New Delhi, May 19: Augmenting India's amphibious
war-fighting capabilities, Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta
on Tuesday commissioned the fifth indigenously built Landing Ship
Tank (LST) INS Airavat at Vishakhapatnam.
After commissioning the ship, the Navy Chief said the LST
would augment the operational capabilities and reach of the
Eastern Naval Command, in addition to enhancing the amphibious
and disaster relief potential of the fleet.
Third of the Shardul Class of ships, INS Airavat having a
displacement of 5655 tonnes is 125 metre long and 17.5 metre
wide. It is the most contemporary and fully indigenous LST in
the Indian Navy.
In addition to its primary role of amphibious operations
carrying battle tanks, troops and vehicles to hostile coasts,
the ship also forms a potent assault platform with rockets and
chaff launchers, anti-aircraft guns, shoulder launched
surface-to-air-missiles and an integral Sea King or an
Advanced Light Helicopter, naval officials said.
It can also be used as a fleet tanker for humanitarian
assistance and disaster relief missions or as a Hospital Ship.
Various senior Naval and Public sector units' officials
including Eastern Naval Commander Vice Admiral Nirmal Verma,
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers CMD Rear Admiral K C
Sekhar and Navy's Controller of Warship Production and
Acquisition Vice Admiral Ganesh Mahadevan were present on the
occasion.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, May 19, 2009, 19:15