Diving Support Vessels (DSVs) are an integral part of a blue water naval force. They not only play a key role in submarine rescue missions but are also an important part in India’s deep ocean missions, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar has said.
Admiral Hari Kumar was speaking at the launch of two DSVs being indigenously built by Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) here on Thursday.
Both the DSVs — ‘Nistar’ and ‘Nipun’ — are being built by the HSL, and according to the CNS, this is quite an achievement.
Once commissioned (maybe in 12 to 15 months), the DSVs will add to the existing one, INS Nireekshak, to take their strength to three in the Indian Navy.
Admiral R. Hari Kumar said Indian Navy had a submarine rescue vessel by name INS Nistar that played a key role in the 1971 war to locate the Pakistani submarine, INS Ghazi, that went under the sea off the coast of Visakhapatnam on December 4, 1971.
It had been purchased from the USSR in 1969 and commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1971.
Formidable force
But the two DSVs being built by the HSL had come of age, and it clearly showcased India’s indigenous capabilities, he added.
The construction of the DSVs and many other warships, including aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, showed that the Indian Navy was a builder's navy and a formidable naval force to reckon with, he said.
Admiral Hari Kumar further said that of the 45 warships and submarines planned to be constructed, 43 were being built in India.
Employment opportunities
“Our goal is to see that by 2047, the Indian Navy will be 100% self reliant and the launch of the two DSVs is a big step towards that. Moreover, indigenous shipbuilding will create a lot of employment opportunities and develop the local MSME sector,” he said.
The ships were formally launched as per tradition by breaking the coconut on the hulls by Ms. Kala Hari Kumar, wife of Admiral Hari Kumar, and president of the Naval Wives’ Welfare Association.
Features
Earlier, briefing about the ships, HSL Chairman and Managing Director Commodore Hemant Khatri said over 80% of the DSVs bear indigenous components and close to 120 MSMEs were involved.
The 120-mt-long ships, with a total displacement of about 9,350 tonnes, will be deployed for deep sea diving and submarine rescue operations.
According to Cmde Khatri, each ship will have about 250 personnel, and for the first time a helicopter deck is being provided in the front for an Indian Naval Ship.
The ships will be equipped with two decompression systems and a hydra diving system that can go down to a depth of about 300 mts.
“The ships will be self-sufficient at sea and can also work in adverse sea conditions,” he said.
For the first time, India has ventured into this genre of ships, and the DSVs can be involved in a number of critical missions such as submarine rescue, underwater inspection, testing or salvage and recovery of objects, ships or aircraft lost at sea, he says.
The presence of the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV) onboard also enhances their submarine rescue capabilities, he adds.
