L&T launches second coast guard OPV
Larsen and Tourbo (L&T) has launched the second in a series of seven offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) being built for the Indian Coast Guard, the company announced on 22 January.
The vessel, named CGS Vijaya, was launched at the company’s shipyard at Kattupalli, near Chennai.
L&T received the contract from the Indian Ministry of Defence in March 2015 for design and construction of seven OPVs. The first OPV was launched in October 2017 and is currently undergoing trials.
The fleet will be deployed for coastal and offshore patrolling, policing maritime zones, control and surveillance, anti-smuggling and anti-piracy with limited wartime roles.
The OPV measures 97m in length, 15m in width, has 3.6m draught and 2,140 tonne displacement with a range of 5000 nautical miles. It can attain sustained speeds of up to 26 knots and is equipped for helicopter operations.
The design and construction processes have undergone dual certification from the American Bureau of Shipping and Indian Registrar of Shipping, and the project is being overseen by the Indian Coast Guard’s resident team at Kattupalli shipyard.
More from Naval Warfare
-
Is the US Navy’s Golden Fleet initiative achievable?
The effort to provide the US Navy with Trump-class battleships might face financial, production and doctrinal obstacles.
-
How will SAFE shape naval procurement for Canada and its highest-receiving members?
Canada’s inclusion on the EU’s Security Action for Europe initiative is set to enhance the country’s defence procurement strategy with important implications for some of its naval programmes, while Poland and Romania have also secured significant SAFE funding.
-
Thales wins DE&S contract for portable autonomous command centres
The agreement to provide portable autonomous command centres to the UK Royal Navy will enhance the service’s Mine Counter Measure operations and further integrate autonomous and uncrewed systems into its fleet.
-
Maritime defence in the Mediterranean faces challenges from vulnerable land power
As an indispensable energy crossroads, the Mediterranean is at serious risk from grey zone disruption. As navies increasingly employ AI data centres, what happens when cutting-edge defence technologies rely on the very infrastructure most susceptible to hybrid tactics?