Indian Navy Commissioning Airavat(Landing Ship Tank).

[ironman]

A new direction in amphibious capability – Indian Navy Commissioning of Airavat

Admiral Sureesh Mehta, AVSM, PVSM, ADC, Chief of the Naval Staff arrived Visakhapatnam, on a two day visit to Eastern Naval Command. During his stay here, he will be the Chief Guest at the Commissioning Ceremony of Indian Navy’s sixth Landing Ship Tank (Large) Airavat, scheduled to take place on 19 May 09, at IN Jetty at Naval Base, Visakhapatnam.

Yard 3016, christened and launched by Mrs. Maria Teresa Mehta at Kolkota on 27 Mar 06,the ship is to be commissioned as ‘INS Airavat’ on Tuesday, 19 May 09. The ship was formally handed over to the Indian Navy on 30 Mar 09 at M/s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, Kolkota - A notable achievement. Airavat is the fifth LST (L) of the Indian Navy and third of the Shardul class. As a platform designed for amphibious operations against the enemy, she is a further upgrade on the Magar Class (the First LST (L)) in her suite of weapons, sensors and indigenous content. With a significantly enhanced Weapon package, latest Control Systems and better Habitability conditions, Airavat delivers considerable punch and Amphibious capabilities to the fighting prowess of the Indian Navy.

The ship can carry 10 Main Battle Tanks, 11 Combat Trucks and 500 Troops and has a considerable range and endurance at sea. Besides undertaking amphibious operations, the ship is a potent assault platform capable of operating both Seaking 42C and the indigenous Dhruv helicopters. She is fitted with two indigenous WM 18A Rocket Launchers to support successful amphibious operations. The threat from air is dealt with through two indigenous CRN 91 Anti-Aircraft Guns auto-controlled by Optronic Sights and shoulder launched IGLA Surface to-Air Missiles. It also has soft kill ability through Chaff Rockets, which can be used to clutter the sensory inputs of an incoming enemy aircraft or missile.

The ship is fitted with Remote Propulsion Control, Battle Damage Control System and Automated Power Management System. These are fully integrated, microprocessor based, digital control systems for providing control and for monitoring ships machinery and systems. The ship also has a microprocessor based anti-roll Flume Stabilisation System and Smoke Curtains to impede spreading of smoke and toxic gases in case of fire onboard. In addition, the ship can act as a Fleet tanker through stern refueling of other naval vessels and as a hospital ship. The ship can be effectively tasked for HADR ( Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) missions during natural calamities like tsunami, cyclone, earthquake etc, and can operate independently at high seas for as long as 45 days.

 

[TOPGUN]

Any pic's?

 

[ironman]

 

[ironman]

Good sign for Indian Navy.

Any more in pipeline?

Yes..

The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Navy to order 60 more indigenous warships

Kochi: The Navy will place orders for indigenous construction of 60 more platforms, including frigates, destroyers, landing platform dock, another aircraft carrier and several other ships over the next 10 to 12 years, Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Chief of the Naval Staff, has said.

These platforms would be inducted in service from the middle of the next decade, over a period of another 10 years or so, said the Admiral in his address at the keel-laying ceremony of the indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC) at the Cochin Shipyard on Saturday. Earlier, he termed the keel-laying as marking “another milestone in our quest for supremacy at sea in the waters of our interest.”
Capital intensive

“Warship building is a highly technical and capital intensive activity. It takes several years of dedicated efforts of highly skilled warship designers, shipyard personnel and numerous ancillary industries. The multiple and varied roles that a warship has to perform make the task of the designer exceedingly demanding and challenging,” he said outlining the country’s humble foray into warship building that fashioned the British design-based INS Nilgiri in the 1970s and the fully indigenous Godavari class frigate in the mid-1980s.

“Currently 32 ships and six submarines are under indigenous order in our shipyards,” he said.In an oblique reference to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, the Admiral said: “The emerging maritime security environment has greatly enhanced the responsibilities of the Navy… Further, economic and geopolitical developments worldwide and in our immediate neighbourhood have re-emphasised the need for a strong and self-reliant Navy. In the foreseeable future, the maritime domain will become increasingly relevant in sustaining our growth and enhanced maritime activity will require a corresponding increase in maritime security forces.”
Long-term needs

The Admiral said the warship building programme was tailored to cater for long-term capability development whose spin-offs would include development of indigenous technological base and jobs for many, either directly or through ancillary industries. Presenting two models of ship building for increasing productivity and quality, the Admiral said cooperative approaches with leading ship building and design firms worldwide for simultaneous production of ships of the same class at different locations in India could be tried out.

“Yet another could encompass offloading specific functions like outfitting or system integration to external agencies with core expertise, whilst basic construction remains with the parent yard,” he said