Ins Kabra Joins Indian Navy

India’s latest warship, INS Kabra was commissioned today at Naval Base Kochi by Vice Admiral KN Sushil, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command.

The ship is named after an island of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. The commissioning ceremony involved announcement of the commissioning warrant signed by the Chief of the Naval Staff, hoisting the Naval Ensign and National Flag on board to the tune of the National Anthem and breaking of the commissioning pendant atop the ship.

Vice Admiral Sushil in his address to the assembled gathering underscored the importance of relatively smaller ships like Fast Attack Crafts for a blue-water Navy stating that these are essential inventory in peacetime, for Low Intensity Conflicts and anti piracy operations. Rear Admiral KC Shekhar (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, said that INS Kabra is a cost effective and fuel efficient platform. Admiral Shekhar also informed the audience that certain modifications from the original design have been carried out on the ship based on inputs from the Navy.

INS Kabra, like INS Kalpeni which joined Southern Naval Command in October last year, is an indigenously designed water jet propelled Fast Attack Craft and is eighth of a series built at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata. With a top speed of over 35 knots, and excellent manoeuvrability offered by her water-jet propulsion, the ship is ideally suited for high-speed interdiction of fastmoving targets. Her speed, agility and quick response will also be especially useful in search and rescue operations. The low draught of the ship allows her to operate in shallow waters close to the coast as well. INS Kabra complies with the latest regulations of the International Maritime Organisation on sea pollution control. The main armament of the ship is a 30 mm CRN 91 Gun. In addition, the ship has been fitted with Machine guns of various types and shoulder launched Surface to Air Missiles. The ship has been placed under the operational and administrative control of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command at Kochi. INS Kabra has a crew of 03 officers and 39 sailors, and is commanded by Commander Bandhul Mishra, a specialist in Surface & Missile Weapons and Radar Systems.
[mappress]
Source: indiannavy, June 8, 2011;