Mk. III LCU

Last updated

INS LCU 39.jpg
L39 LCU during shore operations
Class overview
NameLCU MK III class
Builders Goa Shipyard Limited [1] [2]
OperatorsNaval Ensign of India.svg  Indian Navy
Preceded byLCU Mk II
Succeeded by LCU MK IV
Built1986-87
Planned4
Completed4
Retired4
General characteristics
Displacement560 tons [3] [4] [5]
Length57.5 m [4]
Beam8.2 m
Draft1.57 m
Depth4 m
Propulsion3 Kirloskar-MAN V8V 17.5/22 AMAL diesel engines x 562 bhp driving 3 shafts. [6]
Speed11.5 kn
Range1,000 nmi at 8 kn
Troops120
Complement207
Crew87
Sensors and
processing systems		1 Racal Decca 1629 radar at I-band frequency.
Armament2 x Bofors 40mm/60 guns (aft) & mines

Mk III LCU class vessels were follow on class of Mk II LCU operated by the Indian Navy and were meant to augment the Indian Navy's amphibious capability. The ships were deployed for maritime roles like maritime security, beaching, un-beaching, humanitarian relief operations and evacuation from distant islands, search and rescue operations and peace-keeping missions. The landing craft were meant for use by amphibious forces to transport equipment and troops to the shore. They were capable of transporting tracked or wheeled vehicles and troops from amphibious assault ships to beachheads or piers. The landing craft were carried on board amphibious assault ships to the objective area. Built and delivered between 1986-87 the mission of the LCU was to land/retrieve personnel and equipment (tanks, artillery, equipment, motor vehicles) during amphibious operations. [6] LCU's help land personnel and equipment after the initial assault waves of an amphibious operation. [4] [7]

Contents

History

Goa Shipyard Limited built and delivered these 4 LCU Mk III ships between 1978 and 1987 alongside the now decommissioned 2 LCU Mk I and 3 LCU Mk II ships. These versatile vessels served Indian Navy for over 30 years and were retired in 2018/19. [8] [6] [9]

Service

The LCU Mark-III ships were developed in-house by Goa Shipyard and are designed for multipurpose amphibious operations to be carried out by Indian Navy. In Dec 2016, LCU L38 was part of the operation to rescue 800 tourists stranded in Havelock Islands [10] In 1988, Lt Cdr KR Nair; the Commanding Officer of LCU 36 was awarded Nau Sena Medal for conducting Operation Pawan Patrol, an anti militant patrol operation in uncharted waters. LCU 36 was also involved in providing cyclone relief service in 1990 at Rangat Island part of Andaman islands [11] [12] [13]

Ships of the class

Yard NoPennantLaid downLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedHome-port
L 3618 July 1986 [4] 9 February 2018 [14] Port Blair
L 3718 October 19869 February 2018 [14] [13]
L 3810 December 198630 March 2019 [15] [16]
L 3925 March 1987

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Tarawa</i>-class amphibious assault ship Class of US amphibious assault ships

The Tarawa class is a ship class of Landing Helicopter Assault (LHA) type amphibious assault ships operated by the United States Navy (USN). Five ships were built by Ingalls Shipbuilding between 1971 and 1980; another four ships were planned, but later canceled; instead they were joined by the Wasp-class amphibious assault ships.

HMS <i>Fearless</i> (L10) Royal Navy ship that served from 1965 until 2002

HMS Fearless (L10) was a Royal Navy amphibious assault ship that served from 1965 until 2002. One of two Fearless-class landing platform docks, she was based in HMNB Portsmouth and saw service around the world over her 37-year life. She was the last steam-powered surface ship in the Royal Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Landing craft</span> Seagoing watercraft

Landing craft are small and medium seagoing watercraft, such as boats and barges, used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. The term excludes landing ships, which are larger. Production of landing craft peaked during World War II, with a significant number of different designs produced in large quantities by the United Kingdom and United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Navy</span> Maritime service branch of the Indian Armed Forces

The Indian Navy is the maritime branch of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff, a four-star admiral, commands the navy. As a blue-water navy, it operates significantly in the Persian Gulf Region, the Horn of Africa, the Strait of Malacca, and routinely conducts anti-piracy operations and partners with other navies in the region. It also conducts routine two to three month-long deployments in the South and East China seas as well as the western Mediterranean sea simultaneously.

Landing craft tank Amphibious assault craft for landing tanks on beachheads

The landing craft, tank (LCT) was an amphibious assault craft for landing tanks on beachheads. They were initially developed by the Royal Navy and later by the United States Navy during World War II in a series of versions. Initially known as the "tank landing craft" (TLC) by the British, they later adopted the U.S. nomenclature "landing craft, tank" (LCT). The United States continued to build LCTs post-war, and used them under different designations in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Landing Ship, Tank Amphibious assault ship of World War II

Landing Ship, Tank (LST), or tank landing ship, is the naval designation for ships first developed during World War II (1939–1945) to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto shore with no docks or piers. This enabled amphibious assaults on almost any beach.

Landing Craft Utility Type of boat designed for transporting amphibious forces and cargo to shore

A Landing Craft Utility (LCU) is a type of boat used by amphibious forces to transport equipment and troops to the shore. They are capable of transporting tracked or wheeled vehicles and troops from amphibious assault ships to beachheads or piers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amphibious warfare ship</span> Ship used in amphibious warfare

An amphibious warfare ship is an amphibious vehicle warship employed to land and support ground forces, such as marines, on enemy territory during an amphibious assault.

<i>Abhay</i>-class corvette Class of modified Pauk class Corvettes of Indian navy

The Abhay-class corvettes of the Indian Navy are the customised variants of the Soviet Pauk-class corvettes. The class was primarily intended for coastal patrol and anti-submarine warfare. Last ship of the class is expected to be decommissioned till 2025.

<i>Kumbhir</i>-class tank landing ship

Kumbhir-class landing ships are medium amphibious warfare vessels of the Indian Navy.

Arnala class was an Indian designation for the Petya III-class vessels of the Indian Navy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">INS Jarawa</span>

INS Jarawa is a naval base of the Indian Armed Forces under the joint-services Andaman and Nicobar Command located in Port Blair in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. It was commissioned in 1964.

INS <i>Saryu</i> (P54) Indian Saryu-class patrol vessel

INS Saryu is the first Saryu-class patrol vessel of the Indian Navy, designed and constructed indigenously by the Goa Shipyard Limited. The ship is home-ported at Port Blair, under the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC). She is the largest offshore patrol vessel in the navy.

Mk. IV LCU

Mk IV LCU class vessels are follow on class of Mk. III LCU operated by the Indian Navy. The Mk IV LCU can be deployed for maritime roles that require amphibious capabilities.

INS Bitra (T66), the second ship of Bangaram-class patrol vessel of the Indian Navy, is designed for interdiction against fast moving surface vessels and for search-and-rescue operations in coastal areas and in the exclusive economic zone. Named after Bitra atoll in Lakshadweep, the vessel was designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers. The diesel generators on board are supplied by Cummins India. The electronic equipment on board including satellite communication and global positioning systems is from Bharat Electronics Limited, ECIL and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. Rear Admiral Sanjay Vadgaokar commissioned the fast attack ship in Vasco da Gama, Goa on 28 March 2006.

Rear Admiral Arun Auditto, AVSM, NM was a Flag Officer in the Indian Navy. He was decorated with a gallantry award during the Liberation of Goa. A pioneer submariner in the Indian Navy, he was the commissioning Commanding Officer of the Kalvari-class submarine INS Kursura (S20), which he commanded during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. He later commanded the submarine base INS Virbahu and the Whitby-class frigate INS Trishul (F143). After promotion to flag rank, he served as the Fortress Commander Andaman and Nicobar (FORTAN) and as the first Flag Officer Submarines, before retiring in 1988.

References

  1. ↑ Hiranandani, G. M. (2005). Transition to Eminence: The Indian Navy 1976-1990. ISBN   9788170622666.
  2. ↑ "Mark 3 Landing Craft".
  3. ↑ "Transition to Guardianship, The Indian Navy 1991–2000" (PDF). Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Mk.2 & Mk.3 Landing Craft Class".
  5. ↑ The Evolution Of the Landing Craft Tank Archived 1 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  6. 1 2 3 "Mark 3 Landing Craft".
  7. ↑ "Kumbhir Class, LCU (MK-3) Class". Archived from the original on 31 July 2017.
  8. ↑ Hiranandani, G. M. (2005). Transition to Eminence: The Indian Navy 1976-1990. ISBN   9788170622666.
  9. ↑ "Transition-to-Eminence-07Apr16.pdf" (PDF).
  10. ↑ "Navy Ships to Rescue 800 Tourists From Andaman After Heavy Rains". 7 December 2016.
  11. ↑ Hiranandani, G. M. (2005). Transition to Eminence: The Indian Navy 1976-1990. ISBN   9788170622666.
  12. ↑ "Transition-to-Eminence-07Apr16.pdf" (PDF).
  13. 1 2 "Port Blair | INLCU-36, INLCU-37 decommissioned after 30 glorious years of service to nation | The Echo of India". The Echo of India. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  14. 1 2 SpokespersonNavy (9 February 2018). "Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility, IN LCU 36 & IN LCU 37 were decommissioned this evening at Port Blair after completing more than 30 years of glorious service to the nation. LCU 36 was 1st of LCU MK-III class landing craft utility vessels built at GSL followed by LCU 37, 38 &39pic.twitter.com/othoW7XP6x". @indiannavy. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
  15. ↑ "Indian Navy, Official Facebook Page". Facebook . 30 March 2019.
  16. ↑ "Naval Landing Craft Decommissioned". 30 March 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.