Navy signs contract with Hindustan Shipyard Ltd for construction of 2 Diving Support Vessels

Indian Navy has signed contract with Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL) located in Visakhapatnam for construction of two Diving Support Vessels (DSV). These vessels will help to augment Indian Navy’s submarine support operations on either coast.

Key Facts

The first DSV will be built over 36 month period and will be followed by second, six months later. These vessels will be based at Vishakhapatnam and Mumbai respectively. They will be of 118 m in length and shall have approximately 7,650 tonnes displacement capacity. These DSVs will be equipped with Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV), which significantly enhances its Submarine Rescue Capabilities. These vessels are capable of effecting submarine rescue upto depths of 650 meters.

Need for DSVs

Indian Navy undertakes diving operations in Indian Ocean Region (IOR) in addition to operating submarines to secure our waters. This necessitates extensive diving operations to facilitate various activities such as submarine rescue, testing or salvage, under water inspection and recovery of objects/ship aircraft lost at sea. As these activities involve diving operations with divers remaining underwater for prolonged durations, it requires suitable platform for their launch and recovery, as well as for carriage of related tools and equipment. Thus, induction of DSVs equipped with DSRV, will go long way in enhancing Indian Navy’s capability and reach of submarine rescue operations in IOR.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2018