Indian Navy heads for twin commissioning of Fast Attack Craft

Chennai: In what is being billed as a unique event, the Indian Navy will commission two ships, INS Carnicobar and INS Chetlat on the same day,16 February 2009, at Chennai. The ships are the first two in a series of ten water jet Fast Attack Craft (FAC) being built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, GRSE, Kolkata. The ships will be commissioned at Chennai by the Governor of Tamil Nadu, Surjit Singh Barnala.

On commissioning the ships will become the first ever water jet propelled ships of the Indian Navy. And their commissioning marks another step in the direction of indigenisation of the Navy's ship building capability.

 The first vessel - Car Nicobar - has been named after the northernmost of the Nicobar Islands, while the second vessel - Chetlat - has been named after the northernmost of the Lakshwadeep Islands. They will be based at Chennai with a view to strengthen coastal security of the
region.

These fast attack craft are ideally suited for interception of fast moving surface craft and will perform  anti-smuggling, fishery protection and search and rescue operations, where time is of paramount importance.

Both the ships belong to a new generation of ten Water Jet Fast Attack Crafts, which have been designed and built by the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata. These craft are an improvement upon earlier versions of the Fast Attack Craft, with a more efficient hull form that has been developed indigenously.

The Fast Attack Craft can achieve speeds in excess of 35 knots.

The water jets of these ships are coupled with latest generation MTU 16V 4000 M90 engines with a combined propulsion power of 8160KW. The modified aluminium superstructure of the vessels reduces their Radar Cross Section (RCS) and also provides improved habitability. A Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant allows fresh water generation increasing vessel endurance. The Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) complies with the latest International Maritime Organisation (IMO) regulations on sea
pollution.

The armament includes the 30mm CRN-91 gun along with sensors manufactured by the Ordnance Factory, Medak. The ships are equipped with IGLA missiles, and carry SLRs, HMGs and LMG/MMG in their armament fit.

The ships very likely carry sonar and anti-submarine warfare weaponry, such as torpedoes and anti-submarine rockets.

These features are an update over the previous class and their design is comparable with similar ships, built across the world.

These are the first warships to be built at the Rajabagan Dockyards purchased by GRSE in July 2006.