More brawn to Navy as INS Kabra joins fleet

KOCHI: Adding prowess to the Indian Navy's coastal security efforts, one more warship joined the naval fleet on Wednesday. INS Kabra, a water jet propelled Fast Attack Craft (FAC), was commissioned at the Naval Base by Vice-Admiral K N Sushil, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command.The ship is named after an island of the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. The commanding officer of the vessel read out the commissioning warrant, signed by the Chief of the Naval Staff. It was followed by hoisting the naval ensign and national flag on board and breaking of the commissioning pendant.Speaking on the occasion, the Vice-Admiral underscored the importance of relatively smaller ships such as the Fast Attack Crafts for a blue water Navy. The coastal security organisations have been facing major challenges like piracy.He pointed out that these were essential inventory in peacetime for Low Intensity Conflicts and anti piracy operations. INS Kalpeni, another FAC in the series, had been involved in antipiracy operations, he said.Rear Admiral K C Shekar (retired), chairman and managing director, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) manufacturers of INA Kabra said that Kabra was a cost-effective and fuel-efficient platform. He said that some modifications had been carried out from the original design based on the inputs from the Navy. The vessel was suitably developed for the antismuggling and anti-poaching operations. The tenth water jet FAC in the series would be delivered by the end of June, he said.INS Kabra is an indigenously designed water jet-propelled FAC and is eighth of a series built at GRSE, Kolkata. With a top speed of over 35 knots and excellent manoeuvrability, the ship is ideally suited for high-speed interdiction of fast moving targets. Its speed, agility and quick response will be especially useful in search and rescue operations.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 shoulderlaunched Surface to Air Missiles. The ship will be under the operational and administrative control of the CommandinginChief, Southern Naval Command.