Precision, vigilance, dominance: INS Dunagiri gets its battle badge as Navy gears up for commissioning

The Indian Navy has unveiled the crest of INS Dunagiri, the fifth stealth frigate in the Project 17A class built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).

The warship’s crest, featuring a Himalayan osprey above a mountain peak, is intended to reflect the vessel’s focus on precision, vigilance, and dominance.

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An old legacy, freshly launched

The frigate draws its name and spirit from the Himalayan peak Dunagiri and continues the legacy of the earlier INS Dunagiri, a Leander-class frigate commissioned in 1977.

The Navy’s Project 17A ships also continue its tradition of naming frontline warships after mountain ranges, following the Nilgiri-class lineage.

INS Dunagiri, along with her sister ship INS Mahendragiri, is scheduled for commissioning later this month.

Steel, systems and serious intent

The vessel is a major step forward in Indigenous warship design and construction.

Built with advanced integrated modular techniques, the Project 17A class is positioned as a leap in automation and combat capability. According to The Times of India, Dunagiri is armed with eight vertically launched BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles for anti-surface strikes and 32 Barak-8 long-range surface-to-air missiles for air defense.

It also carries AK-630 close-in weapon systems, upgraded OTO Melara 76 mm naval guns, and remotely operated 12.7 mm machine guns for short-range protection.

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Eyes sharp, engines ready

The frigate’s anti-submarine package includes TAL Shyena lightweight torpedoes and RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launchers.

It can operate a naval helicopter, including the ALH Dhruv Mk-III or Sea King, to extend surveillance and strike reach. The ship integrates the EL/M-2248 MF-STAR AESA radar, Indra LTR-25 Lanza radar, BEL HUMSA-NG sonar, and the Shakti electronic warfare suite.

Power comes from a combined diesel and gas propulsion system using GE LM2500 gas turbines and MAN diesel engines.

FAQs

Q1: What is INS Dunagiri?

Ans: INS Dunagiri is the fifth stealth frigate of the Indian Navy's Project 17A class, built by GRSE.

Q2: What weapons does INS Dunagiri carry?

Ans: INS Dunagiri is equipped with BrahMos cruise missiles, Barak-8 air defence missiles, torpedoes, rockets, and advanced naval guns.