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News of Jan
5, 2007
Indian Navy gets Warship
to Ferry Tanks
Karwar
(Karnataka), Jan 5
Terming it a "step forward to fulfill the nation's desire to
indigenize naval ships", Defence Minister A.K. Antony has
commissioned the largest tank landing ship in the Indian Navy.
"(INS Shardul) will add to the amphibious warfare capabilities of
the Indian Navy," Antony said during the brief commissioning
ceremony at the Karwar Naval Base here Thursday.
He also noted that the troop landing ship USS Trenton, which the
navy has acquired from the US and which is expected to join the
fleet later this year, would also serve as a powerful force
multiplier.
Promising all support for the indigenous design and manufacture of
all ships, the minister said there were ambitious plans to modernize
state-owned shipyards across the country to "reduce time and cost
overruns".
At the same time, he cautioned the navy against "resting on your
laurels. You have to ensure you don't let down your guard", Antony
added.
Speaking on the occasion, Indian Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta
described INS Shardul as the "finest in a series of large ships"
that are being built for the force.
"It is vessels like this which will make us a true blue water navy,"
he maintained.
The warship, built by Garden Reach Ship builders and Engineers Ltd,
Kolkata, is capable of carrying 11 heavy tanks, 10 vehicles and
about 500 troops, apart from a Seaking helicopter. It is armed with
two rocket launchers, two anti-aircraft guns and shoulder launcher
surface-to-air missiles (SAMs).
Shardul, named after an amphibious animal, stands for the Royal
Bengal Tiger, symbolizing agility, strength and velour - all of
which mark the features of an amphibious operation.
"The warship is equipped with the latest advanced electronic warfare
systems and automatic power management system. As the third landing
ship tank of the navy, Shardul is the first of a new class, capable
of transporting various kinds of combat equipment," a naval
spokesman said.
The ship is also capable of operating Seaking 42C and Dhruv advanced
light helicopter (ALH), besides launching recovery of marine
commandos through sea and by copters for vertical envelopment.
"The ship is designed to support build up of men and material after
the main landing. As a hospital ship with facilities in
containerized form and as a fleet tanker for limited exercise," the
spokesman said.
INS Shardul replaces the earlier version commissioned in 1975 at
Gdynia (Poland). It was decommissioned in June 1997.
"Amphibious operations are by far the most complex of all military
operations in view of the dexterous planning involved and the
requirement of coordination between the diverse units -- sea, land
and air," the official pointed out.
As an amphibious vessel, Shardul can be configured and deployed to
operate at various levels of conflict and in multiple theatres on
account of its large accommodation and storage space. With a lift
capability of 750 tonnes, it can operate even in shallow waters and
is capable of beaching.
"The ship is capable of performing a wide range of missions from
providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief to
peace-keeping operations and major combat operations," the official
added.
IANS
News of Jan
5, 2007
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