New Delhi: The hundredth warship of Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), was commissioned on Monday in Visakhapatnam, officials said.
"The sixth ship of Class of Eight Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mark-IV vessels - IN LCU L-56 - was commissioned by Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command," the Navy said in a statement. It is the 100th warship of Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata, a Mini Ratna category 1, and a leading shipyard of the country.
"LCU Mk-IV ship is an amphibious ship with its primary role being transportation and deployment of main battle tanks, armoured vehicles, troops and equipment from ship to shore," it said. These ships, based at the Andaman and Nicobar Command, can be deployed for multi-role activities like beaching operations, search and rescue, disaster relief operations, supply and replenishment and evacuation from distant islands, the Navy said. Designed to accommodate 216 personnel, the LCU is equipped with two indigenous CRN 91 guns to provide artillery fire support during landing operations. 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 statement said.
The LCU Mk-IV Class of ships are fitted with close to 90 per cent indigenous content in line with the government of India's 'Make in India' initiative towards achieving self-reliance and indigenisation, it said.