Indian Navy commissions fifth LCU

The Indian Navy has commissioned its fifth Mk-IV landing craft utility in a ceremony at Port Blair on December 19.

The ship has been indigenously designed and built by M/s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.

The LCU is an amphibious ship with its primary role being transportation and deployment of main battle tanks, armored vehicles, troops and equipment from ship to shore.

These ships based at the Andaman and Nicobar Command, can be deployed for multirole activities like beaching operations, search and rescue, disaster relief operations, supply and replenishment and evacuation from distant islands.

Commanded by Lt Cdr Abhishek Kumar, the LCU has a complement of five officers, 45 sailors and is capable of carrying 160 troops in addition. The ship, displacing 830 tons, is capable of transporting various kinds of combat equipment such as the main battle tank, T72 and other vehicles. The ship is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and advanced systems like integrated bridge system (IBS) and integrated platform management system (IPMS).

The remaining three ships of the same class are in advanced stages of construction at M/S GRSE, Kolkata and are scheduled to be inducted over the next year and a half.