The Indian Navy has decommissioned two 1241 RE class guided missile vessels during a ceremony held at the naval dockyard in Mumbai, April 28.
INS Veer and Nipat parted with the Navy after 29 and 28 years of commissioned service respectively.
Veer and Nipat were commissioned at Poti, Georgia, in former USSR on March 26, 1987 and December 6, 1988 respectively.
These ships were successors of the OSA class missile boats which played a major role in the 1971 Indo-Pakistani war. They are currently serving under the 22nd Killer Squadron.
Each of these ships are manned by a crew of about 100 officers and sailors. Propelled by four gas turbine engines, these ships were designed to achieve a maximum speed of 42 knots. These ships were designed to carry four surface to surface guided missiles, fitted with one medium range anti-aircraft gun i.e. AK 176 and a close in weapon system with two AK 630 guns and associated radar.
These ships are the first of ten Veer class of ships to be decommissioned from the Indian Navy.