Indian Navy inducts two fast attack crafts to boost surveillance

Kolkata, Sep 10 (ANI): The Indian Navy, which has been assigned the overall responsibility of maritime security, including coastal and offshore defence after the Mumbai attacks, today inducted two water jet propelled fast attack craft (WJFACs) in order to boost its surveillance capacity.

The safe operability of the new WJFACs in shallow waters and at high speeds, and their day-night surveillance capability coupled with enhanced fire power is expected to give a tremendous boost to combating such asymmetric threats emanating from the sea and further enhance the coastal security.

West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi commissioned here INS Cora Divh and INS Cheriyam at a colourful ceremony.

The ships that are of the new series of ten WJFACs designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, and are being inducted as a replacement of the earlier Seaward Defence Boats (SDBs).

These world-class ships are a sure testament of the Navy's commitment to indigenisation. Conceived, designed and built indigenously at M/S Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd of Kolkata, these small yet highly manoeuvrable craft are ideally suited for their intended deployment along the coast.Named after the pristine islands located in the Lakshadweep chain, INS Cheriyam and INS Cora Divh, are commanded by Commander Sudip Malik, and Commander N Hariharan respectively both specialists in Gunnery and Missiles.

The ships measuring close to 50 meters in length and displacing 325 tons, can achieve speeds in excess of 30 Knots. (ANI)