Global News

Earlier today, the Indian Navy (IN) commissioned the third ship being built as part of the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mk-IV  project by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata. The ship, designted INLCU L53, was commissioned by Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, AVSM, ADC, Commander-in-Chief  Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) at Port Blair. The LCU Mk-IV is an indigenous design and has a high degree of  indigenous content,  with the hull built from domestically developed DMR 249A steel. As such, the induction of vessels of this class is very much in consonance with the IN’s commitment to the ‘Make in India’ paradigm.

Image: A LCU MK-IV Class Vessel At Sea. Source: GRSE

INLCU L53 is currently commanded by Lt Cdr Vikas Anand,  and has a complement of five officers and 45 sailors. It will be based in the ANC, bolstering the Command’s capability to undertake a range of missions such as beaching operations, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) , search and rescue (SAR), and supply and replenishment of distant islands in the Andaman & Nicobar (A&N) archipelago. The LCU MK-IV is an amphibious ship with the primary role being the transport and deployment of  armoured vehicles, including main battle tanks, troops and  their associated equipment from ship to shore.