Seaward Defence Boats

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Category: Ships
Published: Tuesday, 31 December 1985 00:00
Written by Large Patrol Craft
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SDB T-56 at sea. Image © Indian NavySDB T-56 lies anchored at sea along with FAC T-83, a Super Dvora Class fast patrol vessel. Image © Indian Navy 

Vessel Type: Large Patrol Craft.

Designations & Pennant Numbers:
SDB Mk.II  T-54 commissioned on 01 Sep 1982 , decommissioned on 20 Jan 06
SDB Mk.II  T-55 decommissiond in 2008-2009
SDB Mk.III T-56 decommissiond in 2008-2009
SDB Mk.III T-57
SDB Mk.III T-58
SDB Mk.III T-59 decommisioned on 07 Sep 2009
SDB Mk.III T-60 decommisioned on 07 Sep 2009

Displacement: 210 tons full load.

Main Machinery: Two diesel motors with 6,820 hp and 2 shafts.

Maximum Speed: 30 knots.

Maximum Range: 5800 miles at 15 knots.

Complement: 32 personnel.

Radar: Surface; Bharat 1245, I-band.

Weapons: Two Bofors 40mm/60 gun at 120 rds/min to 5.5n miles; 10 km.

Comments: These vessels were built at Garden Reach DY, Kolkata and Mazagon DY, Goa and completed by 1984-86.

The Indian Navy on Monday, 07 Sep2009 de-commissioned two of its Seaward Defence Boats, T-59 and T-60, 24 years after they started sailing the seas. The decommissioning took place at the Madras Port Trust in the presence of commodore Rajiv Girotra, VSM, naval officer-in-charge (Tamil Nadu & Puducherry), who received the guard of honour. The paying off pennant was hoisted on Sunday to mark the beginning of the decommissioning ceremony. The naval ensign and the national flag were lowered and folded at sunset. The last post was then played and the paying off pennant lowered. Measuring 37.5 metres in length with speeds of 25 knots and manned by sailors and officers, the ships were fitted with two Bofors 40/60 and one heavy machine gun. Under the guidance of naval officer-in-charge (Tamil Nadu & Puducherry), the ships played an appreciable role to augment the coastal security that included measures to sensitise fishing communities and enforce security along international maritime border line and off shore platforms.  During their long years of service, SDB-59 and SDB T-60 had been mostly based in Chennai and participated in several crucial deployments like Op Pawan and Op Tasha, a naval release said.  While the SDB-59 had clocked 1,840 days at sea, the SDB-60 has clocked over 1,900 days at sea, the release said. The ships will be replaced by two new indigenously-designed Water Jet Propelled Fast Attack Craft (WJFAC) which will commissioned on November 10 at Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata.

 

Makar Class

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Category: Ships
Published: Tuesday, 31 January 1984 00:00
Written by Survey Ship
Hits: 14705
The Makar at sea. Image © Indian NavyThe Makar at sea. Image © Indian NavyINS Meen. Image © Indian Navy

Vessel Type: Survey Ship.

Names & Pennant Numbers with commission dates:
INS Meen J33
INS Mesh J34

Pennant Numbers with commission dates:
Makar J31 (31 January 1984) - decommissioned on 04 April 2005
Mithun J32 (31 March 1984) - decommissioned on 31 March 2007

Displacement: 210 tons full load.

Dimensions: Length - 37.5 metres
................Beam - 12.8 metres
................Draft - 3.3 metres

Maximum Speed: 12 knots.

Maximum Range: 1500 miles at 12 knots.

Complement: 36 (incl. 4 officers).

Radar: Navigation; One Decca 1629 radar at I-band frequency.

Weapons: One Bofors 40mm/60 gun.

Comments: These vessels have similar hulls to the depleted SDB Mk.2 Class but with much smaller engines. The vessels are based at Kochi and Chennai. Like her sister ships, the Makar was initially inducted as a survey vessel and she did numerous surveys for the Indian Navy and the Hydrographic Department of India till 1993. Following the Indian Navy's decision to increase its presence in the Palk Bay, following LTTE activities off Tamil Nadu coast, the role of Makar was changed from survey to local defence and its base port shifted from Kochi to Chennai. Under the changed role, the ship was deployed for the first time in the Palk Bay on 02 January 1994 and thereafter she was involved in innumerable exercises and operations. As per an article in The Hindu, the Makar was decommissioned on 04 April 2005 at Chennai.

As per an article in The Hindu, the Mithun was decommissioned from the Indian Navy on 31 March 2007 at Chennai. In her 23 years of service to the Indian Navy, the vessel clocked 111,442 hours covering 72,390 nautical miles. The Mithun was originally designed for carrying out survey activities and was initially based at Kochi. From October 1993, she became a patrol vessel and its base was shifted to Chennai. Since then, it had been continuously deployed at Palk Bay and adjoining areas. She contributed immensely to safeguarding the country's territorial waters in the region. She also took part in the tsunami relief operations in December 2004 and was deployed off the coastal towns of Kalpakkam and Mahabalipuram, both south of Chennai.

Sandhayak Class

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Category: Ships
Published: Saturday, 14 March 1981 00:00
Written by Survey Ship
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A Sandhayak Class survey ship. Image © Indian NavyImage © Mrityunjoy MazumdarA stern shot of INS Nirdeshak. Note the helicopter hangar. Image © Mrityunjoy Mazumdar

Vessel Type: Survey Ship.

Names & Pennant Numbers with commission dates:
INS Sandhayak J18 (14 March 1981)
INS Nirdeshak J19 (04 October 1982)
INS Nirupak J14 (14 August 1985)
INS Investigator J15 (11 January 1990)
INS Jamuna J16 (31 August 1991)
INS Sutlej J17 (19 February 1993)
INS Darshak J20 (28 April 2001)
INS Sarvekshak J22 (14 January 2002)

Displacement: 1929 tons full load.

Main Machinery: Two diesel engines with 7720 hp sustained. Also has two shafts which has active rudders.

Maximum Speed: 16 knots.

Maximum Range: 6000 miles at 14 knots.
.......................14,000 miles at 10 knots.

Complement: 178 (incl. 18 officers) + 30 scientists.

Weapons: 1 or 2 Bofors 40mm/60 guns.

Countermeasures: ESM; Telegon IV HF D/F.

Radar: Navigation; One Racal Decca 1629 radar at I-band frequency.

Helicopters: One HAL Chetak.

Comments: Fitted with a telescopic hangar. The first six vessels have three echo sounders, extensively equipped laboratories and carries 4 GRP survey launches on davits amidships. Painted white with yellow funnels. An active rudder, with a DC motor gives speeds of up to 5 knots. First three vessels (J18, J19 and J14) are based at Vizag and have been used as troop transports. J15 is based at Mumbai and J16 and J17 at Kochi. The last pair were laid down in May and August 1995, and are to have a secondary role as casualty holding ships.

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