Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility

• Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility (LCU) L58 was commissioned into the Indian Navy at Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands on March 18, 2021. This is the eighth and last ship of the Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mark IV Class.
• The ship was commissioned into service in a ceremony that had Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command (CINCAN) Lieutenant General Manoj Pande as the Chief Guest.
• Commander Krishan K Yadav has been named the first Commanding Officer of the ship.
• He read out the commissioning warrant.
• The crew members include five officers and 50 sailors.
• The Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility is an amphibious ship that can carry upto 160 troops, in addition to its crew.
• The ship measures 63 meters in length and has a displacement of 900 tons.
• It is fitted with two MTA 4,000 series engines, which are capable of propelling the ship to a speed of up to 15 knots (28 kmph).
• The ship is capable of carrying various types of combat vehicles including Main Battle Tanks (MBTs), Armoured Vehicles, BMPs and trucks.
• It is also fitted with an advanced Electronic Support Measure (ESM) suite to intercept enemy radar transmissions and an advanced Integrated Bridge System (IBS).
• It is also fitted with a sophisticated Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS), which will allow single station monitoring of the ship’s navigational and machinery equipment respectively.
• The main armament of the ship includes two indigenously manufactured 30 mm CRN 91 guns, controlled by a Stabilised Optronic Pedestal (SOP), which is an electronic day-night director sight manufactured by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

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