Much-decorated naval fighter pilot Admiral Sureesh Mehta on Tuesday took over as the new Chief of Naval Staff, saying that he visualised a 'much bigger role' for the force operating its flotilla in distant waters far away from Indian shores.
"It will be our endeavour to operate in waters far away from home," the new Naval chief said in significant remarks soon after taking over the reins of the top office from Admiral Arun Prakash.
He said the Navy was in the process of acquiring warships which would give it a longer reach and capability of operating beyond Indian waters. He also said by its new acquisitions, the Navy was poised to now even influence 'battle on lands,' the capability so far only fielded by super powers like the United States and Russia.
"The induction of the 45,000-tonne displacement carrier Admiral Gorshkov and huge troop-landing warship Trenton will soon bring about a different dimension to our fighting capabilities," he said.
"With these long-range weapon systems, we will have capability to influence battle on land," the 19th Chief of Naval Staff said.
In his brief interaction with media soon after assuming the charge, Mehta's entire thurst was on making clear that the Navy was getting ready to operate in distant oceans and for this, it was building its surveillance and networking capabilities.
Mehta said the acquisition USS Trenton will increase the Navy's potential to carry troops from one place to another in large numbers. Both Gorshkov and Trenton are expected to join the naval flotilla by 2008. One of his priorities will be to improve surveillance capability 'be it on warships or aircraft or space based,' the Naval chief said.
Navy has already floated Request for Proposals for acquiring eight surveillance aircraft with two major US firms Lockheed Martin and Boeing and Russians vying for the deal. Also, Mehta said the Navy was aspiring to build up connectivity with warships operating in distant waters.
"We already have network centric systems on the way. But then there are certain gaps in terms of communications that is passing data. We have various plans afoot, which should fructify soon," he said. For warships to operate faraway, Mehta said that Navy was now emphasising on inducting ships with 'longivity,' which could survive rough conditions in distant theatres.
Touching on the issue of spares, the new Naval chief said the system of supply of spares for frontline Russian equipment was being streamlined and also emphasis was being laid on indigenization of systems. Mehta brings rich experience to the top job in the navy. He has commanded Navy's Eastern Naval Command, Western Naval fleet, as also important shore appointment of Director General Coast Guard, Chief of personnel and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, at Naval headquarters in New Delhi.
Image: New Naval Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta (left) and outgoing Naval Chief Arun Prakash at the handover cermony at Defence Headquarters in New Delhi.
Photograph: Raveendran/AFP/Getty Images
