By Sarwar Kashani, IANS,
Mumbai : The Indian Navy Thursday commissioned its third fleet tanker, the state-of-the-art INS Deepak, to be followed by a similar one soon, giving a major boost to its deep striking warfare and strategic capabilities.
The Italian-built fleet tanker will enable warships to operate for prolonged periods on the high seas without returning to harbour for replenishment or refuelling.
A fleet tanker is as much useful to warships as mid-air refuellers are for fighter jets for extending their operational range.
Defence Minister A.K. Antony who flew in from New Delhi, commissioned the ship at the Naval Dockyard here.
“It is a great moment for the Indian Navy and 2011 will see more acquisitions and commissionings to strengthen the maritime security (of India),” Antony said in his short speech before unveiling the ship’s name plaque, to formally induct the INS Deepak into the Indian Navy.
The 175-metre long and 25-metre wide ship has a capacity to carry 17,900 tonnes of cargo, including 15,500 tonnes of fuel.
It can refuel five ships at a time with a fuelling speed of 1,500 tonnes per hour. The earlier two tankers – INS Jyoti and INS Aditya – could refuel at the speed 300 tonnes per hour.
The new fleet tanker has state-of-the-art aviation facilities and can operate various types of helicopters.
With a full-load displacement of 27,500 tonnes, the 175-metre long ship is also equipped with four AK-630 guns and has a chaff launcher system for close in defence and electronic surveillance equipment with endurance of 10,000 nautical miles at a speed of 16 knots.
The ship has been built by Italian company Fincantieri in a record time of 27 months after the April 2008 signing of the contract worth 159.32 million euros.
“Fleet tankers enhance the strategic reach and mobility fleet and this form an essential element of the navy’s blue water (deep strike) capability,” a navy spokesperson said.
The tankers are also be used for evacuation and disaster relief, the spokesperson said.
The commissioning of the tanker is part of Indian Navy’s endeavour to strengthen its blue-water capabilities and protect the nation’s geo-strategic and economic interests from the Strait of Hormuz to the Strait of Malacca.
INS Deepak has indigenous weapons, communication equipment and electronic surveillance system outsourced from Indian companies.
The ship has had its share of controversy with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India last year critcising the government for alloting the contract to the Italian firm that has allegedly used inferior-grade steel in the manufacture of the tanker.
The CAG, in August 2010, said the original Request for Proposal (RFP) had a mandatory stipulation requiring the use of “DMR 249A or equivalent grade steel” in the construction of the tanker.
“Fincantieri’s proposal was stated to be compliant with the RFP conditions. However, the firm proposed to use DH 36 steel in place of DMR 249A steel,” the CAG said.