Visakhapatnam (AP): Aiming at extending
its coastal and offshore surveillance and patrol, the Indian
Navy today commissioned indigenously built Fast Attack Craft
(FAC) in a function held at the eastern naval command here.
Designed and built by state-run Garden Reach
Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata, INS Koswari is a highly
manoeuvrable craft and ideally suited for deployment along the
coast, a defence release said.
The craft was commissioned by General Officer
Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command of the Indian Army,
Lieutenant General Bikram Singh.
The craft`s ability to operate in shallow waters at
high speed, along with its day-and-night surveillance
capability, coupled with enhanced fire power, was expected to
give the requisite impetus to combating asymmetric threats
emanating from the sea, it said.
Named after an island off Tuticorin, INS Koswari,
measuring 52 meters in length and displacing 325 tonnes, could
achieve speed in excess of 30 knots, the release added.
Lieutenant Commander Anil Kumar would be commanding
the craft along with a crew of four officers and 35 sailors.
Fitted with advanced MTU engines and latest
communication sets for the purpose of `extended coastal and
offshore surveillance and patrol`, INS Koswari would be based
at Karwar, under the naval officer-in-charge (Karnataka).
It would be deployed in coastal patrol and anti-piracy
missions, along the Konkan coast and Lakshadweep group of
islands, the release said.
The modified aluminium superstructure of the vessel
reduces the top weight and enhances its ability to propel at
high speeds keeping in mind critical requirements of the naval
craft for improved stealth and networking capabilities.
INS Koswari is complied with the latest regulations of
the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on sea
pollution, the release said.
Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command Vice
Admiral Anup Singh, Chief Managing Director, Garden Reach
Shipbuilders and Engineers Rear Admiral (retd) K C Sekhar and
senior naval officers attended the function.
PTI
