Navy to get four Fast Interception Craft

As many as four Fast Interception Craft (FIC) will soon join the fleet size of the Indian Navy at the Southern Naval Command.

As many as four Fast Interception Craft (FIC) will soon join the fleet size of the Indian Navy at the Southern Naval Command. The FICs arrived here last week and are currently in the process of being taken over from the ship builders. The Naval Command will get 12 more FICs in the coming months, which will be deployed in Ezhimala and Lakshadweep islands of Kavaratti, Minicoy and Androth. The FICs, flying the Blue ensign signifying their auxiliary status, will be manned by a crew of four. The craft will be under the operational control of Naval Officer In-charge (Kerala) while it will be operated by the Sagar Prahari Bal (SPB), the naval force for coastal defence. The responsibilities of the FICs will include naval force protection, seaward security of naval assets and counter terrorism. The Fast Interception Crafts, built at Solas Marine Lanka Private Ltd are highly capable vessels and can achieve speeds up to 45 knots and have an endurance of 200 nautical miles at 15 knots. They can carry a variety of armament from Heavy Machine Guns to Grenade Launchers. The upper deck canopies are bullet proof. The versatile vessels are fitted with modern navigational aids and communication equipment including AIS (Automatic Identification System) and LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Device), an anti piracy device.   Source :http://www.defencenews.in