Airliners-India.com

the_380

Washington, Jan 18 (IANS) India has acquired its first warship from the United States to add punch to its maritime forces. The acquisition of what is technically known as Landing Platform Dock (LPD)14 is viewed as a significant event in the evolving Indo-US relationship with free and open access to sea considered an important and critical challenge by both navies.

The hot-transfer of the massive amphibious loading dock, USS Trenton, the first of its type for the Indian Navy, was accepted by Naval Attach鬠Commodore P Murugesan, at a ceremony at Norfolk Naval base in Virginia Wednesday.

India has also purchased four Mark Eight landing craft and six H-3 Sea King helicopters to operate from the 173-metre-long vessel that has seen action in Somalia, Liberia and Lebanon among other places, landing US troops and rescuing American citizens.

With a displacement of 17,000 tonne, it is set to become the second largest ship with the Indian Navy after the 28,000-tonne Hermes-class aircraft carrier Viraat. The vessel has an unrivalled capacity to carry close to a battalion strength troops and sustain them over a long duration.

Expected to be formally commissioned into the Indian Navy as INS Jalashva (Sanskrit for seahorse) sometime in May, the Trenton flotilla will undergo retrofitting in the US before it sets sail for Vishakapatnam to join the Eastern Naval Command.

Built by Lockheed at a cost of more than $400 million and commissioned in 1971, the amphibious ship has been sold to India for about $48 million under a US Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme.

After its formal decommissioning from the US navy Wednesday a full complement of more than 300 Indian sailors and 27 officers led by Commodore B S Ahluwalia took charge of the ship.

They have been in Norfolk since Oct 2006 learning the ropes about one of US's most trusted vessels. The training in harbour and at sea included handling flight operations, assault craft operations, weapon firings, machinery space drills, specialist equipment operations and safety evolutions besides two sea-sorties extending to about 20 days.

The primary role of the ship is transportation of troops and logistics for amphibious operations using landing craft and aircraft, its secondary role could include logistics /technical support for fleet operations, maritime surveillance/interdiction operations, humanitarian assistance, disaster relief missions, non-combatant evacuation operations and hospital ship.

The ship is equipped with good sensors, electronics and self defence gun systems. it has a large well deck of the size of two basketball courts that can accommodate four Mechanised Landing Craft (LCM Cool

boats. The LCM-8 can carry troops and vehicles from ship to the shore.

Its flight deck of the size of two tennis courts is capable of handling all types of helicopters. The flight deck can be used as emergency recovery deck for VSTOL aircraft such as the Sea-Harrier.
Full Article
_________________
http://www.myspace.com/avsatsworld
A Walt Disney and 20th Century Fox Audio Producer!!! Very Happy

HamiltonAir · Member Joined: 25 Dec 2006 Posts: 937 Location: Bangalore

Hmm why buy a ship that is more than 30yrs old and decommissioned? I dont understand Confused

_________________
HamiltonAir

VABBy · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 823 Location: DEL

Even INS VIRAT and INS VIKRANT had been decomissioned by British Navy when they were inducted by the indian navy
_________________
Expeditors- You'd be surprised how far we will go for you www.expeditors.com

AKLDELNonstop · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1066 Location: Auckland

Same goes for Admiral Gorshkov the ex-Soviet aircraft carrier to join the Indian Navy.
_________________
Geniuses are always misunderstood in their lifetimes.

VABBy · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 823 Location: DEL

AKLDELNonstop · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 1066 Location: Auckland

VABBy · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 823 Location: DEL