Vikram-class offshore patrol vessel (2017)

The Vikram-class offshore patrol vessel is a series of seven offshore patrol vessels (OPV) being built at the Kattupalli shipyard by L&T Shipbuilding for the Indian Coast Guard. These are long range surface ships which are capable of coastal and offshore patrolling.[1][2][3][4]

ICGS Vikram, first ship of the class
Class overview
Name:	Vikram class
Builders:	Kattupalli Shipyard, L&T Shipbuilding, Chennai
Operators:	Indian Coast Guard
Preceded by:	Samarth class
Built:	2015–present
Planned:	7
Building:	2
Completed:	5
Active:	5
General characteristics
Type:	Offshore patrol vessel
Displacement:	2,140 t (2,110 long tons; 2,360 short tons)
Length:	97 m (318 ft 3 in)
Beam:	15 m (49 ft 3 in)
Draught:	3.6 m (11 ft 10 in)
Speed:	26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph)
Range:	5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 12–14 kn (22–26 km/h; 14–16 mph)
Armament:	1 x 30 mm CRN 91 Naval Gun 2 x 12.7 mm HMG with FCS
Aircraft carried:	1 x HAL Dhruv

History

In March 2015, L&T Shipbuilding was awarded a ₹1,432 crore (US$200 million) contract by the Ministry of Defence to build seven offshore vessel patrol vessels for the Indian Coast Guard.[5]

Specification

The class is 97 metres (318 ft 3 in) long, 15 metres (49 ft 3 in) wide, with a 3.6-metre (11 ft 10 in) draught and has a displacement of 2,140 tonnes. It is capable of maximum speed of 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph) with a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at a cruising speed of 12 to 14 knots (22 to 26 km/h; 14 to 16 mph). The class will be armed with a 30 mm (1.18 in) CRN 91 Naval Gun, two 12.7 mm (0.50 in) heavy machine guns with fire control system, a helicopter for various operational, surveillance, and search and rescue missions. It also has modern radar; navigation and communication systems; front propulsion pods providing high maneuverability. It has been indigenously designed and has undergone dual certification from the American Bureau of Shipping and Indian Register of Shipping. The ships would be tasked with the roles of policing maritime zones, control and surveillance, search and rescue, pollution response, anti-smuggling and anti-piracy in the economic zones of the country.[2][4][6][7][8]

ABG-class fast interceptor with ICGS Varaha OPV during rescue exercise

Ships

Name	Pennant/Hull Number	Keel laid	Launched	Commissioned	Status	Home Port
ICGS Vikram	33	March 2016[8]	27 October 2017[1]	11 April 2018[9][8]	Active	New Mangalore[10]
ICGS Vijaya	34		20 January 2018[11][12]	14 September 2018[13]		Paradip
ICGS Veera	35		28 August 2018[14][15]	15 April 2019[16]
ICGS Varaha	41		2 November 2018[17]	25 September 2019[18]		New Mangalore[18]
ICGS Varad	40	3 July 2018[19]	31 August 2019[20]	28 February 2020[21][22]		Paradip
ICGS Vajra	37		27 February 2020[23]		Launched
ICGS Vigraha	39		6 October 2020[24]

See also

• Samarth-class offshore patrol vessel

References

1. "L&T launches OPV 'Vikram' for Indian Coast Guard". The Hindu Business Line. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
2. Narasimhan, T. E. (27 October 2017). "See pic: In a first, L&T builds Offshore Patrol Vessel for Indian Coast Guard". Business Standard India. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
3. "Vikram: L&T's first patrol vessel for Indian Coast Guard". Moneycontrol. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
4. "L&T hands over offshore patrol vessel to Coast Guard". The Economic Times. 27 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
5. "L&T bags Rs 1,432 cr defence order". The Hindu Business Line. Press Trust of India. 31 March 2015.
6. "Coast Guard planning new aviation units in Thoothukudi and Puducherry". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
7. "Vikram ready to set sail". The Hindu. 28 October 2017. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 October 2017.
8. V. Ayyappan (11 April 2018). "Indigenously developed offshore patrol vessel ICGS Vikram commissioned". The Times of India.
9. Rahmat, Ridzwan (10 April 2018). "India commissions first new Vikram-class OPV". Jane's Navy International. Archived from the original on 11 April 2018.
10. "Indian Coast Guard on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
11. "L&T Shipyard launches 2nd Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel". Moneycontrol.com. Press Trust of India. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
12. "Second Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel launched in Tamil Nadu". The New Indian Express. 20 January 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
13. "Coast Guard commissions patrol vessel 'Vijaya'". The Economic Times. Press Trust of India. 14 September 2018.
14. V. Ayyappan (28 August 2018). "Coast Guard offshore patrol vessel launched at L&T Shipyard in Chennai". The Times of India.
15. "Third patrol vessel for Coast Guard launched". The Economic Times. Press Trust of India. 28 August 2018.
16. "Will be carrying out joint exercises with Coast Guards: Army Chief". ET. 15 April 2019.
17. "Offshore patrol vessel ICGS Varaha launched". 2 November 2018.
18. "ICGS Varaha commissioned by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh". NewIndianExpress. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
19. "L&T fast-tracks Coast Guard ships production; lays keel of two offshore petrol vessels". The Economic Times. 3 July 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
20. "Coast Guard patrol vessel launched at L&T Shipyard in Ennore". 31 August 2019.
21. @IndiaCoastGuard (28 February 2020). "IndiaCoastGuard ship 'Varad', fifth in series of seven off shore patrol vessels indigenously designed & built by M/s L&T on lines of PM's vision @makeinindia will be commissioned today at Chennai" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
22. "Offshore patrol vessel ICGS Varad commissioned". The Hindu. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
23. "Offshore patrol vessel "VAJRA" to enhance coastal security launched". The Economic Times. Press Trust of India. 27 February 2020.
24. @IndianCoastGuard (6 October 2020). "OPV Vigraha launched by Mrs Hema Somanathan, wife of Dr TV Somanathan, IAS, Secy(Exp), MoF in presence of Director General K Natarajan #ICG & other dignitaries of Central & State Govt today at #L&T #Chennai" (Tweet) – via Twitter.

External links