INS Shivalik now part of Indian Navy Eastern fleet

(FrontierIndia) :INS Shivalik, India’s first indigenous stealth frigate, and the latest induction into the Indian Navy, arrived at Visakhapatnam today after being commissioned at Mazagon Docks Limited, Mumbai by the Union Defence Minister A K Antony in April last year.
Indian navy release says that, INS Shivalik, which will now form part of the Eastern fleet under the Eastern Naval Command, was accorded a warm reception by senior officers of the command and families of the crew on its arrival at Visakhapatnam.
Shivalik, is the first of the multi-role project 17 stealth frigates being built for the Indian Navy. Conceived and designed by Indian naval design teams, Shivalik class would be the mainstay frigates of the Indian Navy over the first half of the 21st century.
The 143-metre long vessel, with 6,100 tonne displacement and width of 17 meters, is capable of doing speeds of over 30 knots (55 kmph). The inbuilt structural, thermal and acoustic stealth features of the warship effectively reduce the probability of detection by the enemy and augment the capability to counter threats from all dimensions of maritime warfare, the release said.
A combat management system controls the Weapon-Sensor fit and allows seamless integration within the ship as also with the suites of the other fleet ships.
The ship also boasts of a Total Atmospheric Control System providing total defence against nuclear, biological and chemical attack.
INS Shivalik is commanded by captain MD Suresh, a navigation direction (ND) specialist, and manned by a crew of about 35 Officers and 250 sailors.
With a potent weapon suite along with two multi-role helicopters on board for enhanced surveillance and attack, this ‘Jewel of the Eastern Fleet’ has the ability to detect and engage surface, air and sub-surface targets at extended ranges, making it a veritable ‘brahmastra’ waiting to be unleashed, the release added