Chennai, Apr 19: Regarded as the fastest surface ship, a T-84 fast attack craft, was today inducted to the inventory of the Indian Navy by Vice-Admiral O P Bansal, flag officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command. Commissioning the craft, Bansal said T-84 would play a vital role in undertaking quick reaction patrol along the coast and it would also make it an ideal platform for conducting special operations, a defence release said here.
Admiral Sampath Pillai, chairman, Goa Shipyard Ltd, the builders of the craft, said T-84 has been commissioned five and a half months ahead of its schedule. Two more such crafts would be handed over to the navy in 10 months time.
Vice Admiral J S Bedi, controller of warship production and acquisition, Commodore T Hari and senior army and air force officers, besides representatives from some foreign missions were also present on the occasion. T-84 would displace 60 tonnes and it has state-of-the-art sensors and a weapon suite of two 20mm Oerlikon guns, typhoon fire control system, multi-senor stablised integrated system with forward looking infra-red sensors and laser ranging that could see, locate and even range a man standing at 2 KMs on a pitch dark night.
The vessel will be used for special and shallow water operations, coastline defence through high speed patrol, interception, counter insurgency and counter smuggling operations, the release said.
It will be under the operational control of naval officer in-charge, Tamil Nadu, commanded by Lt Muthukrishnan.
Bureau Report