Navy ships carry out naval exercises for benefit of public

Chennai, Jan 16 (PTI) Ships belonging to the EasternFleet of the Indian Navy today carried out naval games for thepublic as part of Navy Week celebrations.

INS Rana and INS Kulish of the Eastern Fleet tookmembers of the public and the media on a 30 km sojourn intothe ocean to witness the games, "meant for the common man torealise that ships are much more than moving platforms,"according to Lt Commander Rajneesh Dalal of INS Kulish.

The games saw sister Naval ships carry out activitieslike firing of signal cartridges and a helicopter carrying outsearch and rescue operations that involved stageddemonstations of a man being rescued from the ocean.

Both INS Rana and INS Kulish also demonstratedanti-air machine gun firing, which involved taking down lit upflare-like targets that were shot into the sky for thepurpose. Light and Medium Range machine guns were used for theexercise.

Explaining the motive behind naval exercises, Dalalsaid, "Most people are unaware of how a ship functions. Theseexercises help them get a better understanding of what happensinside a ship." The exercises, he said, also help personnelon board the ships remain sharp and ready to get into actionany time.

The Lt Commander said the Navy Week celebrations arepart of Navy Day celebrations, which is observed annually onDecember 4. The occasion is celebrated to mark the successfulbombing of Karachi harbour in Pakistan during the 1971Indo-Pak war, he said.

Though the ships were also scheduled to demonstrate''underway replenishment,'' where two ships can transferpersonnel and goods while in motion, turbulent waters led todropping the plan.

"We''d have to increase the speed of the ship for it tohappen, but many of the guests on board may find it hard toadapt," said Dalal.