Indian military vessel
INS Shardul (L16) at Port Luis, Mauritius
|
History |
India |
Name | INS Shardul |
Namesake | Royal Bengal tiger[1] |
Ordered | 2003 |
Builder | Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers |
Launched | 3 April 2004 |
Commissioned | 4 January 2007 |
Homeport | INS Kadamba, Karwar, Western Naval Command |
Identification | |
Motto | All for one, One for all |
Status | In active service |
General characteristics |
Class and type | Shardul-class tank landing ship |
Displacement | 5650 tons |
Length | 125 m (410 ft) |
Beam | 17.5 m (57 ft) |
Draught | 4 m (13 ft) |
Propulsion | Kirloskar PA6 STC engines |
Speed | 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph) |
Capacity |
- 11 MBT, 10 vehicles
- 465.8 m3 (16,450 cu ft) water, 1,292.6 m3 (45,650 cu ft) diesel fuel
|
Troops | 500 |
Complement | 11 officers, 145 sailors |
Electronic warfare & decoys | Chaff launchers |
Armament |
- 2 × WM-18 rocket launchers
- 4 × CRN-91 AA (Naval 30mm Medak) guns, MANPAD's.
|
Aircraft carried | 1 Westland Sea King or HAL Dhruv |
INS Shardul (L16) is the lead ship of the Shardul-class tank landing ship of the Indian Navy. On 3 October 2008, Shardul was affiliated to the 5 Armoured Regiment of the Indian Army in an on-board ceremony, at the Mumbai Naval Base.[2][3][4]
History
Shardul started sea trials on 3 November 2006 and was commissioned into the Indian Navy, on 4 January 2007 by the then Defence Minister A. K. Antony at the naval base INS Kadamba in Karwar. The ship was based at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi to train cadets before the commissioning of INS Kesari and INS Airavat.[5] In March 2017 the ship was deployed on a two-month-long deployment in the south Indian Ocean to provide surveillance support in the region.[6] On March 10, 2020, INS Shardul arrived at Port Antsiranana with relief material for Madagascar, after Cyclone Diane and floods earlier in the year. 600 tonnes of rice were handed over. This is the biggest relief load ever carried by any Indian warship.[7]
On 1 October 2024, Indian Navy's First Training Squadron, including INS Tir, INS Shardul and ICGS Veera, reached Bandar Abbas, Iran for training purposes. The Indian flotilla was greeted by IRIS Zereh (P235) of the Iran Navy. The objective of the visit was enhancing maritime cooperation and interoperability.[8][9][10] On 5 October 2024, the First Training Squadron reached Muscat, Oman, the third time in the last decade. The flotilla will stay their until 9 October.[11] On 12 October 2024, INS Shardul reached Port Rashid at Dubai, UAE.[12] On 16 October 2024, Shardul concluded her visit to Dubai with a Maritime Partnership Exercise with the United Arab Emirates Navy's Al Quwaisat.[13]
References
External links