What is P17 Alpha?

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BY A STAFF REPORTER: Named after a mountain range in Uttarakhand, 'Dunagiri' is the fourth ship of the P17A stealth frigate. A follow-up of the P17 Shivalik-class frigate, Dunagiri has developed stealth features, advanced weapon sensors and platform management systems. 'Donagiri' is the reincarnation of the previous 'Donagiri', leander-class anti-submarine warfare frigate that was in service for 33 years from 1977 to 2010. 

The first two ships of the P17A project were commissioned in 2019 and 2020. The third vessel (Udayagiri) was commissioned at Mazgaon Dock Shipbuilders on May 17 this year. The launch of the fourth ship in such a short period of time testifies to the motivation given towards building self-contained ships with a focused approach. The P17A ships are designed internally by the Indian Navy's Directorate of Naval Design.