P 17 A requirements also similar to that one. Indian Navy is new to AESA fixed radar's. Israeli MF STAR on the Kolkata is the first in series and Navy impressed in MF STAR's performance, So further interested in building more ships with MF STAR as main fire control radar. INS Vikrant Aircraft carrier and Vishakapaniam class destroyers also houses the same MF STAR Radar as primary. Navy also plans to install the MF STAR AESA in the P 17 A Ships too. Most of the Indian Naval ships uses Russian made Top Plate Radar as primary radar. Shivalik's, Talwar and Delhi class are good example. 

     The Ship will carry 16 Brahmos cruise missile as primary offensive and anti shipping role. The frigates are known as either Anti submarine or anti air warfare. In India most of the frigates comprises both capabilities. Frigates are generally used for escort duties. Holding less destruction power while carries more defensive missile systems. The Ship may carry one or two Naval artillery guns. Nowadays most Shipbuilders prefers dual artillery guns for low cost fire supports.

Modern 6000 Ton warship

     The Defensive system comprises most number of anti air missile systems. Which include long range short range and CIWS systems. Navy plans to install 32 Barak 8 long range air defense missile along with another 16 or 32 Maitri short range air defense missiles for quick reaction support. Both of them considered one of the best missile systems in the world. It's reported that the Maitri is based on the MICA air launched missile, who comes with both Radar and IR guided for better air interception.

    Navy once issued a Global RFI to buy upto eight CIWS system based on Sea Ram system. Who comes with RIM 116 missiles. Many CIWS systems comes with barreled 30mm cannons. It's believed Navy may add either Sea Ram missile system or the older AK 630 gun based CIWS system.

     Other equipment's like jammer's, Communication interceptor's, High frequency radio interceptor's and Electronic warfare suites also installed in the P 17 A ships. These systems are presents in all older Naval ships too. However the new ship comes with modern EW suites compared to the older one.

The Light Fremm Frigate

   The Anti submarine warfare suite consists of deadly RBU 6000 Rockets along with torpedo decoy systems to counter enemy submarines and torpedo's. The Frigates too comes with 533mm heavy weight torpedo tubes for anti submarine warfare. The Frigate will carry one sea hawk anti submarine helicopter for broader range of surveillance and reconnaissance.  That's also used for search and rescue missions.

     It's reported the government speed up project by allocating funds within next financial year to start the construction by 2017. With the delivery of first ship by 2019. Navy's revised plans indicates the all the seven ship's will be delivered before 2023.