Car Nicobar-class patrol vessel explained

The Car Nicobar class of high-speed offshore patrol vessels are built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) for the Indian Navy. The vessels are designed as a cost-effective platform for patrol, anti-piracy and rescue operations in India's exclusive economic zone. In 2023, one of the ships, INS Tarmugli, was donated to the Maldivian Coast Guard.[1] [2]

The class and its vessels are named for Indian islands. They are the first water jet-propelled vessels of the Indian Navy.[3]

Unlike the United States Coast Guard's similarly sized Sentinel class cutters, the class is propelled by water jets, at up to 35knots, where the American patrol vessels conventional propulsion systems maximum stated speed is 28knots. Both classes have a mission endurance of 2000nmi.

Design

The Car Nicobar-class vessels were designed and built by GRSE. Production of the class was fast tracked after the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The vessels feature improved habitability with fully air-conditioned modular accommodation, on board reverse osmosis plant for desalination, and a sewage treatment plant.[3] [4]

The vessels are each powered by three HamiltonJet HM811 water jets, coupled with MTU 16V 4000 M90 engines, delivering a combined 8160kW of power. An aluminium superstructure reduces weight and is designed to reduce radar cross-section.

As patrol vessels, they are lightly armed. They carry various sensors, including the Furuno navigation radar and sonar. Armament on board includes a 30 mm CRN-91 automatic cannon with an electronic day-night fire control system of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) origin. The vessels also mount two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns (HMG) and multiple medium machine guns, besides carrying shoulder-launched Igla surface-to-air missiles to combat aerial threats.

The first two vessels commissioned were initially restricted to speeds up to 27kn due to deficiency in the gearboxes, which was later rectified by KPCL. INS Kabra, the eighth in the class, has a top speed of more than . The improved maneuverability and speed allows these vessels to have high-speed interdiction of fast-moving targets.

The last four ships are an improved variant of the Car Nicobar-class patrol boats and have been dubbed 'follow on waterjet fast attack craft' (FOWJFAC) by the Indian Navy. Improvements include an enhanced electrical power generation capacity of 280 kW and twice the reverse osmosis (RO) capacity at 4 tonnes per day.[5]

Ships in the class

Yard No.NamePennant numberBuilderLaunchedCommissionedHomeportStatus
Fleet I
2057Car NicobarT6923 November 200716 February 2009ChennaiActive
2058ChetlatT7027 November 200716 February 2009ChennaiActive[6]
2059Cora Divh[7] T7116 July 200810 September 2009Port BlairActive
2060CheriyamT7216 July 200810 September 2009Port BlairActive[8]
2061CankarsoT7327 March 200929 June 2010GoaActive[9]
2062KondulT7427 March 200929 June 2010GoaActive
2063KalpeniT7527 March 200914 October 2010KochiActive
2064T7629 March 2010[10] 8 June 2011[11] KochiActive
2065KoswariT7729 March 201012 July 2011[12] KarwarActive
2066KaruvaT7829 March 2010 25 August 2011Port BlairActive[13]
Fleet II: FOWJFAC
2110T9230 June 20159 March 2017[14] KarwarActive
2111T9330 June 2015 19 October 2016[15] VisakhapatnamActive
2112T9430 June 2016[16] 26 September 2017[17] [18] MumbaiActive
Maldivian Coast Guard
Fleet II
2109MCGS Huravee (formerly)30 June 201523 May 2016Transferred to Maldivian Coast Guard and commissioned on 2 May 2023 as MCGS Huravee

Operations

INS Car Nicobar and INS Chetlat are based in Chennai under India's Eastern Naval Command.[19]

INS Cankarso and INS Kondul are based in Goa under the Western Naval Command.

INS Kalpeni is based in Kochi under the Southern Naval Command.[20]

Operation Island Watch

In January 2011, as a part of Operation Island Watch, INS Cankarso and INS Kalpeni were deployed on anti-piracy patrol to the west of the Lakshadweep archipelago. On 28 January, Cankarso responded to a Mayday call from a container ship. Upon reaching the site, she saw Somali pirate skiffs being hoisted aboard a hijacked Thai fishing trawler, Prantalay 14, which was being used as a pirate mother ship.[21] [22]

Cankarso ordered the pirated ship to stop for inspection. The pirates on board fired on Cankarso as they tried to flee west towards Somalia. Cankarso returned the fire, which hit some of the fuel drums stored on Prantalay 14s deck for refuelling the skiffs. The mother ship was set ablaze and sank, even as Kalpeni and an Indian Coast Guard patrol vessel, ICGS Sankalp, reached the site. 15 pirates were arrested, and the 20 crew of the fishing trawler were all rescued unharmed.[23]

In another operation on 13 March 2011, an Indian Navy patrol aircraft spotted the Mozambique-registered fishing vessel, Vega 5, when responding to a merchant ship reporting a pirate attack. Beira-based Vega 5, owned by Spanish company Pescamar Lda, had been captured on 27 December 2010 by pirates who were demanding US$1.8 million in ransom.[24] INS Kalpeni intercepted the pirated ship about 1100km (700miles) off Kochi on India's west coast. A fire broke out on the vessel when Kalpeni returned fired after being fired upon by the pirates. 61 pirates were rescued and arrested after they jumped into the Arabian Sea to escape the fire. The crew of Kalpeni put out the fire on board Vega 5, rescued her 13 crew members and escorted her to Mumbai. Rocket-propelled grenades and over 80 assault rifles were recovered from the pirates.[25] [26]

See also

External links

Video

Images

Notes and References

  1. News: Eastern Naval Command bids farewell to INS Tarmugli in Visakhapatnam. The Hindu . 7 April 2023.
  2. News: Rajnath Singh hands over Fast Patrol Vessel, Landing Craft Assault ship to Maldives. The Economic Times . 2 May 2023.
  3. Web site: Indian Navy to Commission INS Carnicobar, INS Chetlat. India Defence. 16 February 2009. 16 September 2011. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20110814060245/http://www.india-defence.com/reports-4229. 14 August 2011.
  4. News: GRSE delivers two warships from Rajabagan Dockyard . The Hindu Business Line . 16 September 2011 .
  5. News: Mazumdar . Mrityunjoy . GRSE launches three fast attack craft for Indian Navy . IHS Jane's Defence Weekly . 1 July 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150705010451/https://www.janes.com/article/52703/grse-launches-three-fast-attack-craft-for-indian-navy . 5 July 2015.
  6. Web site: Commissioning of INS Carnicobar & INS Chetlat . Government of India . 13 February 2009 . 30 September 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303194156/http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=47493 . 3 March 2016.
  7. http://www.grse.nic.in/events10.htm Launching Ceremony of Kora Divh(Yard-2059) and Cheriyam (Yard-2060) on 16 Jul 2008
  8. Web site: Indian Navy inducts two fast attack crafts to boost surveillance . Daily India . 30 September 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006074327/http://www.dailyindia.com/show/333266.php . 6 October 2014.
  9. http://www.grse.nic.in/events3-27.htm Launching Ceremony of Cankarso (Yard 2061), Kondul (Yard 2062), Kalpeni (Yard 2063) on 27 Mar 09
  10. Web site: Simultaneous launching of three Waterjet Fast Attack Crafts. 7 February 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110719195113/http://www.grse.nic.in/Launching.pdf . 19 July 2011 .
  11. Web site: Indian Naval ship Kabra commissioning on Jun 8 . IBNLive.in.com . 6 June 2011 . 30 September 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121015171010/http://ibnlive.in.com/generalnewsfeed/news/indian-naval-ship-kabra-commissioning-on-jun-8/715919.html . 15 October 2012 . dmy-all .
  12. http://www.irna.ir/ENNewsShow.aspx?NID=30474552&SRCH=1 Indian Navy commissions Fast attack craft INS Koswari
  13. News: Fast attack warship INS Karuva commissioned . Deccan Herald. 30 September 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006082006/http://www.deccanherald.com/content/186232/fast-attack-warship-ins-karuva.html . 6 October 2014.
  14. News: INS Tillanchang commissioned to Indian Navy by Vice Admiral Girish Luthra. 2017-03-09. The Financial Express. 2017-03-09. en-US. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20170311184847/http://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/ins-tillanchang-commissioned-to-indian-navy-by-vice-admiral-girish-luthra/580582/. 11 March 2017.
  15. News: INS Tihayu commissioned. Bhattacharjee. Sumit. 2016-10-19. The Hindu. en-IN. 0971-751X. 2016-10-19. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20161020153450/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/ins-tihayu-commissioned/article9238836.ece. 20 October 2016.
  16. Web site: Launch of GRSE Yards 2112 (FO-WJFAC) Indian Navy. indiannavy.nic.in. 2016-06-30. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20160701140740/http://indiannavy.nic.in/content/launch-grse-yards-2112-fo-wjfac. 1 July 2016.
  17. Web site: Indian Navy commissions fourth improved Car Nicobar-class patrol vessel Jane's 360. www.janes.com. 2017-09-26. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170926201133/http://www.janes.com/article/74407/indian-navy-commissions-fourth-improved-car-nicobar-class-patrol-vessel. 26 September 2017.
  18. News: INS Tarasa commissioned into Indian Navy. 2017-09-26. The Economic Times. 2017-09-26. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170927003938/http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/ins-tarasa-commissioned-into-indian-navy/articleshow/60841628.cms. 27 September 2017.
  19. News: Indigenously designed Fast Attack Crafts commissioned . 17 February 2009 . 30 September 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121103212149/http://www.hindu.com/2009/02/17/stories/2009021757620100.htm . . 3 November 2012.
  20. http://www.grse.nic.in/Handing%20over%20of%20WJFAC.pdf Handing over of WJFAC, Yd No. 2063 (Kalpeni) – 25 Aug 10
  21. News: Fast Attack Craft INS Kabra commissioned. 21 June 2012. The Hindu. 9 June 2011. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20110610182911/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2088393.ece. 10 June 2011.
  22. News: India pushes back on Somali pirates' new 'mother ship' offensive . CSMonitor.com . 7 February 2011 . 30 September 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20141006102250/http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2011/0207/India-pushes-back-on-Somali-pirates-new-mother-ship-offensive . 6 October 2014.
  23. Web site: Pirate Mother Ship Prantalay Sinks off Lakshadweep during Anti Piracy Operations by India . MarineBuzz.com . 30 January 2011 . 30 September 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160403182538/http://www.marinebuzz.com/2011/01/30/pirate-mother-ship-prantalay-sinks-off-lakshadweep-during-anti-piracy-operations-by-india/ . 3 April 2016.
  24. Web site: Mozambique: Pirates Demand Ransom, Say 'Vega 5' Relatives . allAfrica.com . 6 February 2011 . 30 September 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20121019031255/http://allafrica.com/stories/201102070657.html . 19 October 2012.
  25. News: Indian Navy captures 61 pirates, rescues 13 sailors . DNA India . 14 March 2011 . 30 September 2014 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130314232417/http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_navy-intercepts-pirate-ship-13-crew-rescued-61-brigands-held_1519685 . 14 March 2013.
  26. Web site: Indian navy captures 61 pirates . The Daily Breeze News . 13 March 2011 . 20 September 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130524185127/http://www.dailybreeze.com/latestnews/ci_17611248 . 24 May 2013.

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