LATEST NEWS :

NEW DELHI (PTI): To provide more teeth to its coastal security and surveillance capabilities, the Indian Navy will induct two more water jet propelled Fast Attack Craft (FACs) in Visakhapatnam by this month-end.

The two FACs, built by Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), will be based in the eastern coast to facilitate Navy to carry out patrols and intercept rogue ships, Navy officers said here Sunday.

Named INS Cankaso and INS Kondul, two island territories of India, these would be the fifth and sixth FACs under the Car Nicobar class of craft that India began building in 2007.

The Navy has already inducted four FACs under this class -- Car Nicobar, Chetlat, Korah Divh and Cheriyam -- last year as part of the fast-track process following the Mumbai terror attacks, when Pakistani terrorists used a boat to reach the coast of the metropolis.

The Navy will have a total of 10 FACs under this class and they would be based all along the 7,500-km long coastline.

The vessels are capable of touching speeds of 35 knots propelled by three water jet propulsion engines producing 11,238 horse power.

"The 600-tonne FACs are cost-effective platforms for patrol and rescue operations at sea," the officers said.

The vessels have improved habitability with fully air-conditioned modular type accommodation. They have sensors or radars, an efficient gun turret of indigenous design and sewage treatment plant to comply with conditions laid down by the International Maritime Organisation.

The FACs are armed with a 30mm CRN-91 gun fitted on the fore peak, a naval version of the 2A42 30mm Medak gun. It is controlled by an electronic fire control system developed and jointly produced by the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).

The last four FACs under this class -- named Kalpeni, Kabra, Koswari and Karuva -- are expected to be inducted into the Navy by the end of this year.