Fast attack craft INS Koswari commissioned

Aiming at extending its coastal and offshore surveillance and patrol, the Indian Navy today commissioned indigenously built Fast Attack Craft (FAC) in a function held at the eastern naval command in Visakhapatnam.

Designed and built by state-run Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata, INS Koswari is a highly manoeuvrable craft and ideally suited for deployment along the coast, a defence release said.

The craft was commissioned by General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command of the Indian Army, Lieutenant General Bikram Singh.

The craft's ability to operate in shallow waters at high speed, along with its day-and-night surveillance capability, coupled with enhanced fire power, was expected to give the requisite impetus to combating asymmetric threats emanating from the sea, it said.

Named after an island off Tuticorin, INS Koswari, measuring 52 meters in length and displacing 325 tonnes, could achieve speed in excess of 30 knots, the release added.

Lieutenant Commander Anil Kumar would be commanding the craft along with a crew of four officers and 35 sailors.

Fitted with advanced MTU engines and latest communication sets for the purpose of 'extended coastal and offshore surveillance and patrol', INS Koswari would be based at Karwar, under the naval officer-in-charge (Karnataka).

It would be deployed in coastal patrol and anti-piracy missions, along the Konkan coast and Lakshadweep group of islands, the release said.

The modified aluminium superstructure of the vessel reduces the top weight and enhances its ability to propel at high speeds keeping in mind critical requirements of the naval craft for improved stealth and networking capabilities.

INS Koswari is complied with the latest regulations of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on sea pollution, the release said.

Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Anup Singh, Chief Managing Director, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Rear Admiral (retd) K C Sekhar and senior naval officers attended the function.