The sixth offshore patrol vessel to enhance coastal security- Indian Coast Guard ship ‘Vajra’- has been formally commissioned into service on March 24.
Key Points
- The plague containing ship’s name was formally unveiled at the Chennai Port Trust by Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat at an event to mark the commissioning of the ship.
- The name of the ship ‘Vajra’ means ‘Thunderbolt’.
- The ship has been indigenously designed and built by Larsen and Toubro Ship building Ltd.
- Vajra is the 6th ship in the series of seven offshore patrol vessels.
- Vajra has highly sophisticated navigation and communication systems.
- The main armament of the ship is a 30mm gun and it is equipped with 2 FCS controlled 12.7 mm SRCG (Stabilised Remote Controlled Gun) for enhanced fighting efficiency.
- Some of the hi-tech features of Vajra are a high-power external fighting System, an integrated bridge system, an automated power management system, and a bow thruster.
- The ship is designed to carry one twin-engine helicopter with night flying capabilities and also two rigid hull inflatable boats, four high-speed boats for taking up search and rescue, maritime patrolling, and law enforcement.
- The ship is also fitted with pollution response equipment to contain oil spills at sea.
- This pollution response equipment is propelled by twin MTU 8000 series engines, capable of achieving 26 knots of top speed and endurance of 5,000 nautical miles.
- The commanding officer of the ship is Deputy inspector general Alex Thomas and the ship would have 14 officers and 88 men.
Vajra would be based at Tuticorin under the operational control of the coast guard eastern region. The commissioning ceremony was conducted by following all COVID-19 protocols.
Last Modified: February 11, 2024