Mk IV LCU class vessels follow on class of Mk. III LCU operated by the Indian Navy. The Mk IV LCU can be deployed for maritime roles that require amphibious capabilities.

MK.IV LCU (L51) at sea.
Class overview
NameLCU MK IV class
BuildersGRSE
Operators Indian Navy
Preceded byMk. III LCU
Cost2,100 crore (equivalent to 43 billion or US$540 million in 2023)
Built2011 – 2020
Planned8
Completed8
Active8
General characteristics
TypeLanding craft utility
Displacement
  • 830 t (910 tons) standard[2]
  • 1,001 t (1,103 tons) full load[1]
Length62.8 m (206 ft)[1]
Beam11 m (36 ft)
Draught2.2 m (7 ft 3 in)
Installed power1,840 kW (2,470 hp) each[3]
Propulsion
  • 2 × MTU 16V 4000 M53 diesel engines[1]
  • Fixed-pitch propellers
Speed15 kn (28 km/h)[1]
Range1,500 nmi (2,800 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h)[1]
Troops160[2]
Complement56[3]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • SATCOM - LINK II Mod 1 tactical datalink
  • Sanket S passive electronic warfare system
  • ELK 7036 communications intelligence (COMINT) system
  • MiniPOP surveillance system[1]
Armament

History edit

GRSE signed an agreement for 2,100 crore (equivalent to 43 billion or US$540 million in 2023) with the Indian Navy for designing and building eight LCU ships on 28 September 2011 and construction began in September 2012.[5]

The last ship of the class was delivered on 31 December 2020 and was commissioned into service on 18 March 2021.[6][7]

Design edit

The ship is 63 metres long, overall beam of 11 metres, a hull draught of 2.2 metres and displaces around 830 tonnes.[3] They are powered by two MTU 16V 4000 M53 marine diesel engines (each 1840 KWs).[1] They are equipped with two 30mm CRN-91 mounted guns with a Bharat Electronics-built EON-51 electro-optic director.[8]

The LCU can carry up to 216 personnel and 145 tonnes of cargo. It is fitted with a hydraulic bow ramp.[1]

Ships of the class edit

Yard No Pennant Laid down Launched Commissioned Home-port Status
2092 L 51 26 April 2013[1] 12 March 2014[5] 28 March 2017[4] Port Blair Active
2093 L 52 24 April 2013[citation needed] 23 September 2014[5] 21 August 2017[9]
2094[10] L 53 13 August 2014[5] 16 January 2015[5] 25 April 2018[11]
2095[12] L 54 13 August 2014[5] 23 March 2015[12] 25 May 2018[2]
2096[13] L 55 2014[14] 7 December 2015[15] 19 December 2018[16]
2097 L 56 30 September 2014[citation needed] 12 March 2016[17] 29 July 2019[18]
2098 L 57 28 March 2015[citation needed] 24 November 2016[19] 15 May 2020[20]
2099 L 58 31 August 2015[21] 16 December 2016[22] 18 March 2021[7]

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Mazumdar, Mrityunjoy (5 October 2016). "Indian Navy receives first of new class of Mk IV LCUs". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 7 October 2016.
  2. ^ a b c Dominguez, Gabriel (31 May 2018). "Indian Navy commissions fourth Mk IV landing craft". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 31 May 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Rahmat, Ridzwan (13 March 2016). "GRSE launches Indian Navy's sixth Mk IV LCU". IHS Jane's Navy International. Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016.
  4. ^ a b c "Commissioning of INLCU L51 by Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, AVSM Commander-in-Chief Andaman And Nicobar Command" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 28 March 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Mazumdar, Mrityunjoy; Rahmat, Ridzwan (22 January 2015). "GRSE launches third Mk IV LCU for Indian Navy". IHS Jane's Navy International. Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 25 December 2015.
  6. ^ @OfficialGRSE (31 December 2020). "Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers tops off year 2020 with "Delivery" of the "Last of Eight LCU Project" & "Start Production" of the First Ship of Eight ASWSWC Project" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. ^ a b "Indigenously built Indian Naval Landing Craft Utility L58 Commissioned at Port Blair". PIB. 18 March 2021.
  8. ^ "GRSE Launched Indian Navy's Third Mk IV Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Vessel". www.navyrecognition.com. Archived from the original on 14 February 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  9. ^ "Commissioning of Second Ship of Landing Craft Utility MK-IV 'IN LCU L52'(GRSE Yard 2093) at Port Blair" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 21 August 2017.
  10. ^ "Landing Craft Utility Ship for Indian Navy Launched at Grse" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 16 January 2015.
  11. ^ "Commissioning of Third Ship of Landing Craft Utility Mk-IV 'IN LCU L53' (GRSE Yard 2094) at port Blair- 25 Apr 18" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 25 April 2018.
  12. ^ a b "4th LCU of Mk IV Project launched". Indian Navy (Press release). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
  13. ^ "Launch Of Yard 2096" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 7 December 2015.
  14. ^ "GRSE Chairmans Statement 2014-2015" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 December 2016.
  15. ^ "GRSE launches fifth ship of Indian Navy's LCU MK IV project". The Economic Times. 7 December 2015.
  16. ^ "Commissioning of Fifth Ship of Landing Craft Utility Mk-IV 'IN LCU L55' (GRSE Yard 2096) At Port Blair" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 19 December 2018.
  17. ^ "Sixth ship of LCU MK IV project launched in Kolkata". Business Standard. Asian News International. 12 March 2016.
  18. ^ "LCU L56 commissioned into Indian Navy". The Economic Times. 29 July 2019.
  19. ^ "Landing Craft Utility LCU 57 (Yard 2098) launched at GRSE, Kolkata" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 24 November 2016.
  20. ^ "Commissioning of Seventh Ship of Landing Craft Utility MK-IV 'INLCU L57' (GRSE Yard 2098) at Port Blair". PIB. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  21. ^ Rahmat, Ridzwan (4 September 2015). "GRSE lays keel for Indian Navy's eighth Mk IV LCU". IHS Jane's Navy International. Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 31 December 2015.
  22. ^ "LAUNCH of Eighth LCU - GRSE YARD 2099" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 16 December 2016.

External links edit