The second batch of three immediate support vessels joined the fleet of the Eastern Naval Command taking the strength of the 84{+t}{+h}Immediate Support Vessel Squadron to six.
Three immediate support vessels – IN ISV T38, IN ISV T39 and IN ISV T40 – were commissioned by Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Satish Soni at a ceremony held at the Naval Dockyard here on Tuesday. The project is a joint collaboration between Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, the ship builders and the Indian Navy.
The ISVs would be based in Visakhapatnam and by turn two ISVs would be patrolling the nation’s assets in Kakinada Offshore Development Area, Vice Admiral Satish Soni said.
“We are proud of our partnership with ONGC and the Navy would do everything to protect the nation’s assets,” he said in his speech. Thanking ONGC for the partnership, the CinC requested the oil exploration major to continue its support in maintenance of the six vessels in the squadron. Congratulating the commanding officers of the three vessels – Lt Shobhit Saxena, Lt Jai Kishore and Lt Vaibhav Bhardwaj – the Vice Admiral asked the crew to exhibit exemplary behaviour as they would be setting the traditions for the ships.
The three vessels would help the Indian Navy cope with the asymmetric threats to nation’s offshore assets, Naval Officer In Charge Andhra Pradesh Commodore K A Bopanna said.
The three ISVs are designed and built by Abu Dhabi Ship Builders and Rodman 78 of Spain. The ISV is a lightly armed surface craft capable of operating at high seas as well as in coastal waters. The craft is capable of day and night surveillance and can carry out rapid insertions and extractions of MARCOS. The ship is fitted with state-of-the art detection and communication equipment. It is capable of doing 40 knots and has an endurance of 500 NM.
