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SLNS Sagara (Sagara meaning: Sea) is an Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) of the Sri Lanka Navy. It was formerly the ICGS Varaha (41), a Vikram-class offshore patrol vessel of the Indian Coast Guard, leased to Sri Lanka in 2006 and was handed over to the Sri Lanka Navy in 2015.
 SLNS Sagara
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Sri Lanka | |
| Name | SLNS Sagara |
| Operator | Sri Lankan Navy |
| Builder | Hindustan Shipyard Limited |
| Acquired | 2006 |
| Commissioned | 2006 |
| Homeport | SLN Dockyard, Trincomalee |
| Status | Active |
| History | |
 India | |
| Name | ICGS Varaha |
| Operator | Indian Coast Guard |
| Builder | Goa Shipyard Limited |
| Launched | 1992 |
| Commissioned | 1992 |
| Decommissioned | 2006 |
| Homeport | Chennai |
| Status | Transferred to Sri Lankan Navy |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Vikram class |
| Displacement | 1,220 long tons (1,240 t) |
| Length | 74.1 m (243 ft 1 in) |
| Beam | 11.4 m (37 ft 5 in) |
| Draught | 3.2 m (10 ft 6 in) |
| Propulsion | 2 × diesel engines, 6,200 hp (4.6 MW) sustained, 2 shafts and cp props. |
| Speed | 22 kn (41 km/h) |
| Range | cruise 16 kn (30 km/h) |
| Endurance | 8,500 nmi (15,700 km) |
| Complement | 11 officers, 89 enlisted |
| Sensors and processing systems | Two Decca 1226 - I band |
| Armament | 1x 30 mm automatic CRN 91 Naval Gun in place of the Bofors 40 mm/60 gun; 2x Type 58 14.5mm machine guns, multiple Type 80 machine guns, additional weapon systems added |
| Aircraft carried | Not operationally deployed |
| Aviation facilities | helicopter deck and enclosed hangar |
History
editCommissioned on 11 March 1992, CGS Varaha (41) served with the Indian Coast Guard until she was leased to Sri Lanka in 2006. In August 2015 Sri Lanka acquired the ship for permanent use.[1]
Operations
editSince 2006, SLNS Sagara was tasked with deep sea patrolling both within the Sri Lankan territorial waters and in international waters to curb ongoing arms smuggling by the LTTE during the Sri Lankan Civil War. In the later stages of the war after undergoing a major refit in India, Sagara, along with other OPVs of the Sri Lankan Navy, has been able to successfully intercept several ships smuggling arms for the LTTE. In all these cases the ships were sunk when they attacked the naval vessels with mortars.