By 2013, two hovercraft will be positioned in Mangalore, said Rajmani Sharma, Commander, Coast Guard, Karnataka. He was speaking onboard INS Sankalp, off the Mangalore coast on Saturday.
Land has been identified at Tannirbavi, he said. The main aim of getting the hovercraft is to strengthen surveillance capabilities and enhance coastal security.
Stealth
Hovercraft travel at high speed and have ease of movement, travelling up to 50 knots per hour. They will require a hoverport with hangar, repair facilities and fuelling arrangements. The hover port in Mangalore will be the second on the West Coast after Okha in Gujarat, he said. Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh, Haldia in West Bengal and Mandapam in Tamil Nadu on the east coast, have hover ports, said Commander Sharma.
Mangalore was chosen for its gradual gradient from sea to land, which is a plus for movement of the air-cushioned vehicle, said Commandant (JG) Rajender Singh Sapal, Executive Officer, Coast Guard, Karnataka.
Cdr. Sharma also said that one squadron (four craft) of Dorniers and one squadron of Chetaks will be stationed in Mangalore. All required infrastructure is being created, he said.
INS Sankalp, an advanced offshore patrol vessel (AOPV) and a multi-mission ship, took officials and members of the public on ‘a day at sea'. The venture into the sea was part of a series of activities undertaken by the Coast Guard on the occasion of Coast Guard Day (February 1), to raise awareness among the people about its capabilities, said Cdr. Sharma.
The ship came from Mumbai specifically for the purpose. Those onboard witnessed demonstrations of a search and rescue mission, combating pirates for surveillance and anti-smuggling and boarding operations to check intruders.
