Indian Navy Launches Fifth LCU

The fifth Landing Craft Utility ship of LCU MK IV project, was launched at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd shipyard in Kolkata on December 7.

Rear Admiral AK Verma, VSM, Chairman & Managing Director, GRSE Ltd, commenced the proceedings with a formal welcome, which was followed by an address by the Chief Guest.

Vice Admiral AV Subhedar asserted that the Indian Navy has been supporting the drive for indigenous construction of warships leading to the advancement of Indian shipbuilding industry. He further stated that Indian Navy is looking forward towards induction of LCU-MKIV class of ships, which would be based at Port Blair.

LCU L-55 is the fifth vessel in the series of eight Landing Craft Utility Ships being designed and built by M/s GRSE for the Indian Navy. The ship can be deployed for multirole activities like beaching operations, humanitarian and disaster relief operations and evacuation from distant islands.

The first ship of the class ‘LCU-L51’ was launched in March 2014 and is presently undergoing trials at GRSE. The vessel is likely to be soon delivered to Indian Navy, said the Indian Navy website.

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